The Furthest Station, Audio Edition

The Furthest Station, Audio Edition (2017) Ben Aaronovitch narrated by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Rivers of London)

This novella falls between Foxglove Summer and The Hanging Tree in the timeline. Although I highly recommend starting at the beginning, because it is outside of the primary story arc of the series, it should be accessible to those unfamiliar with the series.

Normally these days we shunt files back and forth as email attachments, but the Folly prefers to do things the old-fashioned way. Just in case someone leaks our emails, and also because only one of us currently lives in the 21st century.

Peter is trying to keep Abigail out of trouble during her summer school break, so they are looking into strange ghost sightings.

While, of course, being Peter and Abigail.

Boudicca’s burial site at Kings Cross— remember that?”

We’d done it as a field trip— Platform 10 at Kings Cross, which was reputedly the last resting place of the woad-wearing warrior woman. We hadn’t found anything, but it had led to a lively discussion about the practicalities of attaching blades to the wheels of your chariot. We got so carried away that a posh middle-aged white woman, no doubt waiting for a train, congratulated me on being an excellent father and for fostering an interest in British history in my daughter. “Well done you,” she’d said.

I utterly adore all the tangents and side notes in this story.

Fish and chip night was a Kumar family tradition that dated back to when Jaget was courting his wife and they used to meet in the last white English-owned fish and chip shop in Wembley on the basis that none of their relatives would go in there.

I have the distinct feeling that he tends to go off on a lot of tangents when writing, which is how we end up with the novellas and comics.

I mentally sang the sad lament of the hard-pressed copper. Oh for I am not a social worker that these woes are placed upon my care.

“Stop that,” I told Chess, who giggled.

This would have to be sorted out, but not this afternoon.

“I’m not promising anything,” I said. “But I’ll see if I can arrange some assistance.”

They both looked stricken. Not social services, they said.

I had considered them, but what had Buckingham Social Services ever done to me that I was going to inflict a cheeky little godlet on them?

I remain amused by that last line.

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Rating: 8.5/10

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