Whispers Under Ground

My favorite installment so far.

(Listened to audiobook w/hubby)

Great series so far. Recommended to any fantasy readers that also enjoy some detective work.

“Whispers Under Ground” is the 3rd book in the Rivers of London series, which follows the adventures of Peter Grant, a young police officer and apprentice wizard in London. In this installment, Peter is called to investigate a murder in the Baker Street tube station, where an American art student was stabbed with a shard of ancient pottery. The case leads him to discover a hidden world of underground dwellers, known as the Quiet People, who have a mysterious connection to the Beale family, a powerful pottery dynasty. Along the way, Peter has to deal with his former friend and rogue magician Lesley, a nosy FBI agent, and his own growing magical abilities.

The audiobook is narrated by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, a Ghanaian-British actor who has won several awards for his performance in the series. Holdbrook-Smith does a superb job of bringing the characters and the story to life, using different accents, tones, and expressions to convey their personalities and emotions. He also captures the humor and wit of Aaronovitch's writing, making the listener laugh out loud at some of the jokes and references. Holdbrook-Smith's voice is clear, engaging, and pleasant to listen to, and he handles the various terms and phrases of the magical world with ease.

The book itself is a fast-paced and entertaining urban fantasy, with a blend of mystery, action, and comedy. Aaronovitch creates a rich and fascinating version of London, where magic and history coexist with modern technology and culture. He also explores the themes of identity, belonging, and family, as Peter struggles to balance his dual roles as a cop and a wizard, and learns more about his heritage and the nature of magic. The book is full of twists and turns, surprises and revelations, and a satisfying conclusion that sets up the next book in the series.

“Whispers Under Ground” is a great audiobook for fans of urban fantasy, mystery, and humor. It is a fun and enjoyable listen that will keep you hooked until the end.

Hardly any series manages to maintain a high level with subsequent books. Usually the first book is great but each subsequent book is getting worse. Sometimes, there is still a good book somewhere in the middle of the series. But fortunately this is not the case with this series. The third book is as good as the first one.

I honestly admit that I don't remember much from previous books and I was even a bit afraid that it would be a problem. But luckily it wasn't. When I started reading this book, I was reminded of all the things important for the story.

I also forgot how much I liked the characters in this series and the world created by the author. The characters are fascinating and multidimensional. Although I would prefer Peter's boss to be more present in this book. We also meet many well-known characters and meet some new ones that are equally interesting. The world and magic in this book are equally fascinating and unique. It's nice to discover how it all works.

And the plotline is really good. I couldn't stop reading this story. So many fantastic threads, so much action, so many twists and turns. This is a really good story.

I can't let it take so long before reading the next book in this series.