Three new continuation novels, from three outstanding Crime Fiction writers. The common thread running through the trio is that they’re all set in the United Kingdom.

If I say "Slow Horses" and mention Jackson Lamb, do I have to say anything else to get you on my side? A new Slough House thriller from Mick Herron is here, and it’s a new conspiracy/adventure mystery enticing us to reacquaint ourselves with the Slow Horses universe. In his time, Herron has been awarded the Theakston Old Peculiar Crime Novel of the Year, and has received CWA Gold, Steel, and Diamond Daggers. The "Slow Horses" adaptation for television has been extremely popular, with Gary Oldman’s portrayal of Jackson Lamb a much-lauded one. This installment drops us in the middle of the "Slow Horses" universe, via a multi-strand narrative that allows us to play catch-up with all the fractured and damaged spies and spooks we’ve come to "love." Prominent here would be River Cartwright, waiting to be recalled to Regent’s Park, and biding time by investigating the secrets of his late grandfather’s library - as Grandad was a legendary former spy.

A missing book in David Cartwright’s library becomes an object of extreme interest, setting off several alarm bells and actions. Diana Taverner, Regent Park’s First Desk, is again in the mix of things, and there’s a covert operation code-named Pitchfork that should never see the light of day. Pitchfork is Dougie Malone, who was an asset during The Troubles in Ireland, and what has remained secret is how, while employed and pensioned by the Park, he would regularly murder, steal, rape, and cause considerable ‘mischief’ that went far beyond what useful information he would provide. The narrative revolves around the ugly, sordid side of state security, and how it’s all about using secrets as leverage for one’s personal gain or survival. Herron’s signature florid, yet lyrical prose, is in full effect here. Jackson Lamb can poke fun at and be highly sarcastic with the Slough House clowns, but they’re his clowns.

While Horowitz will classify this as a standalone novel, editor Susan Ryeland is back, and this story inhabits the same world as that of his former crime novel, "The Magpie Murders." To kick off events here, Susan leaves Andreas and her fairy book Greek island of Crete and returns to rainy England. There, a new publishing house asks her to be editor for an Atticus Pünd continuation novel, having been instrumental in the success of those authored by the late Alan Conway. This new one is written by Eliot Crace, grandson of the much-loved children’s author, Miriam Crace, who passed away under circumstances that only Eliot believes were murder. The manuscript is an unfinished one, but it’s set in the South of France, chronicling the mysterious death of Lady Margaret Chalfont, who passes away before she can change her will. Is it Art imitating Life? The Crace family seems to think so.

A meta-fictional mystery, let’s not forget that Lesley Manville portrayed Susan Ryeland in the miniseries adaptations of "Magpie Murders" and "Moonflower Murders" and that it was her request that she be brought back for a third series, which compelled Horowitz to write this new adventure. Written both as a novel and as a screenplay, this is Horowitz at his most playful. Between the Ryeland narration and the excerpts of the book that Crace wrote, we are taken on a wondrous ride of family, wealth, and power, and of manipulation. While Eliot is convinced his domineering mother was murdered, the estate and the rest of the family have too much to protect to get involved in a scandal of this sort. Ryeland gets implicated in all sorts of trouble, and it’s not long before she’s trying to solve the case just to prove her innocence. Horowitz was recently awarded the CBE for services to Literature.

This new novel by Miller sees the return of freelance investigative journalist Shona Sandison, who calls Edinburgh and Glasgow her home turf. After taking home of Story of the Year for the scoop that was chronicled in the previous novel, Shona is in need of a new expose, and she is given the clue of "Grendel," which is a sinister, top-secret project of the British government. The unfortunate thing is that the people who direct her towards Grendel keep dying. One is a chance encounter on the Awards night, but hitting close to home is how the second is Hector Stricken. A close friend of Shona, and one with whom countless hours were spent together, Hector was a former journalist. Hector had left the world of journalism for something more stable, ending up doing CorpComm for a shady think tank.

There’s a sidebar narrative that involves an ageing spy chief, mourning over his murdered son, and plotting his revenge on the forces that caused said death. That these forces include the ones behind a planned Stag Hall meeting that connects with those who are in support of and behind the Grendel scheme brings this retired chief into the orbit of Shonda’s investigations. To be held in a secluded corner of the Scottish Fife coast, this conference is part of what Shona is trying to expose, putting her in direct conflict with dark forces who are ready to remain quiet permanently, those who oppose their scheming. At root here is a return to a modern form of ‘slavery’ for those who fall under particular categories of modern Scottish society. Shona has been one of the more enduring characters created by Miller, and it’s easy to understand why, given the strong appeal of her dogged form of journalism and the unusual stories that she digs up.