Slow Horses

• Chapter 1 — 12,838 words
  “Let us be clear about this much at least: Slough House is not in Slough, nor is it a house. Its front door lurks in a dusty recess between commercial …”
• Chapter 2 — 8,159 words
  “When lovely woman stoops to folly, all bets are off. Was that how it went? Didn’t matter. When lovely woman stoops to folly, something’s got to give.”
• Chapter 3 — 3,595 words
  “Earlier that evening, River had joined the commuter shuffle from London Bridge; by eight, he’d been on the outskirts of Tonbridge. A phone call on the …”
• Chapter 4 — 5,305 words
  “Not everyone had been in Ho’s office when River got there. How had he failed to register Jackson Lamb’s absence? Before long this was rectified: a …”
• Chapter 5 — 2,423 words
  “The dreadful pub across the road served food of sorts, and its sprawl promised undisturbed nooks. River’s lunch break was early enough to qualify as a …”
• Chapter 6 — 6,900 words
  “A shag was making its way up and down the Thames, carving out a stretch of river between Hungerford Bridge and Canary Wharf. She didn’t know much …”
• Chapter 7 — 3,670 words
  “There wasn’t much of a moon, but that hardly mattered. River was opposite Robert Hobden’s flat again. Less than forty-eight hours ago rain had been …”
• Chapter 8 — 6,555 words
  “Now that he knew he was going to die, a sense of calm had settled upon Hassan. It was almost surreal, though surreal wasn’t quite the word. …”
• Chapter 9 — 7,863 words
  “Down a quiet street in Islington—its front doors perched atop flights of stone steps; some with pillars standing sentry; some with Tiffany windows …”
• Chapter 10 — 3,022 words
  “Jed Moody’s body was still on the landing, bleakly lit by a naked bulb. Lamb paid little attention to it on his way up to his office, where he lifted …”
• Chapter 11 — 4,799 words
  ““Phones. Now.””
• Chapter 12 — 4,723 words
  “This darkness was smaller than the last. Hassan was hooded again, with a handkerchief stuffed in his mouth, his knees tucked up to his chest, and his …”
• Chapter 13 — 2,856 words
  “He had never visited her flat, nor wasted time wondering what it might be like, so was neither surprised nor reassured by its appearance: an art deco …”
• Chapter 14 — 3,741 words
  “Blake’s grave lies half a mile or so from Slough House, in Bunhill Fields cemetery. It’s marked by a small headstone, also dedicated to his wife …”
• Chapter 15 — 3,278 words
  “Lamb pulled up by the bus stop opposite Slough House. One of Moody’s checkpoints, River recalled; constantly monitored for loiterers. He said, “So. …”
• Chapter 16 — 10,381 words
  “There was something different about Catherine Standish. This was what Louisa Guy decided as she watched Ho swing through the virtual jungle, a Second …”
• Chapter 17 — 2,048 words
  “The roadworks have eased on Aldersgate. Traffic flows freely once more. If our inquisitive bus passenger of earlier acquaintance were to gaze at …”
• Open questions
  Question What does this book deliberately leave unresolved — and which of those are hooks for later books rather than loose ends? Evidence …
• POV map
  Question Who sees what, and what does the distribution of viewpoints do to the reader’s knowledge? Evidence Ch Words POV heads POVs …
• Structure
  Question How is the book built, and what does its shape do that a linear thriller would not? Evidence 18 chapters, 94,647 words, two parts. …
• Timeline
  Question What happens when? The novel is exact about hours and vague about dates, so the sequence has to be reconstructed from countdowns …
• Chapter 0 — 2,491 words
  “This is how River Cartwright slipped off the fast track and joined the slow horses.”