Tag: Del Rey

New Die Flüsse von London Double-Audiobook Available Now!

Posted on Wednesday, July 20th, 2022

GoyaLiT, an imprint of Jumbo Verlag, has released a fourth audiobook omnibus in Ben Aaronovitch‘s Die Flüsse von London series! IHR AUFRITT, PETER GRANT collects the seventh and eighth novels in the series: DIE GLOCKE VON WHITECHAPEL (LIES SLEEPING) and EIN WEISSER SCHWAN IN TABERNACLE STREET (FALSE VALUE). Narrated once again by the excellent Dietmar Wunder, here’s the synopsis…

DIE GLOCKE VON WHITECHAPEL

Constable und Zauberlehrling Peter Grant steht vor seiner größten Herausforderung: Das Schicksal Londons steht auf dem Spiel. Der gesichtslose Magier, verantwortlich für grauenvolle übernatürliche Verbrechen, ist zwar endlich demaskiert und auf der Flucht. Doch er verfolgt einen perfiden Plan, der ganz London in den Abgrund stürzen könnte. Um den Gesichtslosen zu stoppen, muss Peter all seine magischen Kräfte aufbieten und einen bösen alten Bekannten kontaktieren: Mr Punch, den mörderischen Geist des Aufruhrs und der Rebellion.

EIN WEISSER SCHWAN IN TABERNACLE STREET

Peter Grant, unser Lieblings-Bobby und Zauberlehrling, ist suspendiert und zumindest für eine Weile kein Bobby mehr. Dafür wird er in Zukunft im Privatleben umso mehr gefordert sein, was ihn zu gleichen Teilen mit Panik und Begeisterung erfüllt. Um nicht untätig herumzusitzen und Nägel zu kauen, heuert er bei der Serious Cybernetics Company an, dem neuesten Projekt des Internet-Genies Terrence Skinner. Und prompt holt die Magie ihn wieder ein. Denn in den Tiefen der SCC ist ein Geheimnis verborgen, eine geheime magische Technologie, die zurückreicht bis weit ins 19. Jahrhundert, das Zeitalter von Ada Lovelace und Charles Babbage. Und die brandgefährlich ist für die Welt.

The other three double-audiobooks are: GESTATTEN: PETER GRANT, IHR EINSATZ, PETER GRANT, and PETER GRANT ERMITTELT.

The best-selling print and eBook editions of the series are published in Germany by DTV.

The Rivers of London series is published in the UK by Gollancz, in North America by Del Rey (1-3), DAW Books (4-) and Subterranean Press (novellas); the series has also been published widely around the world. The latest novel is the #1-bestselling AMONGST OUR WEAPONS.

Here’s the English-language synopsis for LIES SLEEPING…

Martin Chorley, aka the Faceless Man, wanted for multiple counts of murder, fraud and crimes against humanity, has been unmasked and is on the run.

Peter Grant, Detective Constable and apprentice wizard, now plays a key role in an unprecedented joint operation to bring Chorley to justice.

But even as the unwieldy might of the Metropolitan Police bears down on its foe, Peter uncovers clues that Chorley, far from being finished, is executing the final stages of a long term plan.

A plan that has its roots in London’s two thousand bloody years of history, and could literally bring the city to its knees.

To save his beloved city Peter’s going to need help from his former best friend and colleague – Lesley May – who brutally betrayed him and everything he thought she believed in. And, far worse, he might even have to come to terms with the malevolent supernatural killer and agent of chaos known as Mr Punch…

This Week: Ben Aaronovitch Event at Waterstones Canterbury!

Posted on Monday, October 25th, 2021

This Friday, October 29th, Waterstones Canterbury will be hosting Ben Aaronovitch for an event celebrating the 10th Anniversary of RIVERS OF LONDON! The event will see Ben chatting with Mark Stay, and begins at 6:30pm. More details can be found, and tickets bought here.

Ben’s fantasy police procedurals set in a reimagined London have a Pratchett level of subversive wit. They have sold millions. Come and get any of his books signed. He will be interviewed by Mark Stay, whose Crow Folk is a tale of witches, demons, and bellringers in wartime Kent. Think Dads Army, with paranormal activity.

RIVERS OF LONDON is the first novel in Ben’s internationally best-selling, critically-acclaimed Peter Grant/Rivers of London series, published in the UK by Gollancz, in North America by Del Rey (as MIDNIGHT RIOT), and widely in translation. Here’s the synopsis…

My name is Peter Grant and until January I was just probationary constable in that mighty army for justice known to all right-thinking people as the Metropolitan Police Service (and as the Filth to everybody else). My only concerns in life were how to avoid a transfer to the Case Progression Unit – we do paperwork so real coppers don’t have to – and finding a way to climb into the panties of the outrageously perky WPC Leslie May. Then one night, in pursuance of a murder inquiry, I tried to take a witness statement from someone who was dead but disturbingly voluble, and that brought me to the attention of Inspector Nightingale, the last wizard in England.

Now I’m a Detective Constable and a trainee wizard, the first apprentice in fifty years, and my world has become somewhat more complicated: nests of vampires in Purley, negotiating a truce between the warring god and goddess of the Thames, and digging up graves in Covent Garden … and there’s something festering at the heart of the city I love, a malicious vengeful spirit that takes ordinary Londoners and twists them into grotesque mannequins to act out its drama of violence and despair.

The spirit of riot and rebellion has awakened in the city, and it’s falling to me to bring order out of chaos – or die trying.

Three Upcoming Events for Ben Aaronovitch!

Posted on Tuesday, July 27th, 2021

Just a very quick post with three dates for your diaries. Over the next couple of week, Ben Aaronovitch will be taking part in three events to mark the tenth anniversary of RIVERS OF LONDON! The first novel in his best-selling, acclaimed Peter Grant series, here’s the synopsis (in case you’ve missed it somehow)…

My name is Peter Grant and until January I was just probationary constable in that mighty army for justice known to all right-thinking people as the Metropolitan Police Service (and as the Filth to everybody else). My only concerns in life were how to avoid a transfer to the Case Progression Unit – we do paperwork so real coppers don’t have to – and finding a way to climb into the panties of the outrageously perky WPC Leslie May. Then one night, in pursuance of a murder inquiry, I tried to take a witness statement from someone who was dead but disturbingly voluble, and that brought me to the attention of Inspector Nightingale, the last wizard in England.

Now I’m a Detective Constable and a trainee wizard, the first apprentice in fifty years, and my world has become somewhat more complicated: nests of vampires in Purley, negotiating a truce between the warring god and goddess of the Thames, and digging up graves in Covent Garden… and there’s something festering at the heart of the city I love, a malicious vengeful spirit that takes ordinary Londoners and twists them into grotesque mannequins to act out its drama of violence and despair.

The spirit of riot and rebellion has awakened in the city, and it’s falling to me to bring order out of chaos – or die trying.

The first event is in just two days (July 29th), as part of the Cymera Online Book Festival. Ben will be joined by fellow Gollancz author Adam Simcox to talk all things supernatural crime and mystery! Full details can be found here (where you can also buy tickets).

On August 5th, Ben will be hosted by Highgate Library for Books and Beyond, discussing RIVERS OF LONDON, the series, and the latest book WHAT ABIGAIL DID THAT SUMMER. Tickets and details here.

And last, but by no means least, on August 10th Chatham Library will host Ben for another discussion to mark the tenth anniversary of RIVERS OF LONDON. It’s a free event, and as the poster below recommends, give them a call to reserve your seat(s)!

RIVERS OF LONDON and the other books in the series are published in the UK by Gollancz. The first novel was published in North America as MIDNIGHT RIOT, and the series is published by Del Rey (1-3), DAW Books (4-), and Subterranean Press (novellas). The series has also been published widely in translations (see Ben’s page for more details).

ICYMI: Ben Aaronovitch’s Event with Enfield Libraries!

Posted on Friday, May 7th, 2021

Back in March, Enfield Libraries hosted Ben Aaronovitch for a conversation about his books and writing in general. The video for the event has now been posted on YouTube.

Ben is the author of the internationally-bestselling and acclaimed Peter Grant/Rivers of London series, which to date includes eight novels, three novellas, a short story collection, and eight comic story arcs!

Ben Aaronovitch on the Cover WRITE ON! Magazine!

Posted on Tuesday, October 27th, 2020

Just a quick heads-up that Ben Aaronovitch is on the cover of the next issue of WRITE ON! Magazine, which is out tomorrow! Published by Pen to Print, the issue is available free from their website.

Ben’s feature is What’s Your Story?, in which he discusses London, urban fantasy, and ‘why joy and resilience are at the heart of his writing’.

Ben is the author of the critically-acclaimed, internationally bestselling Peter Grant/Rivers Of London series. The latest novel, FALSE VALUE, is the eighth in the series. There are also two novellas set in the world (with a third on the way!), and eight comic collections.

The novels and novellas are published in the UK by Gollancz. The novels are published in North America by Del Rey (1-3) and DAW Books (4-); the novellas are published by Subterranean Press. The comics (co-authored with Andrew Cartmel) are published in the UK and in North America by Titan Comics. All of the books are available in a growing number of translated editions around the world. (Check out Ben’s author page for more details on other international editions.)

Eyes Open: Peter Grant Invades Germany’s U-Bahn!

Posted on Tuesday, September 8th, 2020

We are very grateful to Elisa for sharing with us photos of these posters for Ben Aaronovitch‘s two latest books in Germany! Up in various subway stations, we think that’s rather excellent, and wanted to share them here, too.

The two books features are EIN WEISSER SCHWAN IN TABERNACLE STREET (FALSE VALUE, the eighth Peter Grant novel); and DIE FLÜSSE VON LONDON – SCHWARZER MOND ÜBER SOHO, an omnibus edition including the first two novels (RIVERS OF LONDON and MOON OVER SOHO).

Both books are published in Germany by DTV, who have published all of Ben’s books set in this world. The omnibus is out now. Here’s the synopsis for EIN WEISSER SCHWAN IN TABERNACLE STREET, which is due out in Germany on October 23rd…

Peter Grant ist suspendiert…

Peter Grant, unser Londoner Lieblings-Bobby und Zauberlehrling, steht vor völlig neuen privaten Herausforderungen. Welche ihn zu gleichen Teilen mit Panik und Begeisterung erfüllen. Beruflich bekommt er es mit der Serious Cybernetics Corporation zu tun, dem neuesten Projekt des Internet-Genies Terrence Skinner. Und prompt holt die Magie ihn wieder ein. Denn in den Tiefen der SCC ist ein Geheimnis verborgen: eine geheime magische Technologie, die bis weit ins 19. Jahrhundert zurückreicht, dem Zeitalter von Ada Lovelace und Charles Babbage. Und die brandgefährlich ist für die gesamte Welt.

The series is published in the UK by Gollancz; 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 FALSE VALUE…

Peter Grant is facing fatherhood, and an uncertain future, with equal amounts of panic and enthusiasm.

Leaving his old police life behind, he takes a job with Silicon Valley tech genius Terrence Skinner’s new London start up: the Serious Cybernetics Corporation.

Drawn into the orbit of Old Street’s famous ‘silicon roundabout’, Peter must learn how to blend in with people who are both civilians and geekier than he is. Compared to his last job, Peter thinks it should be a doddle.

But magic is not finished with the Met’s first trainee wizard in fifty years…

Because a secret is hiding somewhere in the building. A technology that stretches back to Ada Lovelace and Charles Babbage, and forward to the future of artificial intelligence. A secret that is just as magical as it technological – and twice as dangerous.

Finally, here’s the poster graphic…

Ben Aaronovitch Announces RIVERS OF LONDON RPG with Chaosium!

Posted on Tuesday, December 3rd, 2019

This past Saturday, Ben Aaronovitch announced a new RPG based on the world of his acclaimed, best-selling Peter Grant novels! Revealed at Dragonmeet, the game is in development with Chaosium, and they will be working in close concert with Ben to develop a fantastic game. We can’t wait to play!

‘I’ve been an RPG player since the original D&D,’ said Ben, ‘so I’m terribly excited and honoured to have Rivers of London turned into a proper roleplaying game and especially because it’s with Chaosium, who produced Pendragon and Call of Cthulhu and such brilliant adaptations as Elric!’

Here’s what Lynne Hardy, associate line editor for Call of Cthulhu and Rivers project lead, said about the upcoming RPG…

‘I started reading Peter Grant’s adventures a few years ago and knew right away that the Folly would make a marvelous setting for an investigatory fantasy game. Ben was intrigued about the potential for a Rivers of London RPG when I broached the idea at a book signing late last year. After a meeting in London in April, we entered negotiations to secure the license.’

We’ll be sure to share any bits of news about the game’s development as and when we can.

Ben’s Peter Grant novels are published in the UK by Gollancz, in North America by Del Rey and DAW Books, and are also available widely in translation. (See Ben’s page for more information about international editions.)

In case you have yet to read any of Ben’s novels (or the comics that are also based on his characters), here’s the synopsis for the first novel, RIVERS OF LONDON…

My name is Peter Grant and until January I was just probationary constable in that mighty army for justice known to all right-thinking people as the Metropolitan Police Service (and as the Filth to everybody else). My only concerns in life were how to avoid a transfer to the Case Progression Unit – we do paperwork so real coppers don’t have to – and finding a way to climb into the panties of the outrageously perky WPC Leslie May. Then one night, in pursuance of a murder inquiry, I tried to take a witness statement from someone who was dead but disturbingly voluble, and that brought me to the attention of Inspector Nightingale, the last wizard in England.

Now I’m a Detective Constable and a trainee wizard, the first apprentice in fifty years, and my world has become somewhat more complicated: nests of vampires in Purley, negotiating a truce between the warring god and goddess of the Thames, and digging up graves in Covent Garden… and there’s something festering at the heart of the city I love, a malicious vengeful spirit that takes ordinary Londoners and twists them into grotesque mannequins to act out its drama of violence and despair.

The spirit of riot and rebellion has awakened in the city, and it’s falling to me to bring order out of chaos – or die trying.

(N.B.: The first novel is published in North America as MIDNIGHT RIOT.)

The next novel in the series, FALSE VALUE, is due to be published in February 2020 by Orion (UK) and DAW Books (North America).

Ben Aaronovitch’s LONDRA NEHİRLERİ is out now!

Posted on Wednesday, November 20th, 2019

The first book in Ben Aaronovitch‘s acclaimed, best-selling Peter Grant series, RIVERS OF LONDON is now available in a Turkish edition! LONDRA NEHİRLERİ is out now, published by Epsilon Yayınları…

Stajyer polis memuru Peter Grant’in tek bir hayali vardır: Bir gün Londra Metropolitan Polis Teşkilatı’nda dedektif olmak. Ne yazık ki teşkilattaki üstleri onunla aynı fikirde değildir. Peter karşılaşacağı en büyük tehlikenin kâğıt kesiğinden öteye geçmeyeceği Vaka Takip Birimi’nde görevlendirilir. Artık bu sıkıcı ve pek de arzu etmediği vazifeyi sürdürmek zorundadır, ta ki tüm hayatını değiştirecek o karmaşık cinayete kadar… Peter, hayalet olan görgü tanığından cinayetle ilgili çok özel bilgiler edinmeyi başarır ve bu becerisi onun teşkilattaki konumunun tekrar gözden geçirilmesini sağlar. Aramızdan ayrılamamış ölülerle iletişim kurabilmesi, onu büyü ve tekinsizlerin diğer tezahürleriyle alakalı suçların soruşturmalarını yürüten Başmüfettiş Thomas Nightingale’in ilgi odağı haline getirir. Londra çok zor günler geçirmektedir. Acımasız ve tuhaf cinayetler dört bir yanı sarmış; uzun süredir gizlenen bir karanlık, artan büyü dalgasıyla yeniden harekete geçmiştir. Tanrıların ve tanrıçaların ölümlülerle iç içe yaşadığı bu gizemli ve karanlık dünyada Peter kendi yolunu bulmak zorundadır.

RIVERS OF LONDON is published in the UK by Gollancz (who also publish Ben’s other novels in the UK), and in North America by Del Rey — as MIDNIGHT RIOT. Here’s the English-language synopsis…

My name is Peter Grant and until January I was just probationary constable in that mighty army for justice known to all right-thinking people as the Metropolitan Police Service (and as the Filth to everybody else). My only concerns in life were how to avoid a transfer to the Case Progression Unit – we do paperwork so real coppers don’t have to – and finding a way to climb into the panties of the outrageously perky WPC Leslie May. Then one night, in pursuance of a murder inquiry, I tried to take a witness statement from someone who was dead but disturbingly voluble, and that brought me to the attention of Inspector Nightingale, the last wizard in England.

Now I’m a Detective Constable and a trainee wizard, the first apprentice in fifty years, and my world has become somewhat more complicated: nests of vampires in Purley, negotiating a truce between the warring god and goddess of the Thames, and digging up graves in Covent Garden … and there’s something festering at the heart of the city I love, a malicious vengeful spirit that takes ordinary Londoners and twists them into grotesque mannequins to act out its drama of violence and despair.

The spirit of riot and rebellion has awakened in the city, and it’s falling to me to bring order out of chaos – or die trying.

The Peter Grant series is now up to seven novels, with the eighth due to be published in February 2020: FALSE VALUE, due to be published by Orion (UK) and DAW Books (North America).

Here are just a few of the reviews the novel has received since it was first published in 2011…

‘In this fast-paced paranormal police procedural, Aaronovitch introduces Peter Grant, a rookie cop who can see ghosts. This unusual talent saves him from a potential life of office work when Chief Insp. Thomas Nightingale sends him for wizard training. Britain’s police force has long known of the supernatural, and Grant is to assist Nightingale in solving many of London’s magical problems—most notably, the mysterious string of violent attacks that tend to end with the perpetrator’s face falling off. As the brutal epidemic spreads, Grant must race to finish his magic lessons and solve an ages-long dispute between the rivers of Britain. Though the novel sometimes feels just a little too jam-packed with plot points and adventures, it’s witty, fun, and full of vivid characters, and the plot twists will keep even seasoned mystery fans guessing.’ — Publishers Weekly

‘… thoroughly entertaining… An engaging (if occasionally violent) mix of magic and police procedural, this is a great kick-off to a very promising series, as well as the most satisfying fantasy thriller to hit bookshelves in quite some time.’ — SFX

‘… sweet relief for readers allergic to cliché.’ — Locus

‘RIVERS OF LONDON is a classic British police procedural blended with a unique twist of urban fantasy in so far as it replaces the expected testosterone with intelligence and the angst with wit… Deep down, amidst the murder and the mayhem, the anarchy and the supernatural, Aaronovitch has written a love letter to the wonder of London, reminding us of the magic that lives there, all the while warning us to keep an eye out for its nasty side.’ — Fantasy Faction

‘Highly recommended… Very nicely done. The books are police procedurals set in a London where magical creatures exist and are known to the police but hidden from the public, with a wisecracking, apprentice magician police officer as the hero. But, of course, the trick in all these things is in the execution, and I found these to have been executed very well… I gave it a try, and I’m glad I did.’ — Washington Post (Prof. Eugene Volokh)

‘The quality of the prose is incredible and there is a very light, dry humour running throughout with makes the novel a joy to read, it’s delightfully clever and leaves the reader in a “feel good” mood, even in the darker moments of the story. The characters are also just spot on, from the enigmatic Nightingale to the imprudent Beverley everyone lives and breathes within the pages.’ — SF Book Reviews

RÍOS DE LONDRES out now; FAMILIAS FATALES out next week!

Posted on Tuesday, July 2nd, 2019

Fans of Ben Aaronovitch‘s Peter Grant series have much to celebrate at the moment. First up, RIVERS OF LONDON, the first book in the  series, is now available in a new paperback edition in Spain! Perfect if you’ve not had the chance to try the series yet, RÍOS DE LONDRES is published by Oz Editorial. Here’s the synopsis…

En Londres, la magia está fuera de control

El joven Peter Grant era un agente de policía novato más hasta que un día, durante la investigación de un terrible asesinato, recibe cierta información de un testigo ocular muy especial: un fantasma. Tras descubrir que la magia existe, Grant ingresará en un departamento secreto de Scotland Yard que se encarga de las investigaciones sobrenaturales y, junto al enigmático inspector Nightingale, llevará a cabo tareas tan singulares como negociar treguas entre el dios y la diosa del Támesis, desenterrar tumbas en Covent Garden y perseguir a un espíritu maligno y vengativo que está sembrando el caos en la ciudad. 

Published in the UK by Gollancz, and in North America by Del Rey (who also publish books 2-3), here’s the English-language synopsis for RIVERS OF LONDON (MIDNIGHT RIOT in North America)…

My name is Peter Grant and until January I was just probationary constable in that mighty army for justice known to all right-thinking people as the Metropolitan Police Service (and as the Filth to everybody else). My only concerns in life were how to avoid a transfer to the Case Progression Unit — we do paperwork so real coppers don’t have to — and finding a way to climb into the panties of the outrageously perky WPC Leslie May. Then one night, in pursuance of a murder inquiry, I tried to take a witness statement from someone who was dead but disturbingly voluble, and that brought me to the attention of Inspector Nightingale, the last wizard in England.

Now I’m a Detective Constable and a trainee wizard, the first apprentice in fifty years, and my world has become somewhat more complicated: nests of vampires in Purley, negotiating a truce between the warring god and goddess of the Thames, and digging up graves in Covent Garden… and there’s something festering at the heart of the city I love, a malicious vengeful spirit that takes ordinary Londoners and twists them into grotesque mannequins to act out its drama of violence and despair.

The spirit of riot and rebellion has awakened in the city, and it’s falling to me to bring order out of chaos — or die trying.

Oz Editorial has published the first three books in the Peter Grant series already, and — the second piece of exciting news — Spanish-speaking fans of the first three books in the series don’t have long to wait before the fourth novel in the series, FAMILIAS FATALES (BROKEN HOMES) — it’s out next week, in fact! Here’s the synopsis…

¿Podrá el agente Peter Grant detener al mago más peligroso de Londres? El cuerpo mutilado de una mujer y ni rastro de magia: eso es lo único que el agente Peter Grant encuentra en la escena del crimen. Pero tiene razones para creer que el asesino practica la magia… Todas las pistas apuntan al mismo lugar: el Skygarden, una torre diseñada por un loco y habitada por personas desesperadas. Dispuestos a resolver el misterio, Peter Grant y su mentor, el inspector Nightingale, se adentrarán en las tinieblas más allá del Támesis, donde se esconden los secretos más oscuros de Londres.

BROKEN HOMES is published in the UK by Gollancz (who have published all of the books in the series so far), and in North America by DAW Books (who publish novels 4-). Here’s the English-language synopsis…

A unique blend of police procedural, loving detail about the greatest character of all, London, and a dash of the supernatural.

A mutilated body in Crawley. Another killer on the loose. The prime suspect is one Robert Weil – an associate of the twisted magician known as the Faceless Man? Or just a common garden serial killer?

Before PC Peter Grant can get his head round the case, a town planner going under a tube train and a stolen grimoire are adding to his case-load.

So far so London.

But then Peter gets word of something very odd happening in Elephant and Castle, on a housing estate designed by a nutter, built by charlatans and inhabited by the truly desperate.

Is there a connection?

And if there is, why oh why did it have to be South of the River?

Full of warmth, sly humour and a rich cornucopia of things you never knew about London, Aaronovitch’s series has swiftly added Grant’s magical London to Rebus’ Edinburgh and Morse’s Oxford as a destination of choice for those who love their crime with something a little extra.

The novellas set in the same world — THE FURTHEST STATION and THE OCTOBER MAN — are published in the UK by Gollancz, and in North America by Subterranean Press.

Full Cast Production of SCHWARZER MOND ÜBER SOHO now available!

Posted on Friday, May 10th, 2019

We’re very happy to report that there is a new German audiobook version of Ben Aaronovitch‘s MOON OVER SOHO! Produced using a full cast, SCHWARZER MOND ÜBER SOHO is out now, published by Audible. Here’s the synopsis…

Nach seinem Audible-Bestseller “Die Flüsse von London” endlich der zweite Teil der Hörspiel-Reihe um Peter Grant und seiner ausgeprägten Begabung fürs Magische.

Kurzinhalt: Police Constable Peter Grant ist nicht nur ein relativer Neuling bei der Metropolitan Police, sondern auch der letzte Zauberlehrling Londons. Sollte er aber ernsthaft gedacht haben, dass sein frisch überstandenes Abenteuer in die Kategorie “heftig” fällt, so kann er sich für sein nächstes schon mal eine neue, noch aufregendere Vokabel aussuchen.

In “Schwarzer Mond über Soho”, Ben Aaronovitchs Fortsetzung der “Flüsse von London”, sieht sich Peter Grant fantastischen Kriminalfällen und Gefahren einer völlig neuen Qualität gegenüber, die selbst den hartgesottensten Polizeibeamten in Angst und Schrecken versetzen würden. Definitiv ein Punkt auf der “lieber-nicht-Haben” Seite. Allerdings tritt auch Simone Fitzwilliam in sein Leben — verführerisch, sexy und voller Lebensfreude wird sie bald Peters Fels in der Schreckens-Brandung. Ein klarer Punkt für die “Haben” Seite.

Doch gerade als die Treffen zwischen Peter und Simone eine aufregend-angenehme Regelmäßigkeit annehmen, überschlagen sich die Ereignisse: London wird von einem mysteriösen Serienkiller heimgesucht, der es offenbar auf junge Jazzmusiker abgesehen hat. Als ob das allein für ein junges Polizistenherz nicht schon Aufregung genug wäre, tritt auch noch ein mächtiger und geheimnisvoller Schwarz-Magier ins Bild, der sich an Peters Fersen heftet. Peter erkennt schmerzhaft schnell, dass er kurz davor steht sein Zauberlehrling Gesellenstück abliefern zu müssen…

Mit einmaligen, britischen Humor erzählt Ben Aaronovitch die Fälle um Constable und Zauberlehrling Peter Grant weiter.

MOON OVER SOHO and the other Peter Grant novels are published by DTV in Germany, Gollancz in the UK, Del Rey (1-3) and DAW Books (4-) in the US, and widely in translation.

Here’s the English-language synopsis for MOON OVER SOHO…

I was my dad’s vinyl-wallah: I changed his records while he lounged around drinking tea, and that’s how I know my Argo from my Tempo. And it’s why, when Dr Walid called me to the morgue to listen to a corpse, I recognised the tune it was playing. Something violently supernatural had happened to the victim, strong enough to leave its imprint like a wax cylinder recording. Cyrus Wilkinson, part-time jazz saxophonist and full-time accountant, had apparently dropped dead of a heart attack just after finishing a gig in a Soho jazz club. He wasn’t the first.

No one was going to let me exhume corpses to see if they were playing my tune, so it was back to old-fashioned legwork, starting in Soho, the heart of the scene. I didn’t trust the lovely Simone, Cyrus’ ex-lover, professional jazz kitten and as inviting as a Rubens’ portrait, but I needed her help: there were monsters stalking Soho, creatures feeding off that special gift that separates the great musician from someone who can raise a decent tune. What they take is beauty. What they leave behind is sickness, failure and broken lives.

And as I hunted them, my investigation got tangled up in another story: a brilliant trumpet player, Richard ‘Lord’ Grant – my father – who managed to destroy his own career, twice. That’s the thing about policing: most of the time you’re doing it to maintain public order. Occasionally you’re doing it for justice. And maybe once in a career, you’re doing it for revenge.

In related, exciting news: the series was recently optioned for television by Simon Pegg and Nick Frost’s Stolen Pictures production company!

RIVERS OF LONDON optioned by Simon Pegg & Nick Frost’s Stolen Pictures!

Posted on Monday, April 29th, 2019

We are delighted to be able to share the news that Simon Pegg and Nick Frost’s production company, Stolen Picture has optioned Ben Aaronovitch‘s Peter Grant/Rivers of London series for TV!

Ben is currently working on the adaption of the first novel in the series, RIVERS OF LONDON (MIDNIGHT RIOT in North America). He will also serve as an Executive Producer on the series alongside Nick Frost, Simon Pegg and Stolen Picture CEO, Miles Ketley.

Announced on Deadline, here’s what Nick Frost said about the novel:

“Suddenly we were in a position where I said ‘there’s this book that I loved’ and it became available, more or less. I was chuffed to bits that I could get the rights to make it into a TV show,” he said. “Everyone wants to potentially find the next Game of Thrones and the chance to turn Rivers of London into an eight-hour movie and hopefully find someone who will financially back that is a real draw.”

Here’s what Ben had to say on the prospect of working with Stolen Picture:

‘Nick Frost and Simon Pegg asked me if I wanted to make Rivers of London with them — you think I was going to say no? Stolen Picture have a reputation for making creator led TV with the minimum of corporate bollocks and the maximum of fun. It’s an opportunity I would be bonkers to say no to.’

Pegg, a writer himself, had the following to say about working with Ben on the project, per Deadline:

‘Often as a writer, you are the absolute bottom of the food chain and treated like scum. As a writer, I understand what it’s like for someone to use you as a springboard rather than use your vision and it’s good to have writers involved as producers because they get it and we want to make a faithful adaptation that is a true reflection of the book.’

Stolen Picture was founded in 2017 by Pegg and Frost. Miles Ketley, CEO of Stolen Picture said,

‘Ben’s Rivers of London universe is the perfect project for Stolen and the perfect show for now: it’s a suspenseful, funny, scary and magical world but is rooted in the everyday with devious plots, fully drawn characters, river gods and riots. The franchise is going to be a wonderful confluence of Simon’s and Nick’s ambition and humour and Ben’s masterful story-telling to create a truly magical global show.’

I’m sure you’ll all join us in our excitement about seeing Peter Grant, Nightingale et al realized on the screen! We can’t wait!

The series is published in the UK by Gollancz, and in the US by Del Rey (1-3), DAW Books (4-) and Subterranean Press (novellas). The series has also been published widely in translation (the first novel is available in more than 15 countries).

There’s some SUSURROS SUBTERRÁNEOS in Spain…

Posted on Wednesday, October 31st, 2018

Ben Aaronovitch‘s best-selling, critically-acclaimed third Peter Grant novel WHISPERS UNDERGROUND is out now in Spain! Published by Oz Editoral as SUSURROS SUBTERRÁNEOS, here’s the synopsis…

Es hora de llamar de nuevo al agente Peter Grant, el último mago de Gran Bretaña

Es Navidad, y Peter Grant recibe una llamada de la inspectora Stephanopoulos: debe investigar un asesinato en uno de los túneles del metro de Londres en Baker Street, un lugar tenebroso, húmedo y con un pasado muy oscuro. Todos los indicios apuntan a que una fuerza mágica ha intervenido en la muerte de la víctima, James Gallagher, hijo de un senador estadounidense. El FBI envía a la agente Kimberly Reynolds para colaborar en la investigación y Peter se verá obligado a ocultarle cualquier atisbo de magia. En las oscuras entrañas de la ciudad, plagadas de cloacas victorianas y ríos enterrados, resuenan los susurros de unos espíritus torturados que buscan venganza…

Oz Editorial has also published the first two books in the series: RIVERS OF LONDON as RÍOS DE LONDRES, and MOON OVER SOHO as LA LUNA SOBRE EL SOHO.

WHISPERS UNDERGROUND is published in the UK by Gollancz and North America by Del Rey. Here’s the English-language synopsis…

Peter Grant is learning magic fast. And it’s just as well — he’s already had run-ins with the deadly supernatural children of the Thames and a terrifying killer in Soho. Progression in the Police Force is less easy. Especially when you work in a department of two. A department that doesn’t even officially exist. A department that if you did describe it to most people would get you laughed at. And then there’s his love life. The last person he fell for ended up seriously dead. It wasn’t his fault, but still.

Now something horrible is happening in the labyrinth of tunnels that make up the tube system that honeycombs the ancient foundations of London. And delays on the Northern line is the very least of it. Time to call in the Met’s Economic and Specialist Crime Unit 9, aka ‘The Folly’. Time to call in PC Peter Grant, Britain’s Last Wizard.

The whole series is published in the UK by Gollancz (in print, eBook and audio). The novels are published in the US by Del Rey (1-3) and DAW Books (4-7), and the novellas are published by Subterranean Press. The novels have been published widely in translation.

Today: ACTION AT A DISTANCE, in your hands!

Posted on Wednesday, October 17th, 2018

The first issue in Ben Aaronovitch and Andrew Cartmel‘s latest Rivers of London comic series, ACTION AT A DISTANCE is out today! Published by Titan Comics in print and digital editions, here’s the to-the-point synopsis…

The secret history of Nightingale is revealed for the first time, as wizarding cop, Peter Grant uncovers his mentor’s occult service in World War II!

This series has a new art team, too: Brian Williamson (art) and Stefani Renne (colours).

Titan Comics has also published the first six Rivers of London comic series, all of which are now available in collected editions (paperback and digital).

MOON OVER Romania…

Posted on Tuesday, September 25th, 2018

MOON OVER SOHO, the second novel in Ben Aaronovitch‘s critically-acclaimed, best-selling Peter Grant series, is coming soon in Romania! Due to be published by Editura Herg Benet as SOHO ÎN LUMINA LUNII in November, the cover’s above and here’s the synopsis…

Cântecul. Asta remarcă întâi de toate polițistul și ucenicul vrăjitor Peter Grant atunci când examinează trupul lui Cyrus Wilkins, cântăreț de jazz în timpul liber și contabil pentru restul vieții, care aparent a murit de acat de cord în timp ce cânta pe scena Club 666 din cartierul Soho al Londrei. Ritmul vechilor melodii de jazz se ridică din corpul său ‒ un semn clar că ceva la moartea bărbatului nu este natural, ci supranatural.

Trup și suflet. Asta este și ceea ce riscă Peter Grant pentru a investiga o serie de decese similare din zona Soho. Cu ajutorul ofițerului său superior, Inspector Șef Thomas Nightingale, ultimul vrăjitor din Anglia, și cu asistența frumoasei fane a lumii jazz-ului Simone Fitzwilliam, Peter descoperă o primejdie magică letală ‒ una care conduce la treptele propriei case și la o promisiune uitată a unui tânăr muzician: talentatul cântăreț de trompetă Richard „Lord“ Grant ‒ altfel cunoscut ca dragul tată al lui Peter.

Herg Benet have also published the first book in the series, RIVERS OF LONDON, as RÂURILE DIN LONDRA.

MOON OVER SOHO is published in the UK by Gollancz, and in the US by Del Rey, and widely in translation. Here’s the English-language synopsis…

Peter Grant is not just a lowly Detective Constable, he’s also apprenticed to the last wizard in Britain: policing will never be the same again!

I was my dad’s vinyl-wallah: I changed his records while he lounged around drinking tea, and that’s how I know my Argo from my Tempo. And it’s why, when Dr Walid called me to the morgue to listen to a corpse, I recognised the tune it was playing. Something violently supernatural had happened to the victim, strong enough to leave its imprint like a wax cylinder recording. Cyrus Wilkinson, part-time jazz saxophonist and full-time accountant, had apparently dropped dead of a heart attack just after finishing a gig in a Soho jazz club. He wasn’t the first.

No one was going to let me exhume corpses to see if they were playing my tune, so it was back to old-fashioned legwork, starting in Soho, the heart of the scene. I didn’t trust the lovely Simone, Cyrus’ ex-lover, professional jazz kitten and as inviting as a Rubens’ portrait, but I needed her help: there were monsters stalking Soho, creatures feeding off that special gift that separates the great musician from someone who can raise a decent tune. What they take is beauty. What they leave behind is sickness, failure and broken lives.

And as I hunted them, my investigation got tangled up in another story: a brilliant trumpet player, Richard ‘Lord’ Grant — my father — who managed to destroy his own career, twice. That’s the thing about policing: most of the time you’re doing it to maintain public order. Occasionally you’re doing it for justice. And maybe once in a career, you’re doing it for revenge.

Here, also, are some of the various translation covers…

And here are just a handful of the reviews the novel has received since it was first published…

‘The excitement and entertainment hasn’t stopped in the slightest…  this book once again blew my mind, and kept me reading well into the late night/early morning. You needn’t pick up RIVERS OF LONDON, Aaronovitch’s first in this series, but you’d regret it by the time you got to the end of MOON OVER SOHO and found out how good it was.’ — Fantasy Book Review

‘… as funny as it is fantastic… [The plot] hops along happily to a toe-tapping time signature, with a sweet solo here and an awesome cacophony of noise there… vast amounts of fun…’ — Speculative Scotsman

‘MOON OVER SOHO is very good. Ben Aaronovitch continues the successful formula of RIVERS OF LONDON in bringing to the surface the endearing minutae of a city that he clearly adores. He also demonstrates the “real world” problems of a ritual magician trying to have some sort of ‘normal’ life… Grant continues to observe his world(s) in a detached way – a narrative voice that lends itself well to dry humor (and fits less neatly with the book’s few over-the-top action scenes). Mr. Aaronovitch is, in short, writing the best contemporary occult detective series on the shelf today, and that’s by a substantial margin.’ — Pornokitsch

‘A fantastic follow-up to MIDNIGHT RIOT. Aaronovitch does a great job of bringing even minor characters to life. One of Grant’s fellow cops, Leslie, plays a minor role throughout the story – but her involvement is an emotional cornerstone that brings a surprisingly bittersweet element into play… MOON OVER SOHO is an excellent addition to the paranormal police genre.’ — Examiner

Demonic cars in Germany! Ben Aaronovitch & Andrew Cartmel’s AUTOWAHN is out now…

Posted on Monday, August 27th, 2018

DIE FLÜSSE VON LONDON: AUTOWAHN, the first book in Ben Aaronovitch and Andrew Cartmel‘s Rivers of London comic series is out now in Germany! Translated by Kerstin Fricke, the book is published by Panini. Here’s the synopsis…

Autowahn ist ein neues Abenteuer für den Londoner Polizisten Peter Grant, den Star der Bestseller-Romanreihe Die Flüsse von London von Ben Aaronovitch.

Grant gehört einer ganz besonderen Londoner Polizeieinheit an. Als Vollzeitpolizist und Teilzeitmagier bearbeitet er recht ungewöhnliche Fälle – jene, die mit Zauberei und der allgemeinen Verrücktheit, die London bis ins dunkle Mark durchdringt, zu tun haben.

Sein neuester Fall beginnt mit einem völlig harmlos erscheinenden Auto, das auf einmal Mordlust entwickelt – ohne einen Fahrer. Aber der Fall zieht Kreise und der unheimlichste Wagen Englands, einige Teenager auf Ketamin sowie eine antike Holzbank mit einer überaus finsteren Vergangenheit erweitern den mysteriösen Fall…

Published in English as BODY WORK, the series is published by Titan Comics. Here’s the English-language synopsis…

Peter Grant looks look your average London police officer, but he is actually a part-time wizard in a very elite branch of the Metropolitan Police. It’s his job to investigate those crimes that regular cops don’t like to talk about because they often involve vampires or strange things in Underground tunnels.

Peter’s latest case features a self-driving killer automobile, a Serbian refugee, the Most Haunted Car in England, a handsome drug dealer with a nice paisley scarf and a seemingly harmless wooden bench with a dark past! 

Titan Comics has also published the subsequent Rivers of London comic series: NIGHT WITCH, BLACK MOULD, DETECTIVE STORIES, CRY FOX and WATER WEED (with more on the way). Series art is by Lee Sullivan, colours by Luis Guerrero.

Ben’s Peter Grant series of novels is published in Germany by DTV. The series is published in the UK by Gollancz, in North America by Del Rey and DAW Books, and is also available widely in translation.