The fourth season of Slow Horses is already hinting at a significant death, but the book that served as the show’s inspiration may have already revealed certain weaknesses in the story. A spy thriller, Slow Horses never shies away from using Slough House’s exploits for dramatic effect, suspense, or unexpected humour.

This has helped the show, which over the previous three seasons has grown to be a beloved series on Apple TV+. The main character of Slow Horses is Slough House, a motley crew of MI5 officers who, following embarrassing missteps in Britain’s top spy organization, are assigned to a squad led by the slovenly but brilliant Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman).

The setting’s intrinsic danger is not diminished by the jokes, especially since several characters have died in earlier seasons. Another of Lamb’s operatives is hinted to be killed in the Slow Horses season 4 trailer. A fake-out death in the book that served as the season’s inspiration, however, implies that at least one character will survive the season’s events.

Lamb Deliberately Misidentifies River’s Body In Slow Horses Book 4

Although it’s implied in the Slow Horses season 4 trailer that one of Lamb’s agents may die while performing their duties, River (Jack Lowden) is not expected to pass away. One of the most well-known agents at Slough House, River was a bright young man whose career was destroyed by a highly visible training exercise gone bad.

The fourth novel in the Slough House series, Spook Street, will be adapted for Slow Horses season 4. The plot of Spook Street centres on the aftermath of a London bombing that unsettles MI5. A significant character in the book, River must balance his espionage work with his grandfather David’s (Jonathan Pryce) abilities.

For a little while in the book, River is believed to be dead, and Lamb finds his body. Nevertheless, it turns out that Lamb was misguiding River, allowing him to carry out more research. River’s major position in the program and this turn of events in the source material make his death in Slow Horses season 4 (and his subsequent absence from the future Slow Horses season 5) implausible.

This does not imply that viewers should assume that Slough House will have an easy time. Slow Horses season 4 may see the death of a Slough House agent, even though River makes it through the book. Several people have died in Slow Horses, including Jed in season 1 (though it’s unclear what became of the unconscious Sid).

Min was similarly killed off in Season 2. The third season of Slow Horses defied convention by not killing off any significant characters. Slough House deserves another death in Slow Horses season four, in this sense. The fourth teaser for Slow Horses puts several characters in danger before Lamb appears to announce that one of his team members has passed away.

This could be a reference to any number of agents, possibly based on River’s Spook Street fake-out death. It’s also plausible that River is killed in the season, departing from the novel. Given River’s major position, that kind of story twist would require multiple adjustments to subsequent stories.

But it wouldn’t be the first time the show altered the storyline—the fourth season’s plot is affected by Whelan’s absence. Although the Spook Street plot makes it unlikely that River will be killed, even ardent fans may be taken aback by the complex world of espionage presented in Slow Horses.