Broken Homes

A Rivers of London Novel

By: Ben Aaronovitch

Narrated by: Kobna Holdbrook-Smith

Length: 10 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

My name is Peter Grant, and I am a keeper of the secret flame - whatever that is.

Truth be told, there's a lot I still don't know. My superior Nightingale, previously the last of England's wizardly governmental force, is trying to teach me proper schooling for a magician's apprentice. But even he doesn't have all the answers. Mostly I'm just a constable sworn to enforce the Queen’s Peace, with the occasional help from some unusual friends and a well-placed fire blast. With the new year, I have three main objectives: a) pass the detective exam so I can officially become a DC, b) work out what the hell my relationship with Lesley Mai, an old friend from the force and now fellow apprentice, is supposed to be, and, most importantly, c) get through the year without destroying a major landmark.

Two out of three isn’t bad, right?

A mutilated body in Crawley means another murderer is on the loose. The prime suspect is one Robert Weil, who may either be a common serial killer or an associate of the twisted magician known as the Faceless Man - a man whose previous encounters I've barely survived. I've also got a case about a town planner going under a tube train and another about a stolen grimoire.

But then I get word of something very odd happening in Elephant and Castle, on a housing estate designed by a nutter, built by charlatans, and inhabited by the truly desperate. If there's a connection to the Crawley case, I'll be entering some tricky waters of juristiction with the local river spirits. We have a prickly history, to say the least.

Just the typical day for a magician constable.

©2014 Ben Aaronovitch (P)2014 Penguin Audio

Homes sweet Homes

This is a delight of a series and this book is a great addition to that. It's some very funny bits about housing developements as well. The language in this is a treat.
I'm also very much enjoying the build up of the rivers of London as a series. It's a cool idea that just expands into better and better things.
This novel, like a river, rambles a bit which is why I docked one star. It's a bit harder to follow, but it's still a treat.

Huge twist at the end! Wow

I love the way Peter gets to explore architecture and the world of the Folly in this book. I didn't see that ending coming and really said out loud WTF was THAT?! But then you think back and it's not out of the possibility for that character, just shocking. Well done.

Excellent series!

I'm not usually into modern detective stories but this series is great. Can't wait for more!

Superb story and reading

What does Kobna Holdbrook-Smith bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

His accents are incredible, he absolutely fits how I would envision the character speaking. He is a treasure.

Any additional comments?

Don't give me high school questions to answer for a "review" . I love this series, I love the reader, that is what I have to say.

I LOVE this series!

Since the last two books have been released, I decided to start the series over & I absolutely love this series, and especially the characters. Inalways hate when an author ends a book on a cliffhanger, but Mr Aaronovitch can be forgiven now that the other books are available. And Kobna Holdbrook-Smith does an absolutely phenomenal as narrator, endowing each character with such a distinct voice - including female leads, which not all narrators can manage!

just love this series

i cant believe the ending.. i did not see that coming.. and soo just want to buy the nnext book rather than wait for a sale or my next credit. its that damm good

Depth of story

Drawn in by the range of characters and the feeling of reality the author’s knowledge of London policing.
I now have to see where the series is going.

Great Series Getting Even Better!

Somehow, I missed the release of Broken Homes, and just happened to see it when browsing a few days ago. I instantly snapped it up and began listening immediately. As you will see from my previous reviews, I love the Peter Grant series, and I think Ben Aaronovitch is the most creative, imaginative and entertaining writer I have run into in a long time.

I see from the current reviews of this book that there is some difference of opinion about the story of Broken Homes. I am one of those who think this book is as good as the first in the series, and that's saying a lot. This story is different from the previous books, which had pretty linear stories. In Broken Homes, there are numerous story lines going on at the same time, and the reader can't be certain which of those stories (if any) have anything to do with what emerges as the main storyline. So, you are taken along on several roller coasters at once, having to trust that things will come together in the end (at least some things).

Ordinarily, books like that drive me crazy, but in this case each separate storyline is so amusing and so much fun that I forget to worry about the end. Many characters from previous books in the series appear in Broken Homes, both friend and foe, and not many new characters are presented for you to keep track of. The members of the Folly seem to be getting more settled and together, and are actually able to work together without having huge fights. Arch-villain The Faceless Man remains the primary evil opponent, and is suitably vile both in person and through representatives.

Then, near the end, there is a huge twist in the plot which puts everything you think you know about this story at a new angle, and I, for one, was left in shock, mouth hanging open.

As with the previous books, I will say: READ THIS BOOK! But only after you have read the previous books in the Peter Grant series. That is really necessary to get the real flavor of the characters and their relationships.

Excellent Escapism

Would you listen to Broken Homes again? Why?

Part police procedural, part magical fantasy, part social architecture polemic and all told in a sardonic London voice, Broken Homes is a joy to listen to. Listening to it for a second time was even more enjoyable than the first.

Broken Homes is the best Rivers of London yet!

What made the experience of listening to Broken Homes the most enjoyable?

The story and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith were made for each other!

What did you like best about this story?

The roof scene.

What does Kobna Holdbrook-Smith bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Super wide range of voices, the accuracy of the accents and his perfect expression of what the written words were meant to convey. Bravo!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes! And I am still enjoying it for the third time!

Any additional comments?

Cannot wait until the release of Foxglove Summer in November!