Characters / Jackson Lamb

WARNING: There are unmarked spoilers on these sheets for all books prior to Joe Country.

Characters appearing in the Jackson Lamb spy thrillers and related stories.

This page only covers the books, not the Slow Horses TV adaptation.

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Slough House

Jackson Lamb

Jackson Lamb

Jackson Lamb

First Appearance: Slow Horses

The crude, sarcastic, politically incorrect head of Slough House. Having been a spy during the Cold War, Lamb isn't to be underestimated due to his unkempt appearance.

Tropes:

• Deadpan Snarker: Almost constantly. No matter what plan or idea anyone comes up with, Lamb will use sarcasm to stick a pin in it.
• Horrifying the Horror: Bad Sam, former head of 'The Dogs' and no slouch in the badass stakes, is terrified of Lamb, for good reason.
• Papa Wolf: A genuinely unpleasant fella, but Lamb cares for his team and does not take kindly to them being used by Regents Park as stooges especially if they end up dead as a result
• Underestimating Badassery: He looks and acts like a Jaded Washout slob, who on paper would be easily outfoxed. The poor bastards who'd believe that better watch out.

Slow Horses

River Cartwright

River Cartwright

First Appearance: Slow Horses

A young up-and-coming spy, whose career took a fall after he crashed Kings Cross during rush hour. Despises desk work, and despises Slough House even more, making him eager to follow any chance of action. Grandson to David Cartwright, former important MI5 decision-maker.

Tropes:

• Who Names Their Kid "Dude"?: River's name is unusual, due to his mother going through a "hippie phase" when he was born. The outlandishness of it is noted by others, including kids who teased him for it, when he was in school.

Min Harper

Min Harper

First Appearance: Slow Horses

Left a classified disc on the train, leading to the end of his career at the Park, as well as the end of his marriage. Assigned to Slough House, he finds himself restless, hoping to get promoted back to his old position. Trusts no one, except Louisa Guy.

Tropes:

• He Knows Too Much: The reason for Min's murder in Dead Lions. He saw something that would have ruined Arkady Pashkin's plans, so he had to go.

Catherine Standish

Catherine Standish

First Appearance: Slow Horses

Formerly secretary to Charles Partner, who was head of the service. Standish was reassigned to Slough House after Partner committed suicide.

Tropes:

• Recovered Addict: Long before the series began, Standish used to be an alcoholic. This is well-known among the slow horses, and often made the subject of Lamb's jokes. A common source of tension is whether or not Standish is going to fall Off the Wagon.

Roderick Ho

Roderick "Roddy" Ho

First Appearance: Slow Horses

Slough House's resident tech genius. Believes he's the coolest guy in the world, calling himself "the Rodster" and "RamRod", among other things. Believes he's widely beloved (or at least envied), and irresistible to women. In reality, he's physically scrawny and nerdy-looking, socially inept, and all-around disliked. Often the butt of jokes, without realizing it.

Shirley Dander

Shirley Dander

First Appearance: Dead Lions

A short, leather jacket-wearing woman with a buzz cut, assigned to Slough House for punching someone who harassed her. Has anger issues, as well as a habit of doing cocaine, which she doesn't see as a problem. Becomes allies and eventually friends with Marcus Longridge, her officemate, who became a slow horse around the same time she did.

Tropes:

• Ambiguously Gay: Shirley's sexuality is a mystery throughout the series. Her partner is referred to only as "lover", never given a name or gender.
• Descent into Addiction: Using cocaine starts as something that doesn't affect Shirley's work much, descending into more of a problem as the series goes on. In Bad Actors, Shirley is put in The San, MI5's rehab and recovery centre.

Marcus Longridge

Marcus Longridge

First Appearance: Dead Lions

Formerly an operative, Marcus finds himself assigned to Slough House due to his gambling habit, and misses his days of being a real agent, kicking down doors and taking down threats. Doesn't see his gambling as a problem, though people around him do, and eventually it starts to get him into real trouble and debt. Shares an office with Shirley Dander, later becoming her friend, and the voice of reason in their duo.

Tropes:

• Descent into Addiction: Marcus starts off as more of a Professional Gambler, winning enough to send himself and his family on lavish vacations. Once he gets hooked on slot machines, though, he finds himself losing money and having trouble paying bills.

MI5

Leadership

Di Taverner

Diana "Lady Di" Taverner

First Appearance: Slow Horses

• Foil: To Jackson Lamb. Jackson looks and acts like an incompetent, slovenly Jaded Washout Bad Boss who constantly berates and belittles the junior agents he is in charge of, but is actually incredibly competent and, for all his genuine disdain of his subordinates, nevertheless shows equal loyalty and concern for their welfare. Taverner, however, appears to be every inch the modern, professional, hyper-efficient spymaster on the surface, but is in fact incredibly incompetent and makes numerous disastrous mistakes that should rightfully see her exiled to Slough House. What she's actually good at is throwing others under the bus to take the blame for her screw-ups, and displays no real loyalty or concern for anyone or anything but her own interests.

Ingrid Tearney

Ingrid Tearney

First Appearance: Slow Horses

First Desk of MI5.

• Corrupt Bureaucrat: As seen in Nobody Walks, she uses her position to benefit herself - and is entirely prepared to frame or murder innocent civilians to resolve her financial difficulties.

Claude Whelan

Claude Whelan

First Appearance: Spook Street

• The Bus Came Back: After leaving MI5, he's drawn back (and directly entangled with Lamb and the Slow Horses) in Bad Actors.

The Dogs

Bad Sam

Sam "Bad Sam" Chapman

First Appearance: Reconstruction (first main series appearance: Dead Lions)

Former Head Dog, before the events of Reconstruction sent his career spinning down the drain. Got a job tracking runaway teenagers after leaving MI5.

Tropes:

• Non-Indicative Name: Bad Sam was never really all that bad, in skill or in temper, aside from the occasional irritable day (or loss of huge sums of money).

Non-Service

Civilians

Lucas Harper

Lucas Harper

First Appearance: Slow Horses (mentioned), Joe Country (appears)

Min Harper's son. Gets himself into trouble when he sees something he shouldn't have, and attempts to use that information for blackmail.

Tropes:

• He Knows Too Much: While catering for an event, Lucas sees some high-profile people, including a member of the Royal Family engaging in behaviour that he decides to use to blackmail them. This backfires when instead of paying the price for Lucas's silence, the blackmailees decide to hire Frank Harkness and his gang to take him out. (Joe Country)