Bob Howard used to fix computers for the Laundry - the branch of the British Secret Service that deals with otherworldly threats - but those days are over. He's not only been promoted to active service but actually survived missions against cultists, enemy spies and tentacled horrors from other dimensions. Willingly or not, he's on his way up in this dangerous organisation.

When a televangelist with connections to 10 Downing Street seems able to work miracles, the Laundry takes an interest. But an agency that answers to the Prime Minister can't spy on him themselves, and Bob's shadowy superiors come up with a compromise - they hire 'freelancers', with Bob in charge.

British citizens who discover the occult are either forcibly recruited by the Laundry or disposed of, and Bob's never heard of freelancers before. Officially they don't exist. Anyone who's big and bad enough to remain independent is going to be hard to handle, and Bob's not too sure that the one-week 'people management' course he was sent on in Milton Keynes is going to be enough . . .

* Review copies mailed to the online, print and blogging press * Featured on www.orbitbooks.net and in author posts/online activity * Targeted online ads for genre * Highly popular author blog at www.antipope.org/charlie * 'Become a Laundry Agent' online competition running across several websites and blogging platforms, solve the clues and win prizes * Author active at science fiction and thriller literary festivals, appearing at Harrogate.

About the Author
Charles Stross is a full-time science fiction writer and resident of Edinburgh, Scotland. The author of seven Hugo-nominated novels and winner of three Hugo awards for best novella, two of which are part of the Laundry Files series, Stross's works have been translated into over twelve languages. As the owner of degrees in pharmacy and computer science, he graduated as the world's only academically qualified cyberpunk writer just as cyberpunk died. Today he describes his job as telling lies for money and tormenting his imaginary friends. Follow his blog at http://www.accelerando.org/ and his Twitter feed at @cstross.

Reviews
Brilliantly disturbing and funny at the same time -- Ben Aaronovitch, author of RIVERS OF LONDON
Charles Stross owns this field, and his vast, cool intellect has launched yet another mad, sly entertainment that will strangle the hell out of anything else on offer right now -- Warren Ellis, author of Transmetropolitan
Stross at the top of his game - which is to say, few do it better -- KIRKUS
Alternately chilling and hilarious -- PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Ferociously enjoyable -- SFX



Book Information
ISBN 9780356500980
Author Charles Stross
Format Paperback
Page Count 416
Imprint Orbit
Publisher Little, Brown Book Group
Weight(grams) 286g
Dimensions(mm) 196mm * 126mm * 30mm