Spanish fans of Ben Aaronovitch‘s Peter Grant/Rivers of London series rejoice: FOXGLOVE SUMMER is now available, published as VERANO VENENOSO by Oz Editorial! Translated by Marina Rodil, here’s the synopsis…
La vida en el campo no es tan idílica como parece…
El agente de policía y aprendiz de mago Peter Grant decide tomarse un descanso del trabajo en la ajetreada ciudad de Londres para ayudar en la investigación de la desaparición de dos niñas en Rushpool, un pueblecito cerca de Gales donde se siente como un pez fuera del agua. Aunque en un primer momento parece que no se trata de un caso relacionado con la magia, pronto Peter descubrirá que los campos y bosques idílicos de la campiña inglesa esconden una historia muy oscura y que los seres de los cuentos de hadas no solo habitan en los cuentos infantiles…
Oz Editorial has also published the first four books in the series: RÍOS DE LONDRES (RIVERS OF LONDON), LA LUNA SOBRE EL SOHO (MOON OVER SOHO), SUSURROS SUBTERRÁNEOS (WHISPERS UNDERGROUND), and FAMILIAS FATALES (BROKEN HOMES).
FOXGLOVE SUMMER and Ben’s other books set in this world are published in the UK by Gollancz. The books are published in North America by Del Rey (1-3), DAW Books (4-) and Subterranean Press (novellas). The series has also been published widely in translation.
Here’s the English-language synopsis for FOXGLOVE SUMMER…
In the fifth of his bestselling series Ben Aaronovitch takes Peter Grant out of whatever comfort zone he might have found and takes him out of London – to a small village in Herefordshire where the local police are reluctant to admit that there might be a supernatural element to the disappearance of some local children. But while you can take the London copper out of London you can’t take the London out of the copper.
Travelling west with Beverley Brook, Peter soon finds himself caught up in a deep mystery and having to tackle local cops and local gods. And what’s more all the shops are closed by 4pm…
Below are all of the covers (to date) for FOXGLOVE SUMMER: UK (Gollancz), US (DAW Books), Germany (DTV), France (J’ai Lu), and Czechia (Argo).
Here are just a few of the great reviews FOXGLOVE SUMMER has received so far…
‘When it comes to the genre of urban fantasy, connoisseurs tend to rate Ben Aaronovitch’s RIVERS OF LONDON and its sequels quite highly. The adventures of Metropolitan policeman and apprentice wizard Peter Grant have thus far all been based around the city of London (it is, after all, where he works), and the author has drawn from the capital’s rich geography and occult history to create a profound and engaging world filled with the grit and stench of the city, though at the same time celebrating its warmth and wealth of choice. The very setup of the books is both urban and fantastic… The main story functions as an interesting thriller, and the additional commentary on the way the UK handles major incidents like the disappearance of children is both thought-provoking and carefully handled… FOXGLOVE SUMMER is evocative, mysterious, engaging, and, mostly, enormous amounts of fun. Fans of the Peter Grant series will not be disappointed, and those new to the books should start with Rivers in London, safe in the knowledge that the sequels are just as good.’ — Starburst
‘Ben Aaronovitch is in top form in this fifth Peter Grant novel, as his beloved police constable ventures into the wilds of the English countryside. As ever, the realistic police procedural details ground the plot, but the wonderful and unexpected fantasy world that lurks just below the surface of reality makes this tale the rousing success that it is. The tension is high from the opening of this unpredictable story, but the gravity of Grant’s newest case doesn’t keep his snarky humor or his wry insight from shining through, making this a book that new readers and fans alike will relish.’ — RT Book Reviews (January 2015 Top Pick)
‘[Aaronovitch’s] ability to construct a fast, tense, readable police procedural (with magic) is inarguable. The combination—and frequently, the clash—of modern policing methods with magic and folklore remains a compelling juxtaposition, one that’s funny more often than not… Peter’s voice remains compelling. It’s one of the most appealing things about this series. In removing him from his usual stomping grounds to the countryside, Aaronovitch takes the opportunity to cast a minor side-eye at the white uniformity and unthinking assumptions of part of Britain: as a mixed-race lad from London, Peter sticks out in Leominster… It’s amusing. It’s diverting. It’s fun…’ — Tor.com
‘There are only a few urban fantasy series I would drop everything for, and this is one of them. So when FOXGLOVE SUMMER arrived on my doorstep, I did exactly that – every other book that was on my plate got put on hold while I set forth to devour this one. Move over, “The Boy Who Lived”, for when it comes to my favorite British wizard, his name is Peter Grant… Out of all the books so far, I feel this one reads the most like a police procedural and also has the strongest self-contained and cohesive mystery plot yet. A lot of urban fantasies sell themselves as mysteries, but this one actually feels like a mystery, with subtle clues dropped along the course of the investigation that the attentive reader might pick up and use later on to put together the pieces… Peter’s most hilarious lines are often laced with strong undertones of sarcasm and self-deprecation, and delivered with the kind of subtlety that contrasts greatly with the in-your-face type of snark that I’m so used to in my mostly American UF heroes and heroines. Oh, but how Peter Grant makes me laugh and laugh and laugh. Reading these books in public is a risk, because I never know when something Aaronovitch writes will make me guffaw out loud, drawing stares from strangers around me who all then think I’ve gone nuts… this book is a great example of how a series and its main character can grow while still retaining everything that makes the previous novels so great. An extraordinary fun ride that’s not to be missed.’ — Bibliosanctum (5* Review)