When you limit a talented person to one specific thing they tend to get really good at it. Peter should have known all along that making a deal with his cousin Abigail was dangerous. She's almost as cunning as the Fae of legend with their bargains. Never agree to teach someone magic if you don't want to by adding a condition that they can easily meet, like getting a GCSE A Level in Latin. Because Abigail is way better than Peter at Latin. Which is very worrying. Though her age means that he and Nightingale have some time until they have to ask her parents for permission to teach her magic. Of course that would require a lot more explanations, but Peter did promise. Until that time comes Abigail is like the Folly's intern and has become the defacto ghost expert. Being unable to practice magic she's really good at finding the uncanny, and ghosts are the most easily observed of phenomena. And at this moment that phenomena is causing trouble on the London Underground. The Metropolitan Line has had a rash of reports. The problem is their witnesses aren't very helpful. Most people who encounter a ghost tend to forget the incident within minutes of it happening. It's like waking up from a dream, try as hard as you might the dream slips away. So the police get 999 calls that when followed up lead to very confused witnesses who don't even remember calling them. Therefore they must catch a ghost interacting with a member of the public and interview the witness immediately. Which doesn't go as well as they hoped. Walking the trains at night when they're in storage does lead to an interesting discovery though, the ghosts don't appear normal. Or should that be disappear. The ghost Peter encounters has an important message it needs to deliver and then it shatters like porcelain. The next ghost he encounters gives him some more information before shattering as well. This leads them into the archives of the Folly and the County Practitioner for Buckinghamshire, George Buckland, who died in 1815. He lived in Chesham and made rose jars, which were a unique form of ghost trap. But most importantly, Chesham happens to be the terminus of the Metropolitan Line. They might have just found out where their ghost commuters are coming from. Now to find out why.

What I love about this series is that you never know where it's going to go and that's rare for me to actually embrace and enjoy. I'm the kind of person who likes to try to figure out where things are going in books, shows, really, anything, that's why I'm addicted to whodunits, because I don't just want to know I want to figure it out before the killer is revealed. I want to be smarter than everyone else. Which is probably a trait I shouldn't encourage. I should know by now that a series ready to randomly drop in jazz vampires and talking foxes is unpredictable to say the least, but this story in particular was a wonderful surprise. You think it's going to be a simple ghost hunting on the Underground story with Peter and Sergeant Jaget Kumar of the British Transport Police, in a similar vein to them working together in Whispers Under Ground, but then it turns out that the ghosts aren't the problem, they're the messengers making them all red herrings. The ghosts have been haunting the Underground in an attempt to save a life. And while, read chronologically and not by publication date, that means we've basically had three cases of kidnappings in a row, I'll forgive Ben Aaronovitch because of those three stories two of them were amazing and this one at least didn't involve children. Plus this case is building on the lore of ghosts. The fact that to most people they disappear like dreams is fascinating. Like the brain can't cope with this information so it just deletes it. So what does that mean about those who retain the memory of seeing ghosts? Are they more observant or just wired differently when it comes to the uncanny? Also the knowledge that ghosts can be caught and that catching them changes them in some manner. I would literally love to read just like Abigail writing a dissertation on her thoughts of ghosts. Because I'm sure that she's going to study those rose jars that remained and figure out a way to recreate them. Which leads us to George Buckland. His wife, who was creole and from New Orleans, taught him how to make rose jars. Which means there are obviously different sets of skills and beliefs depending on where you've learned or practiced your magic. And while I adore the history of magic as codified by the Folly, it's only been around since 1775 which means even George Buckland himself lived in a world without the Folly for awhile. Which makes you wonder about the really old history. I would just love to read a history of the magical systems of Ben Aaronovitch's world. It could be a couple thousand pages and I would devour them all. Or just let me into the Folly and set me loose in those libraries, I want to know everything. I just love this world so much!

I'm clearing out books that I requested ages ago and have been on sale for years! I really enjoyed this title.

I find Ben Aaronovitch's narrative perspective a little too misogynist for my liking. His protagonist is a man's man who can never seem to value any of the female characters beyond their attractiveness, and especially their boobs. It's just not easy to swallow as a reader, and I hesitate to read much else from this series, though everything else is interesting enough to keep me curious.

I enjoyed this novella simply because I love this series by Mr. Aaronovitch and have handsold his books to many customers. Anyone new to the series or even a casual reader can definitely skip this one though as you really need the background to understand what is going on here.

THR FURTHEST STATION is 7.5 in Ben Aaronovitch's excellent RIVERS OF LONDON series. Ghosts on London's Underground? Well, why not?! London is a truly ancient city. But these ghosts seem to be trying to deliver a message, and Peter Grant, paranormal police detective, intuits a life may be at stake.

First up, I love this series, so I was predisposed to enjoy this book. No problem, I certainly did. The problem? It is only a novella and not a full length novel so I finished reading and enjoying PC Peter Grant and his colleagues endeavours far too soon.
Once again Peter is called upon to investigate a series of ghostly activities, unfortunately for him, those humans involved quickly lose all memory of the event. With Abigail, Toby the dog and the long suffering Jaget, Peter must discover why so many ghosts are appearing, and what their message could be?

Vita non est vivere sed valere vita est--Life is more than merely staying alive.

This was a wonderful shirt trip for our beloved PC Grant. Ghosts are appearing on the Metro, and Peter's tasked with following the threads to the end of the line, as it were. It includes the humor we love, the characters we've connected with, and mysteries we're anxious to solve. And we get to see Peter's boss taking more action, which is a welcome addition. And it's wrapped in a tight, punchy, 144-page package that might actually be the sweet spot for the series.

Despite not being read the series and not familiar with the premise and its characters, I still find this novella an enjoyable read. The mystery is good and the plot and setting are interesting. The characters are funny, as well. I am glad to be able to read this because now, I am aware of the series and I will definitely check it out.

This was just the filler I needed to whet my appetite! I love the Peter Grant books, they are fun, fast, clever, mysterious reads that always keep me itching for more.

As I have come to expect from Ben Aaronovitch, this is a fun ride that takes us back into the wonderful world of The Folly. In this stand alone novella, Peter Grant is asked to do a favour for his friend and track down the ghosts that are bothering the passengers on the London Underground. What I really appreciated here was that the story is completely tied up in this book. In the full length novels, there are usually threads left to contribute to the overarching narrative, but that isn't the case here. While you can't really read this book without having read some of the other instalments, you can enjoy this one without worrying where it will fit in the grander scheme of things. I enjoyed the extra time we got to spend with Abigail and I am very interested to see where her character will go in future. The prose is witty and concise without feeling rushed and the story comes to a natural conclusion without lacking any meat. All in all, I really enjoyed this one and look forward to the next full length offering.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The Furthest Station is a welcome novella to bridge the gap in the Rivers of London series. Following an apprentice wizard, Peter Grant training this story is self-contained with some reoccurring characters. As a short book, it might be a point to jump in. If you like the water go back to the first book Rivers of London and read the longer series of novels that have a more intense story arc running through them. There is almost no comparison to be made with Harry Potter and Peter Grant brings a fresh modern touch to the ancient art of wizardry. He would like to confirm that he has long since stopped fritzing his mobile phones when he does magic.
The Folly investigate the paranormal events in modern London, known as Falcon incidents, usually referred by the Metropolitan Police. They also have a lot of contact with the Transport Police who operate on the railways and the underground. Following complaints of groping by unseen hands Peter gets handed the case. The incidents on the Metropolitan Line are odd because shortly after reporting ghostly encounters the reportees deny all knowledge of the event. This must be a job for the Folly. Aided and hampered by his super-intelligent teenage cousin Abigail Peter is conscious she wants to follow him into what she considers the new family business.
Peter Grant has an eclectic mix of acquaintances, ‘some of my best friends are geographical features’ and Beverly Brook features again as his aquatic river goddess girlfriend when the tributary sub-plot meanders around the main plot both of which end very satisfactorily, one of them with a splash.

A rip-roaring new novella continuing the adventures of PC Peter Grant of The Folly this time very ably assisted by Abigail, his teenage niece.
I am a huge fan of this series and couldn’t wait to read the latest instalment. Thankfully it didn’t let me down. Plenty of action with fleeting appearances by Molly, Toby and everyone’s favourite river goddess, Beverley Brook.
There’s not a huge amount to say except that it’s thoroughly enjoyable and a very quick read. Highly recommended. The only downside is the amount of time to wait until the next one.

Part of the Peter Grant Rivers of London series. I love them. I wish Mr. Aaronovitch could write faster, but I'm content with even this new novella. Peter Grant is a copper with the Met in London, an urban fantasy/police procedural. The main character Grant, is a trainee wizard in a special division of the Metropolitan Police Special Crimes Unit. Grant is mixed race, his mother from Sierra Leone and his father a jazz musician that trying to get clean. They're good detective stories and laugh out loud funny at times. Magic is concdered not just a "power" but some type of scientific principle (It follows rules of physics) that Grant is trying to explore. This particular novella concerns some very strange ghosts appearing on the Metropolitan Line and a kidnapping.

A fun little story with many of the familiar aspects from the novel series, this delivers on character and setting but lacks a little in plot. A lovely read if you're after more time with Peter and co, but feels a bit abrupt story-wise.

Abigail was so great! I want all the Abigail stories!!! Alas, much shorter than I had hoped.

A short addition to the Rivers of London series but as reliably good as ever. Aaronovitch crafts a suitably creepy urban ghost story. Perhaps it should have been published on 31st October!!!

This was so much fun!

For years I've been a great fan of the series (I could rage for hours about how I always have to wait just shy of an entire year for the right edition to be published, but that is another case), so I was delighted when I got this review copy of The Furthest Station. It's only about 140 pages long, and it is not essential for the greater arc in the series, but fans will want to get a hold of it anyway.

Expect everything you've come to expect from Peter Grant and the rest of the crew. If you're new to the series, I greatly recommend starting with the first book in the series: Rivers of London.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

So who exactly do I have to shake in order to get an entire series of young adult books about Abigail Kumara snarking her way through London's supernatural underworld and getting into all sorts of trouble behind her cousin's back? Because I'm ready to start shaking some people.
Ben Aaronovitch's The Furthest Station is a novella set within the wider world of his fantastically complex Rivers of London series and is narrated by the series' main character PC Peter Grant.

As I adore Peter Grant and have made him one of my few Book Boyfriends™, it's no surprise that I love his continuing point of view in this novella. Aaronovitch imbues Peter Grant with so much personality and a rapid-fire wit, that his POV is an honest-to-god pleasure to read.

(It doesn't hurt matters at all that the way Aaronovitch occasionally writes character descriptions in Peter's POV makes it extremely easy to do a casual queer reading of the character if you're in the mood to do so. And I am always in the mood for a good queer reading.)

The Furthest Station, as you can probably guess, takes place in and around trains and train stations. After multiple reports of a mysterious figure harassing people on the Metropolitan Line – people that don't remember ever making these reports in the first place, Sergeant Jaget Kumar calls Peter in because it's the sort of spooky circumstance that my favorite wizard-in-training gets to tackle.

The adventure takes them all over the place and introduces us to a rather large amount of ghosts (when compared to the amount we've seen in the series so far, I guess). Also, in terms of unexpected things that happen in the novella, the "weird ghostly harassers" plot sort of expands to include a kidnapping and some other stuff like the adorable but faintly creepy Chess in Chapter 5. Like this is one heck of a busy novella, but it works.

Now don't worry, I won't spoil the plotty bits because it's a genuinely fascinating plot and I know I'd fight someone if they spoiled a book like this for me.

(Seriously, it almost happened for me with Aaronovitch's The Hanging Tree because British readers got the book November 2016 and many of them couldn't be bothered to stop spoiling the book all over Tumblr between then and January when US readers got it…)

So let's talk about worldbuilding in The Furthest Station!

While I'm totally invested in the characters Ben Aaronovitch writes, I'm also absolutely in love with the way he unspools little like… worldbuilding nuggets. Aaronovitch doesn't infodump because he can't. Peter wouldn't infodump and he also doesn't have the attention-span to listen to someone infodumping at him.

(Which like… makes me happy because I get like that too.)

The Furthest Station manages to pack a lot of worldbuilding into a small, neat package. I mean the dude drops so much info that helps strengthen my image of the world Peter and Abigail live in now (and how different it is from what Nightingale experienced).

And lastly, Abigail might be my favorite thing about The Furthest Station. Of course, we're seeing her through Peter's point of view and that means we only see what he sees of her. To Peter, Abigail is this snarky, precocious, and brilliant teenager that basically has no fear of the unknown. The idea of the supernatural existing within the world she's grown up with, is just… worth a shrug because it's not a big deal to her. She approaches the supernatural way differently than Peter does because she's a kid, but also because she doesn't have his background.

She reminds me so much of my niecelings and I'd love to see more of her adventures with or without Peter.

The Furthest Station is great. I mean, straight up, it's a great book. If you're still coming down from The Hanging Tree's intensity, it's such a wonderful follow up. However, it's also a book that could bring in new audiences. If you know nothing about Ben Aaronovitch's work, I think that The Furthest Station is a great starting point.

It's got ghosts, trains, a kidnapping, and the coolest teenage witch-in-training since Sabrina. What more could you ask for?

I had read the first few of this series, but then skipped a few. Very well written as usual and with interesting plot and characters. For some reason it seemed a bit short, but maybe that's because I was enjoying it so much I read it quickly. I think I'll go back now and read the ones I'm missing.