Broken Homes: Book 4 in the #1 bestselling Rivers of London series

Right now I hate myself, if hate isn't too strong a word to direct at yourself. The fourth book in a series and I am still lavishing praise and coming over all fangirl (seriously, the last time that happened was the Harry Potter books). Broken Homes brings us everything we have come to expect from Peter Grant - a tediously normal setting where exceptionally peculiar things happen. I did miss the MIT from previous books who regularly exhort Peter to keep the weird stuff away from them, but this book is set off their patch; unfortunately nobody at the Crawley Nick, or the Elephant & Castle one measure up. Nightingale is also fairly absent in this book with the majority of the action set around a fictitious London Sink Estate with Peter and Lesley undercover. As always Peter narrates the tale and it is the, by now well-loved, series of dollops of realism for procedure and sarcasm. I think this is why this series is giving me so much reading enjoyment - the narrator's voice is a strong thread throughout and one that urges you to keep reading, find out what happens next - even if it is only going out to walk Toby. There is a major twist at the end of this book that really did come out of the blue for me. So much so I sat with my mouth open like an idiot for a few seconds before continuing to read. Peter reacts in his usual semi-naive way to it all and I really hope his rationalisation of the events is borne out. When a fantasy world this strong is created you cannot help but fall a little in love. An exceptional series that I just know I will be re-reading over the years to come.

Another very good book in the on-going 'Rivers of London' series. Aaronovitch obviously has a formula that works - not only for himself but the reader as well - and he follows it to the letter. I'm not sure if reading the series from beginning to end is the way to go - I must confess I was feeling that it was all getting either a bit tedious or even repetitive there for a while - but the final ending and action scenes make 'Broken Homes' an instant classic. While I still think that the 2nd book has been the strongest of the series so far, this one will leave you guessing and if not on the edge of your seat then certainly looking for ways to get in a few pages more before the boss catches you! I am conflicted ever so slightly if I should dive into book 5 - we need to start wrapping up some of these plot lines! - but again, like an expertly delivered cliff-hanger, I have to know what happens next!

Fast paced as usual but more proof reading might have helped. Did NOT expect the twist, genuine jaw-drop!