‘London Rules’ is a laugh out loud spy thriller by Michael Herron

Mick Herron can almost claim a complete genre for himself: John le Carre with jokes. Photo: Tim Commons/Wikimedia Commons

A spy thriller that is also a very funny book might seem a bit of an oddity, not to mention a rarity. The film world has run any number of spy spoofs but I can’t think of too many successful ones in print. But then up pops Mick Herron, claiming almost a complete genre for himself: John le Carre with jokes.

London Rules is the fifth book in Herron’s Jackson Lamb series, a series that has garnered him both a considerable following and considerable acclaim. I have, admittedly, come very late to this party but after reading his latest offering I have a feeling I will be exploring Herron’s earlier work.