Broken Homes

BROKEN HOMES is the fourth installment in Ben Aaronovitch's Peter Grant series, following London police officer Peter Grant as he investigates supernatural crimes. As a member of a specialized magic division of the Metropolitan Police, Grant must solve a series of cases involving stolen magical books, mysterious deaths, and dark forces at work in the city. The investigation centers on the Skygarden Estate, a brutalist housing complex designed by an architect with connections to the magical world. Grant and his colleagues navigate through London's supernatural underbelly while uncovering links between seemingly unrelated crimes, including murder and theft of magical artifacts. The novel expands the series' established universe of magic practitioners, river gods, and supernatural beings in modern London. Police procedures blend with magical elements as Grant balances his duties as a constable with his apprenticeship in the magical arts. The story explores themes of urban decay, architectural history, and the complex relationship between people and the spaces they inhabit. Through its blend of crime fiction and urban fantasy, the book examines how magic and modernity intersect in contemporary London.

Most readers found this fourth book in the series slower-paced than previous entries, with a complex plot that takes time to gain momentum. The final third received praise for its revelations and dramatic ending that changes the series' direction. Readers liked: - Advancement of the larger series mythology - More details about magical architecture and London history - Continued development of Peter's magical abilities - Humor and pop culture references remain strong Readers disliked: - Slower first half with scattered plot threads - Less character interaction between Peter and Nightingale - Some found the architecture focus tedious - Plot complexity made it harder to follow Ratings: Goodreads: 4.17/5 (44,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.6/5 (2,800+ ratings) LibraryThing: 4.1/5 (900+ ratings) Multiple readers noted the ending's emotional impact: "gut-wrenching" and "changes everything about how you view earlier events." Several mentioned needing to immediately start the next book to process the revelations.

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🔮 The author, Ben Aaronovitch, began his career writing scripts for Doctor Who, penning the episodes "Battlefield" and "Remembrance of the Daleks" in the late 1980s. 📚 The Peter Grant series has been adapted into a successful line of graphic novels, with the first adaptation, "Rivers of London: Body Work," released in 2015. 🏛️ The book's focus on London's architecture was inspired by real post-war housing developments, particularly the controversial Brutalist style popular in 1960s and 70s British urban planning. 🎭 The series' unique blend of police procedural and urban fantasy has earned it the nickname "Harry Potter meets The Bill" in British media circles. 🌍 The books have been translated into 14 languages and have sold over a million copies worldwide, with particularly strong followings in Germany and Russia.