Cry Wolf, Audiobook (2009) Patricia Briggs narrated by Holter Graham (Alpha & Omega #1) Sarai had often thumped him soundly on the head for looking at other women, though she’d known he’d never stray. Now that she was gone, he seldom even looked. Flirting didn’t make him feel disloyal to his dead mate, but he’d […]
The Masquerades of Spring (2024) Ben Aaronovitch (Rivers of London) Set in New York City in 1926 This novella is everything. It’s NYC during the jazz age. Prohibition, that bizarre aberration of the American spirit, could be dashed confusing to someone raised in the free and easy metrop of old London. And Nightingale has come […]
Somewhere Beyond the Sea (2024) T.J. Klune (Cerulean Chronicles, #2) This book is set after The House in the Cerulean Sea although there is a brief bit in the beginning that shows some of Arthur’s past. Arthur is invited to speak about his past, and his hopes for Marsyas Island and his children, but instead […]
The Rook, Audiobook (2012) Daniel O’Malley narrated by Susan Duerden I’m good in a crisis, but it’s not because I’m not afraid. I’m always afraid. I’m so stressed I want to throw up. But I am good in a crisis because I am very, very good at making preparations. I try to cover every angle, […]
Deadly Assessments (2018) Drew Hayes (Fred The Vampire #5) “That means you’re my bodyguard . . . until you decide to kill me?” “Don’t be silly. I would submit a formal verdict, quit the position, and then give you time for goodbyes. I couldn’t just kill you while I was on the job. There’s a […]
Bloody Acquisitions (2016) Drew Hayes (Fred, the Vampire Accountant #3) Power is useful, Fred, never doubt that, but far more useful is the perception of power. You went to all this trouble, just to avoid running.” “It wasn’t that I didn’t want to run,” I told her. “I just didn’t want to leave so much […]
Undeath & Taxes (2015) Drew Hayes (Fred, the Vampire Accountant #2) The sound cut off immediately, which, in retrospect, should have been my first clue that something was amiss. Children do not cease noise-making so instantaneously, as I have now learned. “Fred,” Richard called, greeting me from down the hall. He was in Sally’s room, […]
The Utterly Uninteresting and Unadventurous Tales of Fred, the Vampire Accountant (2014) Drew Hayes (Fred, the Vampire Accountant #1) I was more than a minor klutz in my human days, so it was an enjoyable change to walk around without injuring myself. “Well, if it sweetens the pot any, I do own my own accounting […]
Blitz, Audio Book (2022) Daniel O’Malley narrated by Moira Quirk (The Rook Files) “What is this? You’re—what? You’re—you’re scrying my family? In a cup of coffee?” “Legally, scrying is seeing the future,” said the woman. “I’m showing the present. Of a location within a 36.876-kilometer radius. Through an aperture of up to 41.34 inches.” “Is […]
Stiletto, Audio Book (2016) Daniel O’Malley narrated by Moira Quirk “But where did you get my urine?” she asked. “The Checquy has samples of everyone’s everything,” said Odgers cheerfully. “Remember, during your time at the Estate, they kept taking specimens of your every fluid and solid?” “That was for scientific research!” exclaimed Felicity. “And it […]
Winter’s Gifts, Audio Book (2023) Ben Aaronovitch narrated by Penelope Rawlins (Rivers of London) I actually listened to this in February, but missed logging it somehow. This is Kimberly Reynold’s story, and as such, we get Penelope Rawlins instead of Kobna Holdbrook-Smith. She does an good job of Kimberly Reynolds voice, but less so of […]
The Rook, Audio Book (2012) Daniel O’Malley narrated by Susan Duerden Our computer network is not connected to any external system. If you try to track us down, you will not find us, but we will find you. It seemed as if no one could be relied on, no one could be trusted. That belief […]
Who Killed Sherlock Holmes? Audio Book (2016) Paul Cornell narrated by Damian Lynch (Shadow Police) ‘Who are these people?’ said Costain. ‘What sort of gang includes old ladies, American mercenaries, prisoners called Dean Michael and South Sea islanders of limited stature?’ She had to exercise harder these days, she’d found, because her body was used […]
The Severed Streets, Audio Book (2015) Paul Cornell narrated by Damian Lynch (Shadow Police) TW: murder (on the page), drug use, death of a main character, general horribleness This story astounds me every single time I read or listen to it. ‘Would you please answer that,’ said Sarah, ‘and tell them to fuck off?’ Quill […]
London Falling, Audio Book (2014) Paul Cornell narrated by Damian Lynch (Shadow Police) TW: child abuse, child death, murder, torture, faked suicide, general horribleness. He’d been out, sort of, at his last nick. A few of the lads had asked, so he’d told them. And then his DI, Pete Grieves, had, too, over a pint—deliberately […]
Tales from the Folly: A Rivers of London Short Story Collection, Audio Book (2020) Ben Aaronovitch narrated by: the author, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Ben Elliot, Felix Grainger, Sam Peter Jackson, Alex Kingston, Shvorne Marks, and Penelope Rawlins (Rivers of London) Part One: The Peter Grant Stories The Home Crowd Advantage The Domestic The Cockpit The Loneliness […]
Amongst Our Weapons, Audio Book (2020) Ben Aaronovitch narrated by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Rivers of London) before the PC on the passenger side got a chance to ask Guleed why she was loitering while wearing a hijab in a built-up area, the driver leaned forward to get a look at us and recognized me. “My dad […]
False Value, Audio Book (2020) Ben Aaronovitch narrated by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Rivers of London) Johnson had made a point of calling the human resources department “HR” rather than its official internal company name, the Magrathean Ape-Descended Life Form Utilization Service, just as he called the department I had just joined “Security” rather than the Vogon […]
The October Man, Audio Book (2018) Ben Aaronovitch narrated by Sam Peter Jackson (Rivers of London) If it remains static and unchanging then we call it a despair. If it seeks to extend its influence then it is a malignancy. The curves were even more exaggerated, but there was no mistaking the face—although the expression […]
Rivers of London Vol. 10: Deadly Ever After (2022) Ben Aaronovitch, Andrew Cartmel, Celeste Bronfman, Joseph Maria Beroy Honestly, I dislike almost everything about this. I don’t like Chelsea and Olympia. I really REALLY don’t like the art. I mean, what the hell kind of wetsuit would do THAT? The thrown in bits with the […]
Lies Sleeping, Audio Book (2018) Ben Aaronovitch narrated by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Rivers of London) The nanny landed like a cat on the pavement in what I thought was clear defiance of the laws of physics. I don’t care how supple you are, landing like that from three stories up should have driven her shin bones […]
The Hanging Tree , Audio Book (2017) Ben Aaronovitch narrated by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Rivers of London) She really had no idea what she was asking for, but I knew better than to try and explain. “Understood,” I said. “And Peter,” said Lady Ty, “Nightingale is not to know about this—is that clear?” “Crystal,” I said. […]
The Furthest Station, Audio Book (2017) Ben Aaronovitch narrated by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Rivers of London) Don’t get me wrong, I like the countryside. In fact, some of my best friends are geographical features. It’s just a tricky place to operate in. Boudicca’s burial site at Kings Cross—remember that?” We’d done it as a field trip—Platform […]
What Abigail Did That Summer, Audio Book (2021) Ben Aaronovitch narrated by Shvorne Marks & Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Rivers of London) “Are you wearing a collar?” “Good, isn’t it?” says Indigo. “I’m undercover as a dog. Lets me move about in the Brick in daylight.” What she looks like is a big fox wearing a collar. […]
Foxglove Summer Audio Book (2014) Ben Aaronovitch narrated by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Rivers of London) it was clear that requests for assistance were now being routed through the Police National Information Coordination Center (PNICC), commonly pronounced “panic”—particularly if you’ve reached the stage of having to call it. The problem was that once the government pushed through […]
Broken Homes, Audio Book (2014) Ben Aaronovitch narrated by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Rivers of London) People have got the wrong idea about police territoriality—a full-scale murder inquiry is going to set you back a quarter of a million quid minimum. If Manderly could dump it on the Met then it would be our budget and our […]
Whispers Under Ground, Audio Book (2012) Ben Aaronovitch narrated by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Rivers of London) My mum translated this in her head to “witchfinder,” which was good because like most West Africans, she considered witchfinding a more respectable profession than policeman. this was a murder inquiry, and woe betide any officer who breaks the chain […]
Moon Over Soho, Audio Book (2012) Ben Aaronovitch narrated by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Rivers of London) People don’t like to speak ill of the dead even when they’re monsters, let alone when they’re loved ones. People like to forget any bad things that someone did and why should they remember? It’s not like they’re going to […]
Midnight Riot, Audio Book (2012) Ben Aaronovitch narrated by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Rivers of London) So Newton, like all good seventeenth-century intellectuals, wrote in Latin because that was the international language of science, philosophy and, I found out later, upmarket pornography. “You’ve been dead for two hundred years, Henry,” I said. “I’m fairly certain you can’t […]
Winter’s Gifts (2023) Ben Aaronovitch (Rivers of London) Kimberly Reynold’s met Peter Grant during Whispers Underground, and they have kept in touch since. Probably because Kimberly is now stuck dealing with all the Weird Stuff. I wasn’t sure how I felt about a whole book with Kimberly. Mama is not a fan of the federal […]
Shifting Shadows: Stories from the World of Mercy Thompson, Audio Book (2014) Patricia Briggs narrated by Lorelei King and Alexander Cendese Silver Fairy Gifts (previously published in Naked City) Gray (previously published in Home Improvement: Undead Edition) Seeing Eye (previously published in Strange Brew) Alpha and Omega (previously published in On the Prowl) The Star […]
The Brimstone Deception (2016) Lisa Shearin narrated by Johanna Parker (SPI Files) I didn’t envy Kylie her job right now. Actually, I’d never envied Kylie’s job. I was a horrible liar and even worse at hiding how I felt when around people I didn’t like. “Just know that if he ever hurts you—” “Honey, you’re […]
The Dragon Conspiracy (2015) Lisa Shearin narrated by Johanna Parker (SPI Files) (T)he sprinkles on the squashed cupcake of my evening. (S)omewhere a charmer was missing his snake. If you were smart, you lived your life and treated the people who were in your life— those who were important to you, those you loved— as […]
The Grendel Affair (2014) Lisa Shearin narrated by Johanna Parker (SPI Files) Being able to clear a line of beer cans from an old washer would never save anyone’s life, and I’d never actually heard of a deer taking a hunter hostage and using him as a shield while being hoisted into a helicopter. So […]
Child of a Rainless Year (2005) Jane Lindskold This is an odd story–the fantastic elements are initially subtle, and initially you aren’t even sure that what you are reading is a fantasy. It is, but not one of vampires and witches, but one of subtle powers, hidden from plain sight. “(A)nything that is liminal, that […]
Burned, Audio Book (2016) Benedict Jacka narrated by Gildart Jackson (Alex Verus) Alex Verus #7 Alex is about to receive a death sentence from the Council, and has to do everything he can to keep himself–but more importantly his friends–safe. As I listened I found myself more and more frustrated by the book. By the […]
Veiled, Audio Book (2015) Benedict Jacka narrated by Gildart Jackson (Alex Verus) My problem is that I was mostly listening to this while cleaning and organizing, and I got focused on my task, so I fear I missed some details. But didn’t care enough to go back and relisten to the bits I was foggy […]
Hidden, Audio Book (2014) Benedict Jacka narrated by Gildart Jackson (Alex Verus) Neither Ann nor Saunder what anything to do with Alex after he dealt with the adepts trying to kill him. He doesn’t necessarily blame them, but he had told them him past, and it was up to them to believe him–or not. I […]
Chosen (2014) Benedict Jacka narrated by Gildart Jackson (Alex Verus) Alex spent years hiding from his past. Finally, he started to reach out, to make friends, but his past has come roaring back with a vengeance. What I particularly liked about this story is that Alex’s past came back to do more than haunt him–and […]
Taken, Audio Edition (2014) Benedict Jacka narrated by Gildart Jackson (Alex Verus) I have clear evidence I read this book (and the two before it) but have almost no memory of reading it. One of the interesting things about this story was the way Alex was able to manipulate the mind mage who trying to […]
Liar City (2023) Allie Therin (Sugar & Vice) No one knows where the empaths came from. All people know is they have to be touching you to read you–and that they are all pacifists, unable even to defend themselves. Because the real empath she knew wouldn’t be doing shots with rich workaholics; he’d be lecturing […]
The Raven King, Audio Edition (2016) Maggie Stiefvater narrated by Will Patton (The Raven Cycle) My favorite: Ronan Lynch — dreamer of dreams, fighter of men, skipper of classes His feelings for Adam were an oil spill; he’d let them overflow and now there wasn’t a damn place in the ocean that wouldn’t catch fire […]
Blue Lily, Lily Blue, Audio Edition (2014) Maggie Stiefvater narrated by Will Patton (The Raven Cycle) Blue and Adam exchanged a delighted look. The only thing more pleasing than seeing Ronan singled out was seeing him singled out and forced to repeatedly sing an Irish jig. “Spruce Knob. Highest peak in West Virginia. Forty-five hundred […]
The Raven Boys, Audio Edition (2012) Maggie Stiefvater narrated by Will Patton (The Raven Cycle) Blue. Gansey. Adam. Ronan. Noah. The start of the story. UGH. Ronan. Why does anyone even LIKE him? Ronan climbed to his feet and they both turned to watch Noah working with the plywood for the ramps. Working with really […]
London Falling, Audio Book (2014) Paul Cornell narrated by Damian Lynch (The Shadow Police) Pretty much all the trigger warnings for this book: child death, child harm, gore, violence, serial killer.. This series is so dark, and yet its darkness doesn’t bother me, possibly because it’s almost over the top. “You know what you get […]
Stiletto, Audio Edition (2016) Daniel O’Malley narrated by Moira Quirk (Checquy Files) This was what we’ve been listening to on longer drives. However, since we often drive with the windows down when the weather is nice, we didn’t get through it very quickly. Which is fine, because we’ve both listened to it before. “But where […]
Amongst Our Weapons, Audio Edition (2022) Ben Aaronovitch narrated by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Rivers of London) This is the most recent Rivers of London / Peter Grant book, and now I’m all caught up and have to find something else to listen to. I sped through this when I read it in the spring, so I […]
Tales from the Folly: A Rivers of London Short Story Collection, Audio Edition (2020) Ben Aaronovitch narrated by: the author, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Ben Elliot, Felix Grainger, Sam Peter Jackson, Alex Kingston, Shvorne Marks, and Penelope Rawlins PART ONE: THE PETER GRANT STORIES The Home Crowd Advantage: set between Rivers of London and Moon Over Soho […]
False Value, Audio Edition (2020) Ben Aaronovitch narrated by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Rivers of London) This is the 8th Peter Grant book. After the events of Lies SLeeping, Peter was suspended while the incident (death in custody) was investigated. This book opens with Peter interviewing for a security position with the Serious Cybernetics Corporation (and yes, […]
What Abigail Did That Summer (2021) Ben Aaronovitch narrated by Shvorne Marks and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Rivers of London) First, this is Abigail’s story. Peter doesn’t make an appearance (although we see Nightingale and hear from Postmartin). Second, this story jumps back and forth in time, opening with Abigail at a police station, and then jumping […]