Whispers Underground aka the Peter Grant thread

[Datepalm]

Sounds fun. A change of pace might be what the series needs, even though it is so London-centric that this sounds almost ironic.

[williamjm]

The "London cop takes on role in a small village" aspect does immediately make me think of Hot Fuzz.

I'm guessing from the blurb that we probably won't be seeing much progress on the main story arcs, although I guess it's possible that the Faceless Man might be involved somehow.

[Angalin]

Wasn't Lesley's family in Hertfordshire?

[RedEyedGhost]

I'm guessing from the blurb that we probably won't be seeing much progress on the main story arcs, although I guess it's possible that the Faceless Man might be involved somehow.

This is my concern with the blurb. Disappointing if we don't get some forward movement.

[ljkeane]

Yeah, I'll probably be a bit annoyed if we don't get some movement on what's happening with Lesley and the Faceless Man. I don't remember where her family lived but that might be something.

[williamjm]

Wasn't Lesley's family in Hertfordshire?

They lived in Essex, I think they were in Colchester or nearby. Hereforeshire is in the west of England, so nowhere near any of the places seen or mentioned so far in the series. If Aaronvitch had gone slightly further west he could have ended up in Wales, maybe he thought he could get away with plots about Jazz vampires but trying to set a book in such an obviously fictional country might be stretching suspension of disbelief a bit too much.

This is my concern with the blurb. Disappointing if we don't get some forward movement.

I wonder if there might be a pattern emerging where we get one book with the Faceless Man playing a major role and lots of story arc elements (Moon Over Soho/Broken Homes) followed by one which is more standalone (Whispers Underground/Foxglove Summer).

[Lupigis]

They lived in Essex, I think they were in Colchester or nearby. Hereforeshire is in the west of England, so nowhere near any of the places seen or mentioned so far in the series. If Aaronvitch had gone slightly further west he could have ended up in Wales, maybe he thought he could get away with plots about Jazz vampires but trying to set a book in such an obviously fictional country might be stretching suspension of disbelief a bit too much.

Fictional countries aside, doesn't he also have to stay in the Thames catchment area if Beverly Brook is going to come along?

[Angalin]

They lived in Essex, I think they were in Colchester or nearby. Hereforeshire is in the west of England, so nowhere near any of the places seen or mentioned so far in the series. If Aaronvitch had gone slightly further west he could have ended up in Wales, maybe he thought he could get away with plots about Jazz vampires but trying to set a book in such an obviously fictional country might be stretching suspension of disbelief a bit too much.

I was skimming and read it wrong. Hertford, Hereford and Hampshire, says my inner Eliza Dolittle. ;) Hampshire would be closer to London and has some of the Thames watershed (have I got that right, insufficient coffee today for proper brain functioning) in it. Spring water in the Malverns, though.

[RedEyedGhost]

I wonder if there might be a pattern emerging where we get one book with the Faceless Man playing a major role and lots of story arc elements (Moon Over Soho/Broken Homes) followed by one which is more standalone (Whispers Underground/Foxglove Summer).

Maybe alternating FM and getting to know more about magic in the world as a whole, like how in Whispers we got to meet another genius loci and the woman at the art gallery who know about Nightingale (not that we really learned all that much).

[Maltaran]

I was skimming and read it wrong. Hertford, Hereford and Hampshire, says my inner Eliza Dolittle. ;) Hampshire would be closer to London and has some of the Thames watershed (have I got that right, insufficient coffee today for proper brain functioning) in it. Spring water in the Malverns, though.

Herefordshire would be in the Severn's watershed, which could lead to some interesting stuff with Beverley.

[Angalin]

Herefordshire would be in the Severn's watershed, which could lead to some interesting stuff with Beverley.

Head-to-head, Severn vs. Thames? Yeah, that has potential. :)

[Isis]

Hertfordshire borders Essex. Herefordshire borders Wales.

[Angalin]

Hertfordshire borders Essex. Herefordshire borders Wales.

That's why Herts at first made sense to me, in case Lesley had gone to ground in her own territory. Unless she or the FM has gone to stir up the gods of the Severn Valley against Peter and Nightingale?

[Lupigis]

I just remembered that in one of the earlier books one of the younger Thames sisters mentions that they have a sister that travels all over the world, so my impression the the river spirits/goddesses couldn't leave the Thames is probably wrong.

OTOH, Beverly is supposed to be a hostage, so she can't just go off with Peter without causing problems, right?

[williamjm]

OTOH, Beverly is supposed to be a hostage, so she can't just go off with Peter without causing problems, right?

The hostages do seem to be allowed to wander around unsupervised, I seem to remember the hostage from upriver whose name I can't remember accompanying Peter in Moon Over Soho. On the other hand, Peter better make sure nothing bad happens to Beverley or he'll have two sets of angry River Gods to answer to.

That's why Herts at first made sense to me, in case Lesley had gone to ground in her own territory. Unless she or the FM has gone to stir up the gods of the Severn Valley against Peter and Nightingale?

I suppose we don't know where the Faceless Man is from originally, there's no mention of a regional accent but he might have lost any accent at Oxford or later, so it's possible he could have family or connections there.

[Maltaran]

If he was posh enough to be a member of an Oxford dining club, he probably never had a regional accent to begin with, regardless of where he's from.

[deleted01]

I just finished Whispers Underground, and I have to wait until my birthday (December, boo!) until I get Broken Homes, due to some charitable sod buying it for me.

I really enjoy this series. Being both from London and someone who has a foundation degree in Police Studies, I really love the setting, as well as the police work being very well-researched, imho. Every time PACE is mentioned I do wince a little bit though - I've been trying to forget that bastard since taking the pre-join qualification :laugh:

So keen to read the next book. They're my new guilty pleasures, and I really like the artwork on the covers. My copy of Whispers Underground is a hardback that I picked up in a charity shop, and it seems to have loads of mistakes in it, such as spelling and grammar. Plus, there's a chapter called The Domestic after the acknowledgements section. I doubt it's a sample chapter from Broken Homes, so I presume it's just another printing error :dunno:

[Darth Visenya]

I really enjoy this series. Being both from London and someone who has a foundation degree in Police Studies, I really love the setting, as well as the police work being very well-researched, imho. Every time PACE is mentioned I do wince a little bit though - I've been trying to forget that bastard since taking the pre-join qualification :laugh:

Apparantly it's good to ask if they've got a copy if you get stopped for speeding though :P.

[williamjm]

So keen to read the next book. They're my new guilty pleasures, and I really like the artwork on the covers. My copy of Whispers Underground is a hardback that I picked up in a charity shop, and it seems to have loads of mistakes in it, such as spelling and grammar. Plus, there's a chapter called The Domestic after the acknowledgements section. I doubt it's a sample chapter from Broken Homes, so I presume it's just another printing error :dunno:

If you think you want to read the next book in the series now, then just wait until you've finished Broken Homes and then you'll really want to read the next book after that.

I agree the artwork is fantastic, I'll be annoyed if they ever change the style of the art.

The extra chapter you mention isn't a misprint, it was an extra short story included in special editions sold by Waterstone's. There's also one at the end of the Waterstone's edition of Broken Homes (which is poorly placed since it clearly takes place before the events in Broken Homes). I think the only explanation of this may have been in a sticker that was on the front of the book, if that's fallen off at some point then I can understand why it might be a bit confusing.

[RedEyedGhost]

The extra chapter you mention isn't a misprint, it was an extra short story included in special editions sold by Waterstone's. There's also one at the end of the Waterstone's edition of Broken Homes (which is poorly placed since it clearly takes place before the events in Broken Homes). I think the only explanation of this may have been in a sticker that was on the front of the book, if that's fallen off at some point then I can understand why it might be a bit confusing.

Booooooooo! I knew they did that for a couple of Abercrombie's books, but did know they were doing it for these too; I hate not having these stories :angry: