Book Review: Clown Town by Mick Herron

This is a spoiler-free review.

By the time you reach the ninth book in a series, it’s fair to wonder whether the tension can still hold. With Clown Town, Mick Herron proves it can. Like all of the books in the series, this one left me on the edge of my seat and keen to get my hands on whatever comes next. Other than the Jack Parlabane novels by Chris Brookmyre, I don't think I've ever been so gripped by a series of books with the same characters. They both exhibit a similar combination of intrigue and dark humour.

Herron’s writing remains effortlessly sharp. The prose is lean, dryly funny, and confident, with a rhythm that makes the book easy to slip into. There’s a familiarity to the world and the characters, but it never feels tired. Instead, it feels like a writer who knows exactly what he’s doing and still enjoys doing it.

“Sometimes you can see a twist or an ending coming a mile off — but not this time.”

One of the things I appreciated most here is how unpredictable the story is. Especially this deep into a series, that’s no small thing. The plot keeps its cards close to its chest, and when things finally turn, well, I don't want to give anything away. If I was being really harsh, I'd say the last few chapters have too many echos from books 7 and 8, but that must have been intentional.

The strength of the series is reflected beyond the books themselves. The first five novels have already been adapted for television, with books six and seven confirmed and coming soon. Apple TV's adaptations stay remarkably true to the novels. There are some subtle changes, but nothing too significant. Where they have excelled is with their superb casting, which has really helped bring Herron’s characters to life. While I like the casting of Alan Ritchson in the Amazon Reacher adaptation, Apple TV have done so much better with Slow Horses. Gary Oldman's portrail of Jackson Lamb is just superb. You can almost smell him through the TV!

As for the future, I can’t help thinking about a potential book ten. I don’t want Herron to kill the team off, but I do like round numbers — and book ten seems like it could be a natural point for a grand finale. After reading Clown Town, that idea feels exciting, and maybe a little inevitable.

Despite being deep into the series, this still feels fresh and entertaining. If you’ve enjoyed the other books, Clown Town will do exactly what you want it to do — and, once again, leave you impatient for the next instalment.

If you’ve read Clown Town, I’d love to hear what you thought — where does it sit in the series for you?

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