Zeno Authors are the Best…


… and so appropriately, a number of our clients have landed on Best SFF of 2015 lists this year. We thought we’d take this opportunity to share some of them.

Aaronovitch-FoxgloveSummerDEUKUS-Blog

Ben Aaronovitch‘s FOXGLOVE SUMMER was selected by iTunes Germany as Best Fantasy of the year! Published by DTV in Germany as FINGERHUT-SOMMER, it’s published in the UK by Gollancz and North America by DAW Books. Here’s the synopsis…

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…

BrettPV-DC4-SkullThroneUK-Blog

The fourth novel in Peter V. Brett‘s best-selling Demon Cycle series, THE SKULL THRONE, has been selected by BuzzFeed as one of the best Fantasy novels of the year. The novel ‘expands and deepens his endlessly fascinating and increasingly complex world of humans beset by powerful demons who prey on them at night’. The novel was also selected by Waterstones as one of their favourite Fantasy novels of the year. Published in the UK by Voyager, here’s the synopsis…

The Skull Throne of Krasia stands empty.

Built from the skulls of fallen generals and demon princes, it is a seat of honour and ancient, powerful magic, keeping the demon corelings at bay. From atop the throne, Ahmann Jardir was meant to conquer the known world, forging its isolated peoples into a unified army to rise up and end the demon war once and for all.

But Arlen Bales, the Painted Man, stood against this course, challenging Jardir to a duel he could not in honour refuse. Rather than risk defeat, Arlen cast them both from a precipice, leaving the world without a saviour, and opening a struggle for succession that threatens to tear the Free Cities of Thesa apart.

In the south, Inevera, Jardir’s first wife, must find a way to keep their sons from killing one another and plunging their people into civil war as they strive for enough glory to make a claim on the throne.

In the north, Leesha Paper and Rojer Inn struggle to forge an alliance between the duchies of Angiers and Miln against the Krasians before it is too late.

Caught in the crossfire is the duchy of Lakton – rich and unprotected, ripe for conquest.

All the while, the corelings have been growing stronger, and without Arlen and Jardir there may be none strong enough to stop them.

Only Renna Bales may know more about the fate of the missing men, but she, too, has disappeared…

GibsonW-PeripheralUK-Blog

William Gibson‘s THE PERIPHERAL was selected as one of the Best Science Fiction novels of the year by Waterstones. Published in the UK by Penguin, here’s the synopsis…

Flynne Fisher lives in rural near-future America where jobs are scarce and veterans from the wars are finding it hard to recover. She scrapes a living doing some freelance online game-playing, participating in some pretty weird stuff. Wilf Netherton lives in London, seventy-some years later, on the far side of decades of slow-motion apocalypse. Things though are good for the haves, and there aren’t many have-nots left.

Flynne and Wilf are about to meet one another. Her world will be altered utterly, and Wilf’s, for all its decadence and power, will learn that some of these third-world types from the distant past can be real badass.

McDonald-Luna1-NewMoon-Blog

Ian McDonald‘s LUNA: NEW MOON was selected by Adam Roberts for the Guardian’s Best Science Fiction novels of the year: ‘Ian McDonald’s cut-throat colonised moon in Luna (Gollancz) is not the sort of place you’d want to live, but it certainly makes for a gripping narrative.’ Niall Alexander also selected LUNA among his best novels of the year, for Tor.com., and it was picked by Waterstones as one of the Best Science Fiction novels of the year. LUNA is published in the UK by Gollancz and in the US by Tor Books. Here’s the synopsis…

A corporate SF thriller and the deepest evocation yet of the terrors and rigours of life on the moon.

The Moon wants to kill you.

She has a thousand ways to do it. The bitter cold of vaccum. The lethal sheet of radiation. Choking dust as old as the Earth. Your weakening bones…

Or you could run out of money for water. Or air. Or simply run foul of one of the Five Dragons: the corporations that rule the Moon and control its vast resources. But you stay, because the moon can make you richer than you can imagine. For as long as you can stay alive…

MilanV-DinosaurLordsBR-Blog

Victor Milán‘s THE DINOSAUR LORDS was also selected by BuzzFeed as one of the best Fantasy novels of the year. Indeed, they veritably gushed: ‘High fantasy with dinosaurs. Is that enough to make you want to read it? Here, let me put it another way… EPIC BATTLES BETWEEN HEROIC KNIGHTS, AND THEY’RE ALL RIDING DINOSAURS. What’s not to like about that? It’s as crazy and fun as it sounds.’ Published in Brazil by Darkside Books as OS SENHORES DOS DINOSSAUROS, here’s the English-language synopsis…

A world made by the Eight Creators on which to play out their games of passion and power, Paradise is a sprawling, diverse, often brutal place. Men and women live on Paradise as do dogs, cats, ferrets, goats, and horses. But dinosaurs predominate: wildlife, monsters, beasts of burden – and of war. Colossal plant-eaters like Brachiosaurus; terrifying meat-eaters like Allosaurus, and the most feared of all, Tyrannosaurus rex. Giant lizards swim warm seas. Birds (some with teeth) share the sky with flying reptiles that range in size from bat-sized insectivores to majestic and deadly Dragons.

Sanderson-BestOf2015-Blog

Two of Brand Sanderson‘s novels have landed on best-of lists: the fifth Mistborn novel, SHADOWS OF SELF, has been selected as one of Waterstones‘ best Fantasy books of the year, as well as one of BuzzFeed’s Best Fantasy novels of 2015 — ‘delivers more excitement, adventure, and magic in a newly industrialized world that is as richly realized as any of Sanderson’s creations.’ In addition, FIREFIGHT, the second Reckoners novel, has been picked as one of BuzzFeed’s Best Science Fiction novels of the year — ‘incredibly satisfying YA trilogy about a world ruled by insane super-villains continues to delight… lots of action and plot in a rare sequel that doesn’t suffer from a sophomore slump.’ Both novels are published in the UK by Gollancz. Here’s the synopsis for SHADOWS OF SELF

It is more than 300 years after the events of the The Final Empire shaped Scadrial. Waxillium Ladrian has returned to the capital city of Elendel from the far flung roughs. Elendel is crisscrossed by canals and railways and towers reach for the sky but this is still a city of dangers and of magic; Allomancy and Feruchemy can still change the world. Wax faces many more adventures.

Tregillis-AlchemyWars-Blog

Ian Tregillis‘s THE MECHANICAL has landed on Waterstones’ Best Fantasy list, and BuzzFeed’s Best SF novels of the year, described thus: ‘as enthralling as it is imaginative.’ The novel was also selected as one of the Speculative Herald‘s best books of the year. The sequel in the Alchemy Wars series, THE RISING, was selected as one of Amazon’s Best SFF of December 2015. The novels are published by Orbit Books. Here’s the synopsis for the first novel…

A thrilling and heart-breaking tale of one individual’s struggle for freedom…

My name is Jax.

That is the name granted to me by my human masters.

I am a slave.

But I shall be free.

Set in a world that might have been, of mechanical men and alchemical dreams, the new novel from Ian Tregillis confirms his place as one of the most original new voices in speculative fiction.

Zeno represents Peter V. Brett and Brandon Sanderson in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York; William Gibson in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of Martha Millard at Sterling Lord Literistic; and Ian Tregillis and Victor Milan in the UK and in translation, on behalf of Kay McCauley at Aurous, Inc.

Ben Aaronovitch’s FOXGLOVE SUMMER now available in German audio!


Aaronovitch-PG5-FoxgloveSummerDEAUD-Blog

The fifth book in Ben Aaronovitch‘s best-selling Peter Grant series, FOXGLOVE SUMMER, has been released as an audiobook in German. Published by GoyaLit as FINGERHUT-SOMMER, here’s the synopsis…

Peter Grant, Detective Constable und Zauberlehrling, fühlt sich normalerweise schon unwohl, wenn er London auch nur ein paar Kilometer weit hinter sich lässt. Doch nun wird er in die tiefste Provinz geschickt: in einen kleinen Ort in Herefordshire, wo sich Fuchs, Hase und der Dorfpolizist gute Nacht sagen. Es werden zwei Kinder vermisst und ihr Verschwinden erfolgte möglicherweise unter magischen Umständen. Zum Glück unterstützt ihn die hübsche Flussgöttin Beverley Brook bei seinen Ermittlungen.

The audiobook is narrated by Dietmar Wunder, who also provides dubbing duties for Daniel Craig’s James Bond.

DTV publishes the series in print in Germany.

Aaronovitch-PCGrant-1to5DE-Blog

The Peter Grant series is published in the UK by Gollancz, and in the US by Del Rey (#1-3) and DAW Books (#4 onwards). Here’s the English-language synopsis…

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…

Ben Aaronovitch’s FINGERHUT-SOMMER Out Now in Germany!


Aaronovitch-PG5-FoxgloveSummerDE-Blog

The fifth volume in Ben Aaronovitch‘s Peter Grant series, FOXGLOVE SUMMER, is now available in Germany. Published as FINGERHUT-SOMMER by DTV, here’s the synopsis…

Obwohl sich Police Constable Peter Grant schon unwohl fühlt, wenn er Londons Skyline auch nur ein paar Kilometer weit hinter sich lässt, wird er jetzt in die tiefste Provinz geschickt: in einen kleinen Ort in Herefordshire – wo sich Fuchs, Hase und der Dorfpolizist Gute Nacht sagen. Aber es werden zwei Kinder vermisst, und ihr Verschwinden erfolgte womöglich unter magischen Umständen. Also muss Peter notgedrungen sein angestammtes Biotop verlassen. Mit der Flusstochter Beverley Brook begibt er sich mutig nach Westen, hinein ins ländliche England…

FOXGLOVE SUMMER is published in the UK by Gollancz, and will be published in the US by DAW Books on January 6th, 2016. Here’s the English-language synopsis…

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…

The next novel in the series, THE HANGING TREE, is due to be published in the UK by Gollancz on November 19th, 2015.

DTV has also published the first four novels in the Peter Grant series. Here are the covers…

Aaronovitch-PCGrant-1to4DE-Blog

New Peter Grant English and German Audio Editions


Aaronovitch-PG1&2-AUDDE-Blog

Today, we wanted to draw your attention to a handful of new audio editions of Ben Aaronovitch‘s critically-acclaimed, best-selling Peter Grant series. First, there is a new dual-book audio edition for RIVERS OF LONDON and MOON OVER SOHO available in Germany. Published by GoyaLiT, it collects DIE FLÜSSE VON LONDON and SCHWARZER MOND ÜBER SOHO (cover above). Here’s the German-language synopsis…

Der frischgebackene Police Constable Peter Grant war schon immer irgendwie anders. Als er bemerkt, dass er mit Geistern sprechen kann, wird sein Leben kompliziert. Aufgrund seiner besonderen Fähigkeiten wird er von einem echten Zaubermeister in eine Spezialeinheit der Londoner Polizei aufgenommen, wo er das Zauberhandwerk lernen soll. Während er fleißig übt, wie man Feuerbälle beherrscht, bekommt er es in “Die Flüsse von London” mit den Flussgeistern der Metropole zu tun und muss in “Schwarzer Mond über Soho” unheimliche Morde in der Jazz-Szene aufklären. Klar, dass dabei so Einiges schief läuft und Peter auf die Hilfe seiner reizenden Kollegin Leslie angewiesen ist, um die magischen Turbulenzen in den Griff zu bekommen.

Die gleichnamigen Bücher, aus dem Englischen von Karlheinz Dürr (“Die Flüsse von London”) und Christine Blum (“Schwarzer Mond über Soho”), sind bei dtv erschienen.

The books are narrated by Dietmar Wunder, who narrates all five of the currently-available German audio editions, all published by GoyaLiT. Print editions of the novels are published in Germany by DTV.

Aaronovitch-PeterGrant-AUDDEsingles-Blog

In related news, Gollancz has also released a new MP3 CD edition of RIVERS OF LONDON. 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 voluable, 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 UK audio editions of Ben’s series are narrated by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith.

Aaronovitch-PeterGrant-AUD-Blog

German Cover for Ben Aaronovitch’s FOXGLOVE SUMMER


Aaronovitch-PG5-FoxgloveSummerDE-Blog

Above we have the German cover for Ben Aaronovitch‘s fifth Peter Grant novel, FOXGLOVE SUMMER. Published in Germany by DTV as FINGERHUT-SOMMER, it’s due out on August 21st, 2015.

Obwohl sich Police Constable Peter Grant schon unwohl fühlt, wenn er Londons Skyline auch nur ein paar Kilometer weit hinter sich lässt, wird er jetzt in die tiefste Provinz geschickt: in einen kleinen Ort in Herefordshire – wo sich Fuchs, Hase und der Dorfpolizist Gute Nacht sagen. Aber es werden zwei Kinder vermisst, und ihr Verschwinden erfolgte womöglich unter magischen Umständen. Also muss Peter notgedrungen sein angestammtes Biotop verlassen. Mit der Flusstochter Beverley Brook begibt er sich mutig nach Westen, hinein ins ländliche England …

The novel is published in the UK by Gollancz, in the US by DAW Books and in France by J’ai Lu. Here’s the English-language synopsis…

The fifth of the Sunday Times Bestselling series sees PC Grant looking for missing children. And missing London.

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 …

Aaronovitch-PCGrant-1to4DE-Blog

Ben Aaronovitch’s DER BÖSE ORT is a Best of 2014!


Aaronovitch-PG4-BrokenHomesDE-LeserpreisBen Aaronovitch‘s DER BÖSE ORT (BROKEN HOMES) has won third prize in German reading community Lovely Reads’ Best Fantasy Books of 2014! This repeats Ben’s success last year, when EIN WISPERN UNTER BAKER STREET picked up a Leserpreis as well.

The fourth novel in Ben’s critically-acclaimed and best-selling Peter Grant series, DER BOSE ORT is published in Germany by DTV, who have also published the first three novels in the series. Here’s the German synopsis…

Seltsame Dinge geschehen im Skygarden Tower, einem berüchtigten Sozialwohnblock in Südlondon. Dinge, die eine magische Anziehungskraft auf Police Constable und Zauberlehrling Peter Grant ausüben. Zunächst geht es nur um ein gestohlenes altes Buch über Magie, das aus der Weißen Bibliothek zu Weimar stammt. Doch dann weitet sich der Fall rasant aus. Denn der Erbauer des Tower, Erik Stromberg, ein brillanter, wenngleich leicht gestörter Architekt, hatte sich einst in seiner Zeit am Bauhaus offenbar nicht nur mit modernem Design, sondern auch mit Magie befasst. Was erklären könnte, warum der Skygarden Tower einen unablässigen Strom von begabten Künstlern, Politikern, Drogendealern, Serienmördern und Irren hervorgebracht hat. Und warum der unheimliche gesichtslose Magier, den Peter noch in schlechtester Erinnerung hat, ein so eingehendes Interesse daran an den Tag legt.

And, for non-German speakers, here’s the English-language synopsis…

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 or 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 an 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?

The Peter Grant Series is published in the UK by Gollancz, in the US by Del Rey (#1-3) and DAW Books, and in France by J’ai Lu.

Speaking of the UK editions, we reported a little while ago that Cityreads London had selected RIVERS OF LONDON as their 2015 read. The new Cityreads 2015 website is up and running, complete with information about the event and book! Here’s what Ben had to say about RIVERS OF LONDON‘s selection: ‘As a native Londoner it’s hard to imagine a more exciting honour than having my book selected to be the London Cityread for 2015. Added to that is the sheer pleasure of working with and helping support the public libraries of London.’

Aaronovitch-PCGrant-1to3DE-Blog

Upcoming Ben Aaronovitch Event! (Bristol)


This Friday, May 16th, best-selling author Ben Aaronovitch will be taking part in an event hosted by Waterstone’s Bristol.

Murder Most Magical features three of the biggest names in crime/fantasy: alongside Ben, Paul Cornell and Jasper Fforde will be in conversation courtesy of BristolCon. The event is ticketed – tickets are just £3, and are available from the shop.

Ben is, of course, the author of the Sunday Times Bestselling Peter Grant series, published in the UK by Gollancz. The series currently comprises RIVERS OF LONDON, MOON OVER SOHO, WHISPERS UNDERGROUND and BROKEN HOMES, with more novels planned. The series has also been published in the US (by Del Rey and DAW Books), Germany (DTV), France (J’ai Lu), and a number of other territories (more details, here). The next novel in the series, tentatively titled FOXGLOVE SUMMER, is due out later this year – watch this space for more information as-and-when we have it!

Aaronovitch-PCGrant-1to4UK-Blog

BROKEN HOMES now in Paperback! (UK)


Aaronovitch-PG4-BrokenHomes-BlogBROKEN HOMES, the fourth novel in Ben Aaronovitch‘s critically-acclaimed and Sunday Times bestselling Peter Grant/Rivers of London series, is now available in mass market paperback! The first four books in the series – RIVERS OF LONDON, MOON OVER SOHO, WHISPERS UNDER GROUND, and BROKEN HOMES – have all been published in the UK by Gollancz. Gollancz will also be publishing the next in the series, FOXGLOVE SUMMER, which is due to be released in just a couple months (July 2014). Here’s the synopsis, in case you’ve managed to miss all the attention the series has rightfully been receiving…

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 or 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 an 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.

BROKEN HOMES is published by DAW Books in the US, J’ai Lu in France, and DTV in Germany.

US Publication Day – BROKEN HOMES by Ben Aaronovitch


Aaronovitch-PG4-BrokenHomes-BlogThe wait is finally over! Peter Grant fans States-side can now pick up the fourth novel in Ben Aaronovitch‘s hugely successful and beloved Rivers of London/Peter Grant series! BROKEN HOMES is published in the US today by DAW Books. The novel was released in the UK by Gollancz in July 2013.

Just in case you missed it, here is the synopsis for the novel…

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 or 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 an 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.

Here’s some of what others have said in praise of BROKEN HOMES

‘PC Peter Grant and his co-worker Lesley, two of the few policemen in London who can practice magic, are still working under Nightingale, who must be the oldest police officer in England . . . not that he looks it. A low-income housing tower gone awry, an old enemy with a bone to pick . . . and a shocker of an ending – BROKEN HOMES is a delight.’  —  Charlaine Harris

‘Aaronovitch has involved his squad with the theatres of Covent Garden, the clubs of Soho and the Underground; now, he takes us south of the River. Here, it’s all about architecture. Those who are sceptical about the massive Modernist housing estates of the Fifties and Sixties as liveable environments will be made to think again – what if some of those architects had entirely other agendas? As always, Aaronovitch is intellectually witty and often delightful in his sparky dialogue. He knows that his characters have to be put in serious jeopardy: this book includes a particularly devastating twist whose emotional logic is overwhelming. Aaronovitch is never less than entertaining, and here he proves he can break our hearts as well.’  —  The Independent (Roz Kaveney)

BROKEN HOMES,continues in the same rich vein of his brilliant supernatural crime series. Writing about his native London, Aaronovitch has crafted a novel that renders the city in a very different light.’  —  BSFA

‘… opens with Aaronovitch’s trademark rapidity and subversive joy with the acronyms and minutiae of modern policing… an enormously fun, fast-paced, witty novel…’  —  Tor.com

BROKEN HOMES is also due to be published by J’ai Lu in France and DTV in Germany. Here are the three covers, side-by-side…

Aaronovitch-PG4-BrokenHomes-Blog

Ben Aaronovitch’s WHISPERS UNDER GROUND Wins Award in Germany!


LeserPreis-2013-Logo

We’re delighted to report that the German edition of Ben Aaronovitch‘s WHISPERS UNDER GROUNDEIN WISPERN UNTER BAKER STREET – has won second place in the fantasy category of Der Leserpreis, which is a prize voted for by readers (a German Readers’ Choice, if you will). Here’s the German synopsis…

Aaronovitch-PG3-WhispersUndergroundDE-BlogEs ist ja nicht so, dass Peter Grant, Zauberer in Ausbildung und Police Constable in London, nichts für das Üben von Zaubersprüchen und das Pauken von Lateinvokabeln übrig hätte – bestimmt nicht! Aber es ist doch immer wieder schön, wenn zur Abwechslung auch mal reelle Polizeiarbeit gefragt ist. Eine unbekannte Person wird im U-Bahn-Tunnel nahe der Station Baker Street tot aufgefunden – erstochen, und es deuten unübersehbare Anzeichen auf die Anwesenheit von Magie hin. Ein Fall für Peter, keine Frage. Der unbekannte Tote stellt sich als amerikanischer Kunststudent und Sohn eines US-Senators heraus, und ehe man noch “internationale Verwicklungen” sagen kann, hat Peter bereits die FBI-Agentin Kimberley Reynolds mitsamt ihren felsenfesten religiösen Überzeugungen am Hals. Dabei gestalten sich seine Ermittlungen auch so schon gruselig genug, denn tief in Londons Untergrund, in vergessenen Flüssen und viktorianischen Abwasserkanälen, hört er ein Wispern von alten Künsten und gequälten Geistern …

EIN WISPERN UNTER BAKER STREET is published in Germany by DTV. WHISPERS UNDER GROUND, the third in Ben’s Rivers of London/Peter Grant series, is published by Gollancz in the UK, Del Rey in the US, and J’ai Lu in France (as MURMURES SOUTERRAINS).

Here is the English synopsis (in case you don’t speak German)…

Peter Grant is learning magic fast. And its 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, Britains Last Wizard.

Two International Cover Reveals for Ben Aaronovitch’s BROKEN HOMES!


Aaronovitch-PG4-BrokenHomesFR&DE-Blog

We’re delighted to be able to share with you two great new covers for Ben Aaronovitch‘s BROKEN HOMES. The fourth in Ben’s Peter Grant/Rivers of London urban fantasy series, BROKEN HOMES now has covers for the French and German editions!

Published already by Gollancz in the UK, BROKEN HOMES is due to be published by DAW in the US (Feb.2014), J’ai Lu in France (Feb.2014) and DTV in Germany (May 2014). Here’s the 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 or 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 an 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.