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  • The Drop

  • A Slough House Novella
  • By: Mick Herron
  • Narrated by: Sean Barrett
  • Length: 2 hrs and 1 min
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (312 ratings)
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The Drop cover art

The Drop

By: Mick Herron
Narrated by: Sean Barrett
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Summary

A Slough House novella from the 'John le Carré of our generation'.

Old spooks carry the memory of tradecraft in their bones, and when Solomon Dortmund sees an envelope being passed from one pair of hands to another in a Marylebone café, he knows he's witnessed more than an innocent encounter. But in relaying his suspicions to John Bachelor, who babysits retired spies like Solly, he sets in train events which will alter lives. Bachelor himself, a hair's breadth away from sleeping in his car, is clawing his way back to stability; Hannah Weiss, the double agent whose recruitment was his only success, is starting to enjoy the secrets and lies her role demands; and Lech Wicinski, an Intelligence Service analyst, finds that a simple favour for an old acquaintance might derail his career. 

Meanwhile, Lady Di Taverner is trying to keep the Service on an even keel, and if that means throwing the odd crew member overboard, well: collateral damage is her specialty.

A drop, in spook parlance, is the passing on of secret information.

It's also what happens just before you hit the ground.

©2018 Mick Herron (P)2018 Hodder & Stoughton Limited

What listeners say about The Drop

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Enticing and rewarding double act-drop and catch

What a terrific idea-not new-but aptly employed. First we get a terrific aha moment about past events at our fondly thought of Slough House, then we get a perfect shove towards what I expect the much anticipated novel will grow beyond.
How amusingly and provocatively all sorts wander through the pages and embed themselves in our imagination. London continues to glower in the background of these tales. Big. Dangerous. And how vulnerable all the human beings in the city are. Wonder if beyond HRH’s, Brexit, Johnson, the plague will make its presence felt in the next one?

But I do wish, sorry about this, but I do wish the novellas weren’t so pricey.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Short but perfectly formed story.

This is the first short(ish) story I can recall reading where I didn't feel confused, bored or cheated. Mick Herron delivers the same qualities as in his full-length novels – an intriguing plot, enticing characterisations, and shed-loads of ultra dry humour.
Seán Barrett's reading is, as always, superlative – rich, humorous and nuanced. I highly recommend all the Slough House and Zoë Boehm books; I've found no other writer within this genre who comes close to the standard set by Mick Herron.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

An Entertaining Amuse - Bouche

This is not actually a Slough House novel (it can't be without the incomparable Jackson Lamb in it) but Spook Street Evil Queen Lady Di and the hapless old asset babysitter John Bachelor are at the centre of a nasty little scrabble around 'Snow White' with undeserving winners and losers all round. If this is how MI5 is really run then heaven help us all. I prefer to see it as gorgeously entertaining fiction that whets the appetite for the next full blown Slough House banquet.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Contrived but cleverly so.

Missed Jackson Lamb but it appears we will have a new slow horse for him to abuse.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great writer and master storyteller

A prep for the next Jackson Lambe book. Introducing a new part of the tale and the next member of the slow horses. Full of the wit and observation that has lured readers along this spectacular series. While short , it is as entertaining as the previous books and renews the readers thirst for more. looking forward to the next novel. This writer never disappoints.

keep them coming Mick

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Loved it

Although it was a short story, I got into it right away and wanted it to go on. Ended too soon for me and can't wait for the next book.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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Cameo

Providing you are already a fan, and you realise it only lasts two hours, you will enjoy this. Silkily read by Sean Barrett, as usual.

I imagine it is, at least potentially, setting the scene for new characters in a further Slough House novel; an excellent prospect.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Story infill

These Slough House novellas give amusing insights to new characters, enhancing the main series' stories.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Slightly whimsical?

I enjoyed this immensely. The story was perhaps a little more whimsical than other Mick Herron work, but none the worse for that.. The happy (ish) ending and the snow perhaps. As ever, his use of language is sublime, and Sean Barrett is just the best-just the sound of his voice is enough to sell an audiobook to me. Thank you Mick, and Sean.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Same plot of a previous novel by Herron

the exact same plot is included in a slough house recent novel. eccellent narrator, though

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1 person found this helpful