I Read Books: False Value

 

False Value

Peter Grant, magic policeman, is in disgrace after a suspect died in custody. He’s gone to work for the Serious Cybernetic Company, a tech company with the founder’s sense of, well, humour fully on display with things named after Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy and so on.

A steam organ music book has been stolen, and this one fits no known steam organ. It is known to have been created by Ada Lovelace, famous computing theorist (from before computers were made). There are links between it and the SCC. More, it turns out that the Met's financial crimes division* are looking into them. And there’s another magical organisation, based out the New York Public Library system that want to get involved.

All this and Peter is getting ready to be a father. Which may be more complex than normal considering his partner is Beverley Brook, a goddess of one of the Thames tributaries.

I’ve previously been enthusiastic about this series, but here I don’t feel quite like giving a full-throated approval. It’s fine, but there’s yet another magic organisation moving into London. Another guy messing with powers he should not. The satirical look at the whole tech industry layering memes and nerdery on top of their work is amusing, but it’s been done better. It’s an okay occult mystery with heists, chases, investigations, but doesn’t come together as well and doesn’t have quite the verve or weirdness the best of the series has.

Read This: Going undercover at a tech firm while trying to solve magic crimes
Don’t Read This: Going undercover at a tech firm while trying to solve magic crimes

* The division that investigate financial crimes rather than commit them