Peter now has a friend and co-worker in the Folly, Constable Lesley May (former victim of magic and now learning to be a practitioner). This third book in the Peter Grant series is the best so far. Dresden Files fans are likely to find it familiar fun.

I am enjoying this series and recommend it. However, he does do distinct voices for all characters so that you can easily tell who is talking and I still think he's a perfect voice for the character of Peter. As another reviewer noted, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith really doesn't do a great American accent (or Canadian either for that matter). And, of course, I will be watching to see what happens with Lesley now that she is apprenticed to Nightingale and has a huge motive to push the limits of magic. There is so much more to learn about Nightingale, Molly, the river gods/goddesses, the interaction of magic and physics, and even Toby. Aaronovitch has set up a structure that will support a LOT more stories if he wants to keep going (Book 4 due out later this year). I was a bit concerned initially that Special Agent Kimberly Reynolds was going to be one of those 'ugly Americans' that often turn up in the novels of European authors, but was happily surprised that she was not and her character added some interesting nuance to several scenes. The sex scenes and rather icky fiend attacking men's groins that I disliked in Book 2 are gone.and we get our first American character. But it got sorted out fairly well by the end, the magical system seems to be coming together better with this third book, and the resolution to the murder of James Gallagher was quite good. There are plots and subplots working in Whispers that had me a bit confused at times - there's a Taiwanese woman introduced briefly that had no connection to anything going on and a few other rabbit trails that the author may intend to pick up later but kind of muddled things for now. The spontaneity of Peter's character really works better with a more thoughtful type character like Lesley as counterweight. The fabulous Lesley May in spite of her terrible tribulations has returned and I was glad to have her back.

Ben aaronovitch whispers under ground