Broken Homes (Rivers of London)

Ben Aaronovitch's "Broken Homes" is the fourth in his "PC Peter Grant" series. Again, if you've enjoyed the previous books in the series, you'll like this one. It's simultaneously both light-hearted and dark in tone, and is a fast-paced paranormal murder mystery with excellent characterizations, wonderful vocabulary, and well-done world descriptions (though perhaps a bit too London/police oriented). Unfortunately, as with the previous book, Aaronovitch has continued using bad grammar whenever the protagonist uses a compound subject (i.e., he has him say "Me and Lesley" instead of "Lesley and I") and it drives me insane. Other than that, it's a really good book. I'm rating it at a Very Good 4 stars out of 5.

The novels in Ben Aaronovitch's "PC Peter Grant" (or "Rivers of London") series are:

1. Midnight Riot (PC Peter Grant Book 1)
2. Moon Over Soho (PC Peter Grant Book 2)
3. Whispers Under Ground (PC Peter Grant Book 3)
4. Broken Homes (PC Peter Grant Book 4)
5. Foxglove Summer (PC Peter Grant Book 5)
6. The Hanging Tree (Rivers of London)

There was a lot to like in this book. The idea of a division of the police to deal with all things magical is a great one. Aaronovitch handles it well, weaving magic and mystery together seamlessly. PC Peter Grant is a likable, funny, self-aware character who I want to see more of. And the writing is generally very crisp and engaging.

However, I made the mistake of reading this book -- the 4th in a series -- first, and was therefore confused by references to a villain who was never properly introduced. Similarly, one of the major characters is missing a face, and we're never told how this rather unusual situation came about.

But my biggest complaint is that there are long stretches where it's hard to see the plot for all the verbal fireworks. 2/3 of the way through I would have found it difficult to say what the book was about. Tension only develops near the very end, which manages to be both gripping and surprising.

I'm fairly sure I would have liked this book more if I read it in sequence. But I suspect even then more aggressive editing would have helped.

By the fourth book in the Rivers of London series, both Aaronovitch and his readers have grown comfortable with the world and the people who populate it -- which of course is the perfect time to shake things up a bit. This series is an intriguing blend of police procedural and urban fantasy, and it manages to do both flawlessly. It's odd to use the word 'realistic' for an urban fantasy novel, of course, but if magic really did exist and the Met were using it, I do believe this is exactly how it would go.

Add to that the fact this is one of the few series set in a major urban location that actually reflects the ethnic, cultural, and social diversity of that setting, and a protagonist who is one of the more likeable heroes I've read in a while, and you've got a winning recipe. Can't wait for #5 to see how the fallout of the Big Reveal falls out.

Aaronovitch takes a different approach to this book compared to the first three books in the series. Instead of the story being based around a single major criminal case, it instead covers a series of investigations associated with the Faceless Man by the main characters. The result is that the plot has a less clear direction than the previous books, almost meandering at times, and even at the end seems to leave you at a loss as where and why. A number of the popular subsidiary characters from the previous books are either absent entirely or relegated to very minor roles. The book also has far less of the feel of an architectural travelogue of London, an element that I really enjoyed in the first three books.

I was troubled by all of this early on in the book and wondered if Aaronvitch had lost focus, perhaps worn out his inspiration for this particular series and just churned the book out to meet a publisher's deadline. However, with the book's end and its unexpected denouement, I think that instead Aaronovitch deliberately constructed this book so that the end has (and certainly did for me at least) significant emotional impact: at the end you are meant to feel for Peter Grant, to feel the loss and pain that goes with being a policeman. The end would not have had the impact it did if Aaaronovitch had written this book the way he had the first three.

This book, I believe, deliberately immerses us in the often humdrum and boring world of day to day police work (abet with a magical edge); it shows us our heroes groping for information about a villain they know little about and who has always seemed one step ahead of them; it deliberately avoids the clear certainties of the first three books' plots and the meandering and everyday nature of the plot is meant to be a direct reflection of the meandering and humdrum nature of the heroes investigation: then Aaronovitch twists all these threads together in the last third of the book, delivering a series of heavy hits as all the pieces come together.

Aaronovitch is actually trying something fairly difficult with his writing and execution in this book, and it does always work; some sections taken standalone are, frankly, somewhat frustrating because you can't see their point; and it is certainly not a book that can be read except as the fourth book in a series and I am glad I only recently reread the first three novels. However, the end result, with the work taken as whole, is as good as the other books, if very different in tone and feel. Broken Homes' impact on me was undeniable: it left me feeling drained, empty and emotionally exhausted. It is, I suspect, a book that will be better on the second read through because you will be reading the early, seemingly unfocused chapters, with an awareness of how they actually impact on the plot, making them both more immediately interesting and, given Aaronovitch's style, causing all sorts of small asides to be noticed.

In many ways this books seems like Aaronovitch stepping up the series to something more serious. There was less humour (though I still laughed out loud on numerous occasions) and more serious and gritty crime and police work, and as I have repeatedly mentioned I found the end a real kicker. Kudos for Aaronovitch for trying something different rather than churning out a cookie cutter sequel and if the end result wasn't as much fun as the first three books, it was still a great extension to the series that left me staring at my screen out of breath, and desperately wanting more.

Usually a series tends to fall in excellence after the first or second book. The Peter Grant , Rivers of London Series just keeps getting better and better. This last installment was riveting and I read it
In two sittings.

I read an earlier review claiming that this story was disjointed because there were too many crime threads to follow. I on the other hand found the whole story's twists and turn highly entertaining. The Rivers novels are a journey that transcends the plot. I get so interested in the by play of the guided tour through London I hope the book never ends.
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Ben Aaronovitch is an extremely talented author whose series featuring Peter Grant, a bi-racial constable in modern day London, is both a very funny and acerbic commentary on current mores and race relations in England and also a tour-de-force on the history and geography of London. I could not wait for the Kindle edition - not out until February 2014- so I special ordered it through the store and had it two weeks. Excellent service and an excellent read!

Another terrific romp with London's "Falcon" police force. While I'm not generally a fan of the fantasy genre, I love Aaronovitch's wit, and I appreciate that his characters are often as incredulous at finding themselves in the midst of magical forces as the reader would be.

Love the series. Not formulaic like many other "magic" novels. The development of the supernatural community the struggle to learn magic from the "last" surviving magician in England make the stories substantive, humourous, interesting and unpredictable.

Another very entertaining installment in the Peter Grant series. I always enjoy how I get a laugh out of these books on a regular basis and this one has been no exception in that regard. The only reason the book has 4 stars instead of 5 was that the first half of the book, while necessary for the whole story to make sense, was nevertheless rather slow in many ways. The second half the story really made up for that though and the ending is certainly a turning point for the series. I'll be really interested to see where book 5 takes us from here. This series is still among the urban fantasy novels I snap up as soon as they are available because of how fun they are to read but I wouldn't read this book without reading books 1 to 3 first.

Great book! Waiting for the next one - this one left at a point where you know that there's going to be a sequel. Funny and entertaining. I have all four books so far and every one has left me wanting more.

I enjoyed this installment of the Rivers of London series. Ben has loaded this book with his usual sarcasm and inside jokes for sci-fi nerds. Then ending was surprising and I'm impatiently waiting for the next installment!

I have read all his books and can recommend them to everyone. Even if you are not a fan of fantasy this book can appeal to you. It encompasses history, legend, detection and a little romance/sex. A thorouhly good read.

The third book in the series and the characters continue to flesh out, as does the "reality" in which they live. My only worry is that I should visit London soon, before PC Grant demolishes any more of it! The book is written with a good sense of humor and likable, believable characters. I don't want to spoil anything, but I did not see the twist at the end coming. Can't wait for the next installment.

In his 4th book, Aaronovitch manages to move the underlying story forward, developing the characters, giving us a new mystery to solve, while at the same time interjecting his sly humour. However I found the denouement somewhat unsatisfying, but overall was a really good read

Although this time I got lost in the language more than the others, I still loved it. It seemed a little overdone. But what the hell do I know, I'm a yank. And what a surprise at the end. Good read. Tended to drag at first, but was moving right along at the end.

Enjoy the authors style and the mix of the supernatural and normal. Good read. Suggested the first book in the series to a friend and after loading it on his E book he could not stop reading until he had finished it, at 3AM. This book is no different. Hard to put down.

This series is probably responsible for sightings of ghosts on London trains recently and anyone in London or going there just has to read it. I got caught up in it from the first book and just can't get enough, even if I am not in London. Great writing and a semi-believable urban fantasy - this series is suitable for men, women and teens. It would be great for school libraries.

Another great book, with perhaps just a tad too much of Aaronovitch's signature wit.
Still the timing, once things get hopping is fantastic and the suspense which weaves its way through a series of seemingly unrelated crimes, is quite delicious.
Be forewarned : nothing is resolved with this one. Aaronovitch definitely leaves us panting for more.

Aaronvitch has blown life into a genre that was getting a little stale. This installment in the series starts a little slowly but picks up steam quite nicely. My only complaint is the wait for the next book.

As with the other books by Mr. Aaronovitch, I enjoyed the storyline and unusual happenings that take place within the supernatural realm being investigated by the characters. This was my 4th story by this author, and I believe the latest of his series of this kind. I felt as though I were watching a TV series and was left with a cliffhanger. I am looking forward to his next work.

I have really enjoyed all the books in this series. The author is obviously well educated and clever. The plots are clever and well crafted through the characters. The characters are consistent throughout and take you effortlessly through the storyline. They are artfully used to layer the different paths of the story. Can't wait for the next one.

This installment of the continuing saga of Peter, Leslie & Nightengale, the good police wizards, moves us one step closer to the Faceless man, the bad wizard, (maybe). The story is engaging and leaves you wanting more. I can't wait for the next installment. There are lots of initials identifying people and departments within the London police department throughout the book. I sometimes find that distracting and it does help to watch a lot of BBC crime dramas if you don't want to keep referring back to the The River's of London, the first book in the series. Enjoy!

I was disappointed in the book it was not as smartly written. This book could have held another 100 or so pages and more thought out. I really like the complete series hopefully the next book will be better.

I really like this series. I've followed them with enjoyment and eagerly awaited this one. And it was a good read - until I got to the end and realized that was it. Thin plot. Unsatisfying resolution. It was plainly a middle book in a series which only served to get the characters arranged how the author wanted them - presumably for a better follow up.
If you like this series you need to read it - and you'll enjoy the read - but you'll be a little let down at the end.

I've been a big fan of this series so far and was really looking forward to the new book but have to say I was a bit disappointed. I've enjoyed the somewhat leisurely pacing of the series and the slight "Victorian" flavor of the setting, but this seemed to be overly slow and a bit short on the plotting.

Another great installment of PC Peter Grant's life as a magician. However the story seems to be almost cut in two. The first (largest) part of the book is a (still very interesting) read on an investigation case but ultimately rather slow-going, no action. And then wham! suddenly the action is there, with a twist at the end that left me reeling in shock !

It looks like the writer is setting things up for the next volume...

So I'm in two minds about this book : any previous fans will still love this, and while the first part of the book is rather methodical, the second part of the book is very zippy.

Can't get over all the positive reviews. I raved and raved about Aaronovitch's previous entries to this series, but this one is so boring, and predictable I am surprised it is the same author!!!. Do not buy this book if you have not read the entries in the series!!!! There is absolutely no background information on any of the characters and situations. I had trouble following the characters and plot and I read the previous book only a few months ago!!! I feel for the poor vacationer that picks out this book from an old bookcase this summer, they will have no clue what is going on.

This author's strengths are his young, smart, multi-ethnic, and inquisitve main character, Peter Grant, Grant's keen observation of life in London in the 21st century, historical descriptions of London, wonderful real and mythical characters, and magical world building. None of this was in this book.

What was in this book was pages and pages describing Erik Stromberg's architectural folly, Skygarden Estate, which is actually a figment of the author's imagination!! SPOILERS follow: Based on the description, any idiot could tell that the building was going to blow up at the end of the book. If you are not British, read the book on a Kindle, as there are pages and pages on British's "estates," which is basically public housing or "projects." A brief explanation in the back, front or throughout the narrative would have helped his non-British readers.

The only character that got any type of development was Toby the Dog. All of my favorite characters, Grant's parents, Molly the Maid, the mythical rivers of England, Zach, even Nightingale, were barely touched upon. I felt that the entire Spring Court Fair, mid-novel, was created solely so that Grant could briefly visit with them, but there was no interaction, development or follow-up with any of these characters. The only plot-driven reason for the fair was so that Grant could meet a mythical creature who would be killed at the end of the book for no apparent reason. So little effort was spent on character development, that the betrayal at the end of the book and the death of creature was anticlimactic and had little impact.

Except for a few "lights flaring" and forces thrown, the battle between Nightingale and the Russian Varvara were the only times "magic" was used. So no character development, no magic, no "real" London architectural description and no "rivers of London characters" ......so absolutely no reason to read this particular book in this series, except to waste a good weekend. If you like urban magic in London, read Benedict Jacka's Alex Verus series. Has many of the elements of an Aaronivitec book, but easier to read, tons more humor, and with just enough England history and architecture to make it palatable and understandable to a non-british reader.

I really loved the first three books in this series, and had pre-ordered the fourth. I was really happy when it arrived on my kindle - but was really disappointed by it. While the first three books work well as stand-alone novels, this one doesn't. You have to have read the previous books to nake head or tails of this one. It doesn't really feel like a proper novel at all - more like the midlle of a novel, lacking a beginning and a proper ending. Lots of loose threads are left hanging, and several plot devices just fizzle out,and many questions remain unanswered.
Having said that, it is still a charming book,with the same entertaining mix of magic and ordinary policing. It is witty and fun, like the other three books in the series, but feels completely incomplete.

Nothing happens nothing happens nothing happens oops something happens cliffhanger. Like the rest of the series a good premise is ruined by an inability to create an involving plot.

Lazy writing.

Was a Ben Aaronovitch fan and loved his Rivers of London series. After reading this I am truly disappointed and regret the time spent reading it! What a truly boring read, almost a whole book just for the action to start in the last few chapters. And then, no closure just a hook to get you to buy the next book! Which is definitely not going on my wish list!

So much is going on in this fourth novel in the Peter Grant "Rivers of London" series that I'm hard pressed to sum it up. A man involved in a car accident has blood all over the rear of his car as if a body has been riding there; Peter, his partner Lesley, and his mentor Thomas Nightingale are still chasing down the disciples of the Faceless Man; a young woman has been found with her face destroyed; another man is found having been burned up from the inside; a rogue magician turns up; a man has suddenly jumped under a Tube train; a wizard's grimoire has appeared; and apparently something odd is going on at a public housing flat. Oh, and the Folly's enigmatic housekeeper Molly is working her way through cookbooks now. Got all that?

As in the way of these books, it all makes sense in the end—or as much sense as it can make in a London where magic exists, but Peter and Lesley are kept on the run trying to figure it all out. Eventually they move undercover to the public housing unit where Peter discovers there's something a lot bigger than murders and grimoires going around.

If you are also reading the "Rivers of London" graphic novels, do not do as I did and read NIGHT WITCH before this book, as there is a whopper of a spoiler in it for this book.

I've made hopeful forays into many over-hyped fantasy series in this new millennium, and found most of them disappointing, but not this clever fantasy-police-procedural by Ben Aaronovitch. The characters live. The dialogue crackles and pops. 21st century technology is embedded throughout. The villains can do awful things to your body. One poor schmuck in "Broken Homes" has his bones set on fire from the inside-out. There is plenty of work for Dr. Walid, everyone's favorite, wise-cracking forensic pathologist, who is the world expert on bodies done in by magic.

This 4th entry in the Peter Grant series carries on with the ironic, tongue-in-cheek, first-person narrative style that made "Midnight Riot," "Moon Over Soho," and "Whispers Under Ground" so un-put-downable. Along with Constable Peter Grant, all of our favorite characters appear, including Nightingale, the unflappable senior magician, various river gods and goddesses, the ever-hungry Zach and his buddies, the Quiet People, and Leslie, the constable who lost her face in a previous episode. It would help to read these books in order, to familiarize yourself with the series' long-running villain, the Faceless Man. The relationships between characters only get more and more complicated as the adventure moves on. Lots of loose ends in "Broken Homes" guarantee further episodes, and I for one, can't wait until they are published.

As "Whispers Underground" concentrated on London's Underground, this fourth book focuses in on certain aspects of London's above-ground architecture, most especially housing projects for the poor. One in particular, "designed by a nutter, built by charlatans and inhabited by the truly desperate" seems to be linked to more than its share of homicide victims who suffered truly bizarre deaths. Constables Peter and Leslie, who are also apprentice magicians, decide to move in to Skygarden and investigate--or act as bait for the Faceless Man, who seems particularly interested in this post-war housing project.

"Broken Homes" has not one, but two hair-raising climaxes: one where Nightingale duels with a rogue magician; and a second where Peter finally figures out why the Faceless Man is fooling around in Skygarden. I had to read this book's ending over and over, again, because I couldn't believe the twist Aaronovitch added to the ultimate confrontation, even though it was perfectly logical. That's what happens when an author creates characters who live and breathe and inhabit the reader's mind just like real people. I absolutely MUST get my hands on this book's sequel as soon as it hits the shelves or the ether, whichever comes first. Ben, how could you do this to me???

I've bought and loved all of the prior Peter Grant. Even in one case when I had been given an ARC of
Midnight Riot (the US title for the first Peter Grant book) I also bought the Audible download because of the excellent narration by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith. Therefore it pains me a great deal to have to say that I do not think this story is quite up to the standard of the first three. Not Holdbrook-Smith's narration, but the book itself.

There's a lack of cohesion to the plot which bounces around from story line to story line without settling down. Then I didn't find the ending particularly satisfying. There's a big unanswered question at the end. If you need to be spoiled before starting the book look at the the store reviews. Look for the review that Tells All.

Quite liked the title given the theme of the novel and Peter gets to display his architectural knowledge as well as some fascinating tidbits about London. Numerous characters from past books make appearances. Although the story line about the Faceless Man moves forward a bit, it also started to feel like there were too many characters and too little being done.

New readers go back to the first book and start there. You need to be invested in the characters and the story before you can really appreciate this one.

I also saw where the series has been optioned for television. I would be really pleased if it did go into production.

Fourth in the PC Peter Grant urban fantasy series, a.k.a., Rivers of London, and revolving around Nightingale's first apprentice since Ettersberg.

My Take
It does crack me up that Peter is constantly setting up scientific experiments to measure magic, to learn where it comes from, to discover why it affects electronics. I also enjoyed Peter's description of the mandated Officer Safety Training, ahem. Then there's the magical training with Nightingale introducing Peter and Lesley to the process of making their own staffs.

An underlying issue within the series were the aftereffects of the battle at Ettersberg at the end of World War II when the magic community lost most of its practitioners and came to the conclusion that magic was going out of the world. The magic users hunkered down to live out their lives, but it seems they were wrong.

Poor Nightingale. He cannot get away from Harry Potterisms. Seems he's quite annoyed about Pocket Quidditch, *giggle*. Peter's is an interesting character with a number of conflicts. He tends to wander off onto tangents when he's being lectured to or interviewing suspects. He's somewhat afraid of going after the bad guys, which, when I think about it, does make sense *eek*. He creates havoc wherever he goes (which makes Zach's comment about the advice he's getting make sense), and yet he still manages to accomplish things. He reminds me of an inquiring older boy who doesn't stop to think.

I do adore Aaronovitch's sense of fun:
"…the Coin Street Community Builders whose unofficial motto is 'Building houses that people might actually want to live in'. It was revolutionary stuff."

And there's a description of the Skygarden estate:

"…a very conventional design that one architectural critic complained, 'obscured the exuberance of Stromberg's central conceit'. These were built in a conventionally slipshod manner which certainly obscured the exuberance of most of the people that lived there, who also comprised the bulk of the population of the estate."
Ooh, the joint Court of the Thames was an experience. Part fairy party and part festival with booths and toffee apples. The pissing contest was an interesting, um, touch. The river gods and goddesses do make an appearance, but they don't have much input in Broken Homes other than introducing us to Sky and Nicky.
"Metropolitan Police: Working Together for a Stranger London."
Then there's the guilt trip Mum lays on Peter about his dad's lip. Oh, boy. I am curious as to why Aaronovitch always tells us the name of Peter's Dad, but his mother never has one.

It's an interesting observation about the difference between the vestigium of old and new hospitals and the reasoning for it. As well as Nightingale's comment about massacre sites. I'll bet you do dream after encountering one or more of these!

Sounds like blockbusting going on in here, what with "the Council paying County Gard more to secure the empty flats than it would cost to refurbish them for new tenants".
Yep, I can totally sympathize with Lesley's viewpoint:

"…people with heart conditions, epilepsy, and an aversion to electrocution should not embark upon breaches of the peace in the first place."

Oh, wow, I do love the sound of those balcony gardens. How perfect would that be?!

YES!! Peter actually tells his colleagues where he's going. Yes, deny the tropism!!

The Story
It's one of those towering slums, the Skygarden estate, with something hinky going on. It'll take Peter and Lesley moving into an apartment, undercover, to make it all come crashing down. Well, okay, it's not really undercover, but more of an, um, "extremely subtle form of community policing…"

The Characters
Police Constable Peter Grant is with the Specialist Crime Directorate 9, a.k.a., Specialist Assessment Unit (SAU), that deals with "other stuff". He's also an apprentice in magic to Detective Inspector Thomas Nightingale, his boss, governor, and master, along with PC Lesley May whose face is still undergoing work. They all live at the Folly on Russell Square with Toby, the dog they inherited from a victim in Midnight Riot , 1, and Molly, the housekeeper and cook who refuses to leave the house. She's also been experimenting with her cooking. It's all the fault of that Jamie Oliver cookbook.

Associated with the Folly
Professor Harold Postmartin, a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS), and B.Mon, is the Folly's chief (and only) archivist. The German version of the Folly is the Komplexe und Diffuse Angelegenheiten (Abteilung KDA, a.k.a., Department for Complex and Unspecific Matters) and part of the Federal Police Force, the Bundeskriminalamt. TSG are the Territorial Support Group. Frank Caffrey is an inspector with the London Fire Brigade.

Peter's family
Richard "Lord" Grant is Peter's dad and a jazz musician who has returned to performing with Lord Grant's Irregulars. Peter's mum is Fula from Sierra Leone and very keen on family. Abigail Kamara is a sort of beginning apprentice who is learning about magic at the Folly. Peter's cousin Obe is an electrician. Oooh, Catherine was Peter's first love. At twelve.

Lord Grant's Irregulars include James Lochrane as the drummer; Max Harwood is the bassist, and Daniel Hossack plays guitar. Jon is Daniel's boyfriend.

London Metropolitan Police
The Scottish Dr. Abdul Haqq Walid is a world-renowned gastroenterologist and the only practicing cryptopathologist they know of. Senior Investigating Officer Douglas Manderly will investigate the accident. Douglas Douglas is the safety training lecturer. DCI Maureen Duffy is in charge of Operation Tinker. "DAFT is Southwark's Drugs and Firearm Team — and winner of the mostly badly thought-out acronym award three years running." PC Maureen Slatt was the first cop in attendance for the Weil accident, which will become Operation Sallic.

British Transport Police
Sergeant Jaget Kumar ( Whispers Under Ground ) is an urban explorer, expert potholer and the BTP's Mulder and Scully.

River gods and goddesses
The Old Man of the Thames, a.k.a., Tiberius Claudius Verica, abandoned part of the river back in the mid-1900s, and the river claimed a drowning woman as Mama Thames. Lady Tyburn is one of Mama Thames' children and the genius loci of the Thames as well as an Oxford graduate. Beverly Brook is another of her daughters, interested in Peter, and the hostage with Father Thames. Olympia and Chelsea are the goddesses of Counter's Creek and the Westbourne. Uncle Bailiff ended up staying on as Mama Thames' odd job man some years back when he arrived to collect an outstanding bank debt. Oxley is the Old Man's right hand man. Neckinger, a.k.a., Nicky, is a nine-year-old river goddess of warmth and sunshine. Oberon is is the River Effra's man who is babysitting Nicky. Ash is the hostage at Mama's.

We met Zach Palmer in Whispers Under Ground , 3, and he's a dodgy half-fairy who is now liaison between Crossrail and the Quiet People ( Whispers Under Ground , 3). Artemis Vance has a magic stall at the Spring Court. Reynard was the perv who came onto Abigail.
"'You know,' said Zach, 'until you came along I used to be the local loose cannon. Now people have started warning me about the dangers of associating with "you".'"
The Little Crocodiles were…
…a student dining club illegally taught by Geoffrey Wheatcroft, a theology professor (and wizard) at Magdalen College in Oxford. It's believed that the Faceless Man was one of his students. Robert Weil was one of the members, and he and his Volvo were hit by Allen Frust. Lynda is Weil's wife. Richard Lewis turns into a one-under and on the secondary list. He was in the Southwark planning department. Phillip Orante is his registered civil partner and a dot.com millionaire. Phillip's mother comes to help him out. Grace is a receptionist at the Southwark Town Hall; she and Peter have family in the same part of Freetown. Louise Talacre works in the planning department as well.

The Skygarden Estate was…
…designed by Erik Stromberg, a German architect and the builder of the International-style West Hill House, now a National Trust property. The Skygarden estate was, supposedly, one of his masterpieces. It has been listed, and no one understands why. Margaret Shapiro is the property manager for West Hill House. Bruno Taut was a German architect Stromberg admired.

Elizabeth "Betsy" Tankridge, née Tuttle, will be one of Peter and Lesley's neighbors. Sasha (he'll be taking his A-level in mathematics this year) and Kevin are her kids. Emma Wall is the resident fallen princess. Jake Phillips is the "local activist, busybody, and thorn in the side of late stage capitalism". Goth Boy. Lionel Roberts is a wannabe poet working security. Anthony Beswick is unemployed and has a ten-year-old daughter, Anthonia.
Peter looks back at the Skygarden and realizes that they're living in Isengard.
Sky is a tree nymph living in one of the plane trees at the Skygarden.

George Nolfi is a rogue magician and a retired chartered surveyor. Gabriella is his granddaughter. Colin and Leech are reputable booksellers with Gavin Headley as the current proprietor. Patrick Mulkern is the book thief who becomes Operation Tinker with Duffy in charge. Richard Dewsbury was a drug dealer around Elephant and Castle. Sergeant William Daverc, a pioneer in community policing, is in charge of Dewsbury's case.

We met the Quiet People in…
… Whispers Under Ground , and Zach has taken responsibility for introducing them to live aboveground. Stephen was the one who buried Peter.

Varenka Debroslova, a.k.a., Comrade Major Varvara Sidorovna Tamonina, was the former live-in nurse for Albert Woodville-Gentle, a.k.a., Faceless Man 1.0 ( Whispers Under Ground , 3); she's actually a Nochnye Koldunyi, a Night Witch, a type of Russian practitioner trained in combat. Born in 1921, she's also aging backwards. Faceless Man 2.0 hires her for various jobs.

County Gard is a full service property management company that is supposed to be fixing the apartments, but it mostly collects rent, threatens late-payers, and works to turf out the tenants. Awa Shambir is a Somali cleaning lady.

Dave, a.k.a., Martin Brown, was one of the chainsaw guys; he drowned. Squinty Eyes, a.k.a., Barry, Pink Face, a.k.a., Max, and Danny Bates are part of the gang.

Vestigium is an imprint magic leaves on physical objects. Stromberg identified four types: Todesvestigium (death), Magievestigium (magic), Naturvestigium (nature), and Vestigium menschlicher Aktivität (human activity). The cream of English wizardry went to Ettersberg; only a few came back. Forma is how you think the magic into action. Lacuna is a hot spot of residual magic. A spell is a combination of forma. Signare is the individual signature of a wizard. Sensis illic is what Peter calls background vestigium. Isaacs are human magic users, particularly coppers.

Nightingale considers any magic user who dabbles a hedge witch. Nightingale's Uncle Stanley was the magic one in the family; he suggested his nephew go to Casterbrook, Nightingale's Hogwarts. The Weiße Bibliothek out of Cologne was the German center of magical practice until 1798. The Russian one Nauchno-Issledovatelskiy Institut Neobychnyh Yavleniy (the Scientific Research Institute for Unusual Phenomena; SRIUP) has been revived.

The Strip Club of Dr. Moreau ( Moon Over Soho , 2) introduced the chimeras. The Pale Lady has that biting vagina dentata (we first meet her in Midnight Riot , 1). A Goblin Fair is a combination mobile social club, shabeen, and car boot sale for the supernatural community. Gentry is another term for fairy.

A MOP is a member of the public. HAT is a Homicide Assessment Team.

The Cover and Title
The cover has a bright yellow background with the signature black-and-white "aerial view" of London with the building outlines and words detailing neighborhoods, tourist sites, and more that are involved in this story. The red of the title swirls out in tails, one of which slides under the wide red ribbon of the River Thames and bleeds into a large splot in the middle of London.

The title is the Broken Homes of the Skygarden estate.

Constable Peter Grant, his mentor Nightingale, and fellow wizard in training and police officer Lesley May are in search of the rogue wizard the Faceless Man and kept busy with magical training and new cases of supernatural crime. When clues lead them to a run down low income apartment building designed by a famous architect, a long stake out ensues. The building is a bone of contention: developers want to take it down to build new, profitable things but it’s on the list of protected sites. Peter finds that the landscaping is a bit unusual- in the magical sense- and that, for a run down, nearly empty building, a lot of concrete work has been done very recently.

I’m a huge fan of Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London series, but this one, book four, disappointed me a little. It started out with a bang, and ended with a huge bang –literally- (including a twist that I had a feeling might be coming) but the middle seemed to drag- there was a long stretch with not a whole lot happening. It’s still great fun, but just not up there with the first three. Peter Grant makes a great narrator, with a lot of dark humor, even in the stretches where there was not a lot of action. I love how characters introduced in previous books reappear rather than just go away because they aren’t part of the main plot this go around. It’s a police procedural with magic, supernatural characters, and a lot of snarkiness.

I was at a store watching an 8-year-old girl buying Hogwarts merchandise after having read Harry Potter book #5. I couldn't help but imagine that she must have spent a lot of time gleaning the meaning of things in a book that meant for children several grade levels higher. When I read Broken Homes, I felt the same about myself. There are a lot of British-isms in Aaronovitch's books and, as such, I have no idea what he is talking about a good part of the time. Couple that with copious name places and people names that I can't always tell apart, and you end up with a lot of gleaning...and I mean that in a good way. It is like an adventure in foreign travel added on to an urban fantasy. The storyline is less villain oriented this time, as the mystery revolves around a place (and eventually a villain). I was pleased to see Lesley coming back full-time as it would have been easy to write off a damaged female character. It was very, VERY interesting to see how she is dealing with her scarred face, and I was certainly surprised by her proactive nature. I read some reviews complaining that this was more like a filler book, but I enjoyed that the story snaked off into a different way of telling a story...it definitely added a murder mystery feel to the urban fantasy. I'm looking forward to being flummoxed by more British-isms the next time around...and given the ending, there will be another round.

In my review of Whispers Under Ground, I noted that the series now appeared to owe more to Walter Mosley than to Jim Butcher, well with Broken Homes, the pendulum has swung back. Everything about this book, except for the relative paucity of magical ability in Peter Grant, screams later Harry Dresden novels. Rather than a central mystery with the "faceless man" nemesis in the background, Broken Homes starts with a crime clearly linked to TFM and never lets go.

Not that that's a bad thing, mind you. I've given this novel my first 5-star rating of the series for a reason. And that reason is it's awesome. It sucks you in like the best fiction and doesn't let go. Also like Butcher's series, the main story straddles volumes rather than winding up all nice and tidy on the final page.

And the end? Whoo boy! Looking forward to Foxglove Summer!

A pivotal book in the series, ending with a massive cliffhanger and a host of unanswered questions. As always, Aaronovitch has a deft hand with Peter Grant's personality and patois. Nightingale and Lesley remain well-drawn and interesting, and the various supernatural elements of London are further revealed and reveled in. I can't wait to turn to the next book and see where things move and whether particular harms can be mended.

Anyone who knows me will know that I just LOVE the Peter Grant (Rivers Of London) books by Ben Aaronovitch ever since I first picked up a second hand copy of the first book in the series at a book sale. it was love at first read and it's a love that has not diminished as the books have progressed, it has grown with each and every new title in the series.

The books revolve around ordinary policeman Peter Grant, a London PC who through a series of strange events finds himself brought to the attention of Thomas Nightingale, the last Wizard in England. Now he's a DC and a trainee wizard. Along side Nightingale, he is tackling the strangest of cases that the other police divisions don't know how to or simply just can't handle. Throw in the gods and goddesses of the rivers of London (are they a help or just trouble?) and you have a wonderful mix of a book that you can't help but love.

In this book there is a peculiar murder and the events following it lead to Peter, Lesley and Toby the dog going under cover, moving into a flat in a housing estate that may be magical itself, there is definitely something strange going on within the ground of the estate and it may be linked to the first murder somehow. What is The Faceless Man up to now?

That is the eternal question with the books..... what is The Faceless Man up to now? As the bad guy, he's a very intriguing character indeed, dark and shadowed, using people to do his dirty work without getting his own hands dirty, and watching Peter, Lesley and Nightingale try to figure out how to catch him, and what to do with him if and when they do, is so much fun as half the time they just seem to be bumbling through, trying to chase up leads that don't make sense at the time but by the end of the book you can understand The Faceless Man's motives and actions and the twist at the end could definitely turn out to be in his favour, but then again it could turn out the the way around too, when you can't tell which way a huge twist like this one is going to end up is a sign of a really good piece of writing!
The background story has grown over the past three books, Peter is growing as a police officer and as a wizard. Nightingale's teachings are paying off but the cases are getting stranger and the ominous threat from The Faceless Man is gathering pace with no resolution in sight. The team now has Lesley joining them, she's still suffering with the after effects from the horrible magic accident that caused her face to fall off (literally) in the first book but she's showed she has magical talent and Nightingale is training her too.

The humour is thoroughly tongue in cheek throughout and there is a whole host of references to popular culture scattered through the book, Peter seems to have developed a thing for quoting The Lord Of The Rings in this book and there are several mentions about Harry Potter and Hogwarts that are timed to comic perfection and make me giggle out loud! Nightingale gets very annoyed when Peter tries too compare their headquarters, The Folly to Hogwarts!

And can I just say that I love the Peter for many reasons but one thing I appreciate the most about him is that he is NOT the classic white male lead and his ethnic heritage makes him a much more interesting character for it..... I also love Peter's parents, they add so much depth to his character and they get a chance to shine in this book! I also think that Lesley's accident, which turned her from the pretty female heroine into a character who's not just there as something pretty for Peter to lust after into a character with a purpose. She's no longer beautiful on the outside but Peter doesn't really care and she's beautiful on the inside. Between Peter and Lesley you have a very unusual pair, partners with a difference and it's just another unique aspect that make these books simple brilliant. Nightingale seems to take a back-seat a little more this time around giving the other two a chance to shine although every appearance he does make just adds to the mythos that is Thomas Nightingale, the ageless Wizard. He is fantastic character and I would love for us to get more of a view of his lengthy background in future books, his story is genuinely fascinating and it would be fabulous to get some kind of prequel book just about Nightingale one day..... hint, hint! Molly and Toby the dog are both present and are both still very cool characters!

Ben Aaronovitch has created characters and a world you can believe in despite it's magical undertones. His writing style is wonderful and I hang on his every word as my minds eye gobbles up his words and the view I have of the world he has created is very vivid and detailed, the way you want a books to be. During the reading of this books I actually in London for a couple days and while there we visited many of the areas mentioned in the book which gave me an even better view of the book and I found it made imagining Grant' version of London much easier, although I'm pretty sure my husband didn't have a clue what I was blathering on about half the time while we were there.

Would I recommend the book..... do you really need to ask? Of course I do, I think EVERYONE should read them. Put it this way, if you are one of the many readers who grew up with Harry Potter, who love a world full of magic but aren't sure what to read next to carry on the magic that those books bought you, then Ben Aaronovitch is definitely the way to go. There are some similarity's between Grant's magical London and the Harry Potter universe that should make the books interesting for you. Besides all that.... the books are genius, pure genuis!

All I can say in conclusion is...... read them, read them NOW!

In "Broken Homes" we have a series of deaths that seem like isolated cases, except PC Peter Grant recognises the signature vestigia of the warped magician, the Faceless Man. All clues lead to a mysterious housing estate so Peter, Lesley and Toby head off to investigate.

Peter is a complex character who needs to understand the scientific principles behind magic. He's still conducting experiments and still struggling to master magic. I appreciate this touch of realism as many other novels have their protagonists having extraordinary skills. People fascinate Peter and he builds a rapport with all manner of folk. Peter's relationship with Lesley develops albeit in a direction you probably wouldn't expect. Lesley still feels the loss of her face keenly and is very sensitive to people's questioning looks. Lots of secondary characters from the other novels show up briefly and then disappear again. I don't mind Peter `doing the rounds' as it were but some of them like his parents didn't add to the plot as a whole.

In Peter Grant books there are always a multitude of different threads inextricably linked even if at first you can't see the connection. It took Aaronovitch longer than usual to give us the information that will help us connect the dots. Peter meanders along, much like his beloved Rivers and taking time out of his investigation to tell us about his food, his scientific experiments and failed attempts at dating. It adds to the richness of the tale to be sure but there is no sense of urgency even though we have bodies popping up all over the place and odd happenings on a housing estate. The last section of the book however switches from a police procedural focused on hunting down clues to a series of action-packed showdowns. The last bit is quite simply superb and more than makes up for the earlier lack of focus.

I came away from this novel knowing two basic things 1) Aaronvitch's world is so layered and unique I will probably need to read the book a few times to pick up on everything and 2) I will invariably want to know even more. Aaronovitch is a bit mean when it comes to the good stuff like Ettersberg as he teases you with little hints and vague insinuations. If you haven't read any of this series, please start with the beginning or you will quickly get disorientated.

I'm a real fan of these books and have just finished the fourth one - I wanted to make it last for a few days at least. Broken Homes is a real return to form, I liked Whispers Underground but this was even better. The second half of the novel rocked and I really liked the fact that we saw more of Nightingale in action. Now he is becoming more and more interesting ...

The faceless man in on the prowl again and our heroes are working undercover in a tower block in the Elephant and Castle. I love that London is the main character in this story and the little policing details that are dropped in. Aaronovitch has done his research and it shows in the acronyms and details about procedure and equipment. The humour is spot on, there are so many one-liners and little references, which make Peter Grant more and more like able.

I hope the Russian night witch becomes a regular character - she's interesting, and there is so much more to be explored in this world. I don't want to give too much away but there's Nightgale's past, the Folly - a lot to be developed and I hope that this series continues for a good while yet. Oh, and there's quite an ending, which I honestly did not see coming. More Please!

For those that don’t know Broken Homs is the forth book in Ben Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London series. This urban fantasy series is perfect for fans of Jim Butcher and Benedict Jacka (and fans of Aaronovitch should check out Jacka if they haven’t read his books either).

The first thing that I have to say about Broken Homes is that this is the first book that really extends the story arc from that of an episodic story with slight ties between books to that of a larger mystery that leaves readers eagerly awaiting more. Now, readers should be forewarned to pull off this transformation from episodic to building interconnected series Broken Homes ends with a huge cliff hanger that leave many readers groaning that they have to wait until the next book to see how it is resolved.

Besides this change in the story arc itself readers are treated to a larger dose of emotional confliction from Leslie which really helped build her into a much more three dimensional character. Of course, another added bonus of Broken Homes was finally getting to see Nightingale face off against someone, well sort of (the action takes place off screen) but considering I really want to see what he can do I like the direction that Aaronovitch is going with this.

All in all, Broken Homes is a great book. It has more action than the last book in the series, Whispers Under Ground, and it adds more to the larger plot and mystery that previous books in the series have only hinted at. It is well paced and as with each book in the series relationships become more complicated and characters are further developed. As mentioned before the only major downside is the cliffhanger at the end, but luckily the author and publisher planned for this as the next book in the series, Foxglove Summer, is scheduled to be released October 7th in the US, which is not that long of a wait.

[...]

This series just keeps getting better.

I don't know what it is, but somehow Aaronovitch is just able to keep each book fresh and different from all other books. Every book so far has been unique and full of charm, all the while building on its predecessors. Each book stands alone but is part of a larger narrative, but unlike most series, the overall narrative is on the back burner and the book is more about its individual story. In addition to the content improving, the books overall improve with flow and overall enjoyment factor.

Really, you should continue this series if you have already started it, and if you haven't, start it now. It kind of does what Doctor Who does to TV, except maybe better.

this is the fourth book in the Peter Grant series. It was very good. a couple of 'cases" but a lot of just everyday Police work. We were able to see the day to day goings on for Perter and Nightingale.

They did uncover a plot by the Faceless Man (evil wizard guy) they have been chasing since the first book.
the betrayal at the end by one of the trusted was very surprising, but not really. I can see the reasoning -even though it is wrong.

I will be reading the next ones soon!!

Some sort of intermediate book where eventually something happens and I'm looking forward to read the next one because the story had a real good twist, not totally unforeseeable, but still good.

Una specie di libro intermedio dove finalmente, alla fine succede qualcosa che mi spinge a leggere immediatamente il seguito, un plot twist non completamente imprevedibile, ma quasi, che apre ad un nuovo filone con "cattivi" diversi.

I plowed through this in a couple of days - thankfully I had a few quiet days in which to do so, because otherwise, I might have climbed the walls, wanting to get through it faster. I do wish the author would include local maps of the areas mentioned in his stories, for the benefit of us readers who aren't native Brits, and I occasionally find it difficult to keep some of the characters straight, but I really love this series, especially Peter's POV. It's irreverent and realistic and just plain awesome. There are some twists in this story, will be interested to see how they pan out in future books.

That's right. 5 stars. 'Cause any small quibbles about pacing or characterization or what-have-you in no way taints the full-monty-awesomeness of modern-day, stupid regs and psychological claptrap and all, London Policing by constable Peter Grant.

Not to mention the well-formulated sorceror bits.

Not to mention the emotionally-charged but we're not talking about the elephant in the room interactions with his face-disfigured partner Lesley, nor the obvious blockheadedness of Peter when it comes to people who care for him such as the aforementioned Lesley, the river spirit Beverley, etc.

Not to mention the incredibly visually real, detailed architecture bits based on real german architects and their socio-political historical impact on the poor workers of London.

Or who could forget the Nazi witchhunter Russian spies?

And a surprise at the end that was a sucker-punch out of left field.

Peter and Lesley are still after the Faceless Man in this fourth book in the series. I highly recommend you NOT read them out of order. Several disparate-seeming murders and an architectural monstrosity congeal into a case they know their enemy is involved with, but can't quite pin down.

Excellent police procedure, cool magic, excellent city and architectural details. This series just gets better and better. You even get Peter's guv'nor, Nightengale, delivering a massive whomping on one of the Faceless Man's cronies. What more could you ask for?

London, with its complex underground supernatural sub-cultures with a full cast of yoruba water-gods, Celtic river deities, goblins, faeries and very odd ladies with sharp teeth, has been rocked with another magical murder. The suicide is suspicious too. A book of practical applications for magic has been recovered, but the thief who stole it incinerated himself from the inside. And then there's the Skygarden tower-block, which at first glace a monument to miserable living in Elephant and Castle, but could it have been built to store magic? And what about the powerful, nameless Faceless Man, a rogue wizard bent on a life of crime? The "Isaacs", a team of magical law enforcement comprising two junior police officers under the stern tutelage of DCI Nightingale, the last wizard in Britain, are on the case. Constables Peter and Lesley must navigate a strange and dangerous supernatural London in order to solve this latest perplexing riddle.

The elements of this supernatural mystery were not as well pulled together as the previous books in the series, and there's no explanation or recap for those coming new to the series, so newcomers would be well advised to start with Rivers of London (Midnight Riot in the US) rather than dive in here. However, the shortcomings of this novel are eclipsed by the wit of the narrator and the evocative and powerful depiction of London itself. Aaronovitch's writing is as British as a Dalek serving afternoon tea, with twists and turns on every page, and there's certainly plenty to delight avid followers of this series. This is still one of the best contemporary fantasy/mystery series out there. While perhaps not quite in the same league as the preceding three books, Broken Homes is still a very fine supernatural mystery; original, exciting, and jolly good fun.

I've made hopeful forays into many over-hyped fantasy series in this new millennium, and found most of them disappointing, but not this clever fantasy-police-procedural by Ben Aaronovitch. The characters live. The dialogue crackles and pops. 21st century technology is embedded throughout. The villains can do awful things to your body. One poor schmuck in "Broken Homes" has his bones set on fire from the inside-out. There is plenty of work for Dr. Walid, everyone's favorite, wise-cracking forensic pathologist, who is the world expert on bodies done in by magic.

This 4th entry in the Peter Grant series carries on with the ironic, tongue-in-cheek, first-person narrative style that made "Midnight Riot," "Moon Over Soho," and "Whispers Under Ground" so un-put-downable. Along with Constable Peter Grant, all of our favorite characters appear, including Nightingale, the unflappable senior magician, various river gods and goddesses, the ever-hungry Zach and his buddies, the Quiet People, and Leslie, the constable who lost her face in a previous episode. It would help to read these books in order, to familiarize yourself with the series' long-running villain, the Faceless Man. The relationships between characters only get more and more complicated as the adventure moves on. Lots of loose ends in "Broken Homes" guarantee further episodes, and I for one, can't wait until they are published.

As "Whispers Underground" concentrated on London's Underground, this fourth book focuses in on certain aspects of London's above-ground architecture, most especially housing projects for the poor. One in particular, "designed by a nutter, built by charlatans and inhabited by the truly desperate" seems to be linked to more than its share of homicide victims who suffered truly bizarre deaths. Constables Peter and Leslie, who are also apprentice magicians, decide to move in to Skygarden and investigate--or act as bait for the Faceless Man, who seems particularly interested in this post-war housing project.

"Broken Homes" has not one, but two hair-raising climaxes: one where Nightingale duels with a rogue magician; and a second where Peter finally figures out why the Faceless Man is fooling around in Skygarden. I had to read this book's ending over and over, again, because I couldn't believe the twist Aaronovitch added to the ultimate confrontation, even though it was perfectly logical. That's what happens when an author creates characters who live and breathe and inhabit the reader's mind just like real people. I absolutely MUST get my hands on this book's sequel as soon as it hits the shelves or the ether, whichever comes first. Ben, how could you do this to me???

This was the usual meandering storyline, with characters from the previous book making more of an appearance, such as Zach, the Russian White Witch, and even the Quiet People. However, the twist ending was a real kicker! Now I NEED to read Book 5 for sure to see how the sudden change of alliances plays out. The author was quite clever to keep us on the hook with the cliffhanger.

Broken Homes
Ben Aaronovitch
Daw, Feb 4 2014, $7.99
ISBN: 9780756409609

The car crash between two speeding vehicles left Allen Frust dead and Robert Weil severely injured. First first responder PC Slatt notices unaccountable blood in Weil's car that leads to him being the prime suspect as a mutilating serial killer. A spell involved in the crash leads Queen's Peace Constable and magician's apprentice Peter Grant summarizing the case to his boss-mentor Nightingale the wizard that Weil may be a mundane serial killer or a ward of the infamous Faceless Man.

The Southwark Council plans to tear down a housing monstrosity, Skygarden in Elephant and Castle. However, efforts to demolish this ugly high rise complex meet eerie opposition. With political pressure on the police to resolve the interference, Peter and his apprentice peer Constable Lesley Mai investigate to determine whether the Faceless Man prevents the demolition and, if as expected yes, why.

The fourth Rivers of London police procedural fantasy (see Midnight Riot, Moon Over Soho and Whispers Under Ground) is an entertaining thriller that makes the magical elements seem to be a real force of nature. The human and supernatural cast is strong and Peter continues to grow as an apprentice mage and constable. Action-packed with a terrific twisting finish, fans of the series will appreciate Ben Aaronovitch's lampooning government sponsored housing projects used to warehouse the poor in isolation until the land is needed for something considered more important than filing away the impoverish.

Harriet Klausner

I couldn't wait for the US release, so I ordered a hardback from the UK a couple of months ago. Just. Couldn't. Wait.

I should have waited.

While Broken Homes is okay, it isn't great like the other novels in this series. Peter and Leslie seem to have been set up for whatever is going to happen in the next book. Until now there have been continuing questions about the world of the Folly that reach beyond the individual story, but each novel has been self-contained and satisfying when the end is reached. As a reader I appreciate that. Nothing torks me off more than finding a cliff-hanger at the end of a story. It's a cheap devise that screams the author thinks you're going to need a reason to buy their next book.

Be advised, Broken Homes ends with a cliff-hanger.

I have only just discovered this series and would be enjoying it much more were I not constantly brought up short by language errors. An example:

"Me and the rogue magician stared at each other in mutual incomprehension."

For those who don't understand my criticism, that "me" is incorrect; the proper pronoun would be "I."

But, yes, incomprehension is utterly the appropriate word. How can such an obviously gifted, experienced and successful author fail to understand the basics of grammar? These errors with pronouns are sprinkled throughout the book, pulling me up short each time, and making me consider whether I want to continue reading. From my earliest journalism classes (I went to school before everyone was a communication major), I was taught that correct language is important because it distracts from the message. Guides for grammar and style are truly nothing more than systems which assist in communication clarity. Proper language is important.

The errors in this otherwise delightful book are unfortunate and very easy to fix. And might I say, shame on the publisher's editor for not doing his or her job and addressing this issue. I will continue to plug on, enthralled as I am by the characters and story, but I'd rather be reading without the occasional prick of annoyance at the errors that poke me in the nose every few pages.

I loved the first three "Rivers of London" books, and I loved this one - even though it brought on ragey disbelief and horror, which is probably one of the reasons I can't wait for the next installments.

I absolutely recommend reading all of the books (and read them in order for optimum enjoyment). They are fun and light hearted and fascinating and dark and terrifying and moving. What they are not: Harry Potter books, no matter what the blurb says. Yes, they are about magic, and yes, they are about friendship and fun and fear and about finding out new and unexpected things about people or places you thought you knew. That may sound like Harry Potter, but it is a totally different world.

If you like well written, convincing characters, supernatural surprises, entertaining dialogue (and monologue, really), written from a grown up man's point of view, you will enjoy Peter Grant's adventures.

What isn't being said enough about these books (apart from "OMG you have to read this!") is that Peter Grant is one of the most decent male characters I have ever encountered in fiction. I know that "decent" sounds totally lame, but actually it's a total relief. He clearly likes women, and he clearly likes them in a sexual way, but he treats them like ... like actual people. It's revolutionary.

It's amazing and terrifying that this is one of the first things I tell people when I tell them about the books, but I am grateful to Ben Aaronovitch anyway.

good novel, continued development of the rivers of london series, good characterization and sense of scene, strong narrative development in both this book specifically and the series overall. madly lookin' forward to the next one. if you read and enjoyed the prior novels in this series you should buy this asap; if you have not read any of those, get those first. the first one is 'rivers of london' in the UK and 'midnight riot' in US.

Someone called this series a police procedural with magic. But first and foremost it is a series of good, well-told stories that capture your attention immediately and never let go.

"Broken Homes" is centered on a failed high-rise "housing estate" with some very unusual properties and some very believable tenants. Constable Peter Grant must understand the history of social engineering as well as survive malevolent magic and his own ignorance to solve this puzzler. What fun.

Broken Homes is the fourth Peter Grant book and if you have read the previous three then you know what you are going to get..... Sharp dialogue, lots of jokes, magic, London centred history and present references etc. The story concerns the death of two people, one via suicide and the other a car crash (sort of). What follows is the usual confusing multi-stranded investigation with our faceless man lurking behind the scenes.

The book is as quick and good a read as the others, although its relocation to Elephant and Castle and middle section seem to slow it down a touch. It moves the story on somewhat and leaves the reader hanging on at the end for the next book, it's the best ending so far. However, it doesn't quite satisfy...and it's difficult to say why. I think it's the middle section and also the fact that it didn't quite have the level of humour and London insight other books have had. Having said this it's still a cracking read and I feel that if you have followed the series this far then you will like this, but maybe not as much as the other three.

One big twist I didn't see coming but was mostly world building. It felt a bit like a continuation of the last book and will be resolved in the next. Like Aaronovitch is telling one long story over the books rather than having each have its own beginning and end. Thoroughly enjoyable though. I'm hooked I'll be checking out the next one to see how the twists work out.

This book was such a slog. I really liked the first three, but I doubt I'll continue with the series if the rest are going to be this boring. I pretty much used this book to fall asleep for two weeks, couldn't read more than a chapter at a time, if even that.

Peter Grant is back in action and there’s plenty of weirdness going around. When a routine traffic accident shows blood where there shouldn’t be any blood, The Folly Crew is called into action. One of the cars appears to have been carrying a corpse that disappears. The Faceless Man reappears. But a large portion of the strangeness seems to be concentrated around a strange group of flats built by a German, who immigrated to England shortly before WWII. The German was an architect and a wizard but kept his wizard side hidden. The flats were designed with magic in mind and possibly as a place to store magic. This is possibly the strangest of the series and the saddest and I can’t wait for the next one to get here.

Another excellent book in the series. And there is a twist. I am not sure how I feel about it. This book ends in a mystery and a trade, and without getting too deep into spoilers; it is jarring.

All in all, another great book that has me chomping at the bit for the next one.

This is a really trying book. It tests the reader's perseverance by being mind-numbingly boring and unengaging for the first 200 or so pages. Those that had been less impressed than myself with the previous books or never read them will find those 200 or so pages an insurmountable challenge as I nearly did myself on a few occasions. I can't recall how many times I nearly fell asleep reading the first part of the book. Can't recall how many times I put it down and didn't even remember I was reading it until I saw it again. And chances are I might not have bothered finishing it if I'd had anything else, even remotely interesting waiting to be read in the sidelines. Finish it, however, is exactly what I did and I'm content to say that the ending does a credible job of making up for the rest of the book. Its fast paced, engaging, stuff is happening both on character and plot level. Its good. Its surprising. It leaves you feeling that particular tingle that all good books leave you with, the almost-ache of not knowing what will happen. And wanting to know. I won't go into any sort of detail about the plot or characters as spoiling things will ruin the one really good thing about the book, but lets say i'm back on the "hopeful" wagon and still a fan. I will be getting the next book with the fervent hope that its a better overall effort than this one.

Fans of the series will wanna push through and get to the ending. You won't be happy with the book, but you will end up wanting more, as I did. Those unfamiliar with the Peter Grant books really shouldn't be reading this as it sucks both as a novel and as a stand-alone. DO definitely pick up and read the first three books in the series as they are just good enough and different enough to be truly worthwhile.

This book was alright, but not as good as the others in the series. The first 150-200 pages felt slow to me, and there were way too many architecture references. However, the ending had a major twist which was worth reading the whole book!

I enjoyed the first few books in the series and was looking forward to this one. Unfortunately, I soon became bored with this book. We get bits and pieces of cases that may or may not be relevant to the Folly, a few magic lessons and much wandering around talking about architecture, followed by a random party thrown by the rivers in which the Folly has to provide security. But there's nothing that feels interesting or important to the story. I'm sure that eventually in the book all of these things would have been both interesting and important, but I got too bored with it to continue reading before we reached that point.

I enjoyed the first few books in the series and was looking forward to this one. Unfortunately, I soon became bored with this book. We get bits and pieces of cases that may or may not be relevant to the Folly, a few magic lessons and much wandering around talking about architecture, followed by a random party thrown by the rivers in which the Folly has to provide security. But there's nothing that feels interesting or important to the story. I'm sure that eventually in the book all of these things would have been both interesting and important, but I got too bored with it to continue reading before we reached that point.

The only issue I have w/ his writing is that he necessarily requires the reader to have already read his earlier books in the series. I like the series but sometimes have to think a minute or two about what or who he is referencing.

I have read the previous three books in the series and this lived up to the standard of the previous three. However this particular book ends rather suddenly with reaching a conclusion. I presume that the next book in the series will finish the story

And I liked the premise of this latest addition but I felt like the characters and story were just treading water for most of the book. Up until the ending and then...wow. Did not see that coming and it left me looking forward to the next one. Keep them coming Mr. Aaronovitch!

As a mystery/thriller I found it "NOT". As a commentary on modern day London it was somewhat interesting. I was in London in 1984 and so much seems to have changed by Mr. Aaronovitchs' account. I was looking for a mystery/thriller what I got was a stylized account of daily life in London. I found this to be true of all his "Rivers of London" series. I was disappointed.

I understand that this is part of a series and must leave some larger questions unanswered. But this installment in the meta-saga was dropped cold. It's too bad -- the first few made me want to read more, but this one just feels like the author ran out of paper.

Eagerly anticipated the 4th book in the series and was very disappointed. Lacking in the wit and charm of the other 3 and a very weak plot line which took ages to go anywhere. It felt like the first part of a series the whole way through. It only got interesting in the final chapters and was a bit predictable. Hope the next one is better!