A review by liminal
Whispers Under Ground by Ben Aaronovitch

5.0

As much as I hate to compare the work of one author to another, Ben Aaronovitch's supernatural crime series sits as a clear, british, counterpoint to the Dresden Files. While the Dresden Files slots nicely into classic noir/urban fantasy, Peter Grant's adventures are set in a very real version of London. The city is very much a character within the books, and as some one new to London I was often smiling and grinning at the precise way in which Aaronovitch sketches the city.

Peter Grant is a british policeman, and he is not white. And this is not taken for granted, not brushed under the carpet once mentioned in an early description. Peter makes mention of memories, deals with both overt racism and the ever present 'subtext' of the policeforce. He's intelligent, competent, but not amazingly brilliant at everything he touches or in anyway powerful - he's part of the tradition of good, british coppers.

The characters around him feel like real people, as observed by Peter. The narration is fond, irreverent, and at times deeply profound. An extremely entertaining read, whether you know the city or not.

More people should read Moon Over Soho, and Rivers of London, as well as this third (and arguably best) installment.