“John Bachelor is the saddest kind of spy: not a joe in the field, not even a desk jockey, but a milkman—a part-time pension administrator whose main job is to check in on aging retired spies. Late in his career and having lost his wife, his house, and his savings after a series of unlucky choices, John's been living in a dead man's London apartment, hoping the bureaucracy isn't going to catch up with him and leave him homeless. But keeping a secret among spies is a fool's errand, and now John has made himself open to blackmail by rogue elements within Regent Park that seemly also involves royalty.”
Not sure how much of The Catch will play out in later full-length novels within the Slough House universe, but this novella takes a page from modern headlines. When Benny Manors, a one-time asset to the spooks around Regent Park, burgles a place and steals photos, audio and what not of young girls involved with (apparently) rich and well-placed men, he sees opportunity to up his lifestyle. When John is recruited by Richard Pynne to find Manors and that incriminating evidence, he has no idea why. But soon breaking news about the apparent suicide of an American billionaire (Jeffrey Epstein) and a connection to His Royal Highness Prince Andrew sends Bachelor on a mission that may get him killed.
Once again, even these short novellas are smart, witty and devious. While no appearance from any of the slow horses, we see Lady Di fully engaging in her attempt to take power and have no compulsion what so ever of making spy vs. spy a delightful game.
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