False Value

By: Ben Aaronovitch

Narrated by: Kobna Holdbrook-Smith

The eighth book of the bestselling Rivers of London urban fantasy series returns to the adventures of Peter Grant, detective and apprentice wizard, as he solves magical crimes in the city of London.

Peter Grant is facing fatherhood, and an uncertain future, with equal amounts of panic and enthusiasm. Rather than sit around, he takes a job with émigré Silicon Valley tech genius Terrence Skinner's brand new London start up—the Serious Cybernetics Company.

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 Mama Grant's favourite son.

Because Terrence Skinner has a secret hidden in the bowels of the SCC. 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 just as dangerous.

Critic reviews

Praise for the Rivers of London series:

"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, #1 New York Times-bestselling author

"The prose is witty, the plot clever, and the characters incredibly likeable." —Time Out

"This series is a constant joy to read....I’ve been looking forward all year to find out what happened next, and the book did not disappoint.” —Genevieve Cogman, author of The Invisible Library

"It's witty, fun, and full of vivid characters, and the plot twists will keep even seasoned mystery fans guessing." —Publishers Weekly

“The perfect blend of CSI and Harry Potter.” —io9

"This book is, at its heart, a police procedural with an overlay of urban fantasy elements. The voice is persuasive and funny as all get-out, and the reader is engaged with the narrative from the very first page. Aaronovitch has written a diverse cast of characters who all feel like real people with their own specific motivations. This book is simply wonderful." —RT Reviews (top pick)

"The most satisfying fantasy thriller to hit bookshelves in quite some time." —SFX Magazine

"The most entertaining book that I have read in such a long time.... It's very funny, it's very clever, it's very nicely written.... It's such a treat." —Nancy Pearl

"Aaronovitch makes the story sing, building momentum until the ending is literally breathless.” —SF Revu

"Aaronovitch has a very witty, casual voice, with a tendency toward sarcasm and humor, which is threaded throughout Broken Homes. And a few crazy plot twists will devastate and delight fans in equal measure." —RT Reviews

like meeting old friends..

Loved every minute. All the bits between Bev and Peter are sweet and warm. The "wha???" at the end spiked my anticipation for the next book. DO NOT MISS the interview. Great fun. Thank you Ben and Kobna for the laughs and smiles!

Love this series

I love this series; have read and listened to it multiple times. Highly recommend! The story line is wonderful!
Just know, if you are from the States, the American accents are abysmal. Everyone, male or female, young or old, from New York City, Kansas, or California, sound exactly the same and the pacing of the speech is very off.

Bonus Interview!

Each book is still better than the last. I generally read along with the audio and Kindle combo. I was surprised that I really enjoyed the bonus interview at the end! It really helped me to connect with the author and Kobna H-S. It's a reminder of how impressive the narrator is at a truly diverse array of voices and accents!

Always great!

Live this series, Kobna is fantastic and the stories wonderful. Keep them coming!
Thank you.

Better and better

This is my favorite series in the world. I'm not sure there's ever been a better match of writer and reader. I highly recommend it, even if you think the genre is not a usual go-to for you. Humor, warmth, adventure, suspense... all here.