The Furthest Station

The blurb for this novella covers the basics: Peter investigates ghosts on the Underground and they lead him to an investigation of a more corporeal crime at the furthest reaches of the Metropolitan Line. The result is the usual mix of police procedural and magical fantasy, with an irreverent tone offset by the more serious nature of what may have happened once that's revealed in the second half.

It clearly fits into its slot in the series, but doesn't rely too much on previous continuity. The short length means that Abigail isn't front-and-centre very much, but she's clearly going to be playing a bigger role in later stories, and the grounds for that are being laid here. There's also a new character introduced who we'll doubtless see more of, even if he's a bit young to be doing much at this point. As a novella, it keeps zipping along, a short break between the full-length novels and perhaps with less of the darker side than some of those.

There are also brief in-character notes for the benefit of American readers; I can't speak for how much they'll really be needed but it's a nice touch.

Another good edition to the series, albeit shorter than normal. If there is one criticism, it is that the denoument feels a bit rushed, although this does mean the story doesn't overstay its welcome.

This is the shortest novella in the series, so far, and it makes quite pleasant reading, giving the characters some more exercise and taking Abigail slightly further through her teens. It feels rather perfunctory and you could skip it without missing anything important; but, if you like the series as a whole, I don't see any particular reason to skip it.

Nervous readers can be reassured that nothing unpleasant happens to any of the regular characters in the course of it.

It features two events of some slight significance to the series: The young river god Chess appears, and (at the end of the story) Nightingale and Peter decide that it's time for Abigail to start learning magic at last—although it's in [b:Lies Sleeping|36534574|Lies Sleeping (Rivers of London, #7)|Ben Aaronovitch|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1517326409l/36534574._SY75_.jpg|58260751] that she actually starts.

The plot involves an unresolved mystery: A member of the public is kidnapped, and we never find out why.

Another terrific episode of the Peter Grant show, complete with plucky teenage sidekick and Toby the magical bloodhound, er, terrier.

Lots of ghosts, plenty of Abigail and some interesting developments in the Rivers culture. The bad guy gets caught a little too easily but all in all a very satisfying story

This novella is short, and not driving the main story arc forward, but entertaining nevertheless.

First book of the year.

This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
—

He asked if we were really ghost hunting, and I said we were.

“What, like officially?”

“Officially secret,” I said because discretion is supposed to be, if not our middle name, at least a nickname we occasionally answer to when we remember.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Subterranean Press via NetGalley in exchange for this post – thanks to both, I needed something like this.

N.B.: As this was an ARC, any quotations above may be changed in the published work – I will endeavor to verify them as soon as possible.