Rowan Tree and Red Thread

The Atrocity Archive is a short novel and a long short story detailing the misadventures of Bob Howard, hacker, geek and accidental member of the Laundry, a super-secret branch of the British Govt. responsible for keeping the world safe from incursions of eldritch horrors from other dimensions. While dodging ISO9000 quality reviews and questions about expenses incurred in the field, Howard romps his way in a geek-James Bond style through multiple attempts on his life and at least one universe threatening crisis, gets the (6 ft redhead philosopher) girl, and lives to tell the tale.
Stross provides nicely punchy writing and a barrelling pace. The Atrocity Archive is not deep on characterisation but a lot of fun nonetheless. However, the smart, sexy, 6ft redhead is underused, unfortunately for the redhead fans in the audience.
Different to Stross' more recent info-singularity stories but obviously from the same swirling stew of ideas and madness. I really enjoyed it.