I’m still making my way through the Laundry Files books, in hope that I’ll be reviewing the final one before the year is out. In my review of the Atrocity Archives I did mention that while the premise was good, the book was quite episodic and disjointed. To expand on that a little: re-reading it, it seems clear that the author was exploring two distinct ideas — mixing the public sector with eldritch horrors, and mixing espionage with eldritch horrors. Some of the later books flit between the two. The Jennifer Morgue, however, comes down firmly on the side of the latter: how can we mix up HP Lovecraft with Flemming?
In a scenario that makes me really question the Laundry’s operating budget, Bob Howard finds himself being shipped off the Caribbean to investigate the actions of billionaire that may be putting our relationship with the Great Old Ones at risk. To do this, Bob has to team up with a representative from the US’s counterpart to the Laundry—the Black Cauldron. Ramona isn’t just your regular CIA agent; in order to keep her one a short leash, the Black Cauldron has used some rather cruel measures. And to make sure this agent, Ramona, doesn’t compromise Bob, the Laundry imposes a geas on the pair of them, keeping them tightly entwined. While Stross seems to love shitting on the CIA, it’s clear here that both supernatural spook agencies are bastards in their own way.
Back in the UK, Bob’s partner, Mo, is not at impressed with the bastardry that Bob is being roped into, and is aware that The Laundry owes her a considerable debt of gratitude. She’s also been taking some violin lessons since we saw her last. Even if we, the readers don’t know the full implications of this yet, rest assured, Bob’s boss Angleton does. So after she finishes giving Angleton an absolute reaming, Mo heads to the airport, violin case in hand.
The Jennifer Morgue is more action oriented right off the get go compared to the previous installment, which is great, as this was the strongest part of the Atrocity Archives. This doesn’t mean that Stross has held back on the geekery at all—far from it. The case that gives the book its name its a real one: There really was a Hughes Mining Barge that was designed for the CIA’s Project Azorian/Project Jennifer in order to salvage a soviet submarine. The question the Laundry is dealing with is what was that sub doing back int he day, and why does this billionaire want it?
The Jennifer Morgue is also much more cohesively written than the previous book, with a proper overreaching narrative throughout. It’s just a pity that a major plot element (and you’ll know it as soon as you start reading it) is so damned heavy handed. Thankfully, it is delightfully subverted near the end of the novel. But I think it could’ve been handled with a little more subtlety. I also think this plot element made it so much harder for many of the side characters—perhaps with the exception of Mo—to be fleshed out properly, which is a bit of a shame.
There’s also the problem of Bob continuously finding himself flailing around clueless, which sometimes gets frustrating. Or he gets himself locked in a room with little to do, which is worse. However, to be fair, there every indication here that his higher ups are leaving him with only partial briefing on purpose. Apparently they seem to think they get the best results from him when he runs around like a chicken with his head cut off. Unfortunately though, while I can see why this has happened, I feel poor Bob here has ended up a ‘pinball protagonist’ for much of the book.
So why I think there is structural improvement here over the Atrocity Archives, The Jennifer Morgue has some flaws of its own. I think I enjoyed it most when Stross was making his geeky, extremely niche history tie ins and the expanding on the more Lovecraftian elements. At the same time though? It was a little bit trope heavy.
Again, like the previous book, there is a bonus short story at the end. This one takes us back the petty inter-department of conflicts that exist within the Laundry and explores what happens when Bob is given an intern. That poor kid.
