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The Masquerades of Spring

By: Ben Aaronovitch
Narrated by: Kobna Holdbrook-Smith
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Summary

New York City, New York.


Meet Augustus Berrycloth-Young - fop, flaneur, and Englishman abroad - as he chronicles the Jazz Age from his perch atop the city that never sleeps.


That is, until his old friend Thomas Nightingale arrives, pursuing a rather mysterious affair concerning an old saxophone - which will take Gussie from his warm bed, to the cold shores of Long Island, and down to the jazz clubs where music, magic, and madness haunt the shadows...

Discover why this incredible series has sold over two million copies around the world. If you're a fan of Terry Pratchett or Douglas Adams - don't panic - you will love Ben Aaronovitch's imaginative, irreverent and all-round irresistible novels.

©2024 Ben Aaronovitch (P)2024 Orion Publishing Group Limited
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What listeners say about The Masquerades of Spring

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  • Overall
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Excellent novella

I loved the peep into a pre-war Nightingale. Kobna Holbrook-Smith is, as always, excellent in his story telling and Ben Aaronovitch has once again been great in expanding the ever growing River of London wider world. I always want to keep listening to these stories, well worth a listen!

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Brilliant!

Loved this extension to Rivers of London, love and admire the talent of both the writer and the narrator.

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Nightingale in New York for the Harlem Renaissance

Superb characterisation. And great fun. Another great episode in a wonderful series. Jazz and magic in Harlem.

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Brilliant

This is one of the best books in the series, I didn’t want it to end

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Loved it!

Another excellent story & a great depiction of fringe culture in NYC during the jazz age, but what makes it better is this time it's with Newtonian magic and a young Nightingale who finds bigotry very unBritish. Love the POV of the main character, how well researched & the respect the topics are given. Kobna's narration was great as ever, well worth the listen while we wait for the next instalment of the Peter Grant novels.

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Brilliant

Great story and great story telling - more please and please let us hear more of Peter Grant, Beverly Brook and The Nightingale, thanks for such great entertainment

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Delightful addition to the canon

I almost quit! But so glad I didn't. Kobna doesn't really pull off the accent and mannerisms of the protagonist and at first it feels like a bad pastiche, but he tones it down and his evident affection for the character wins out. The story itself is a delight and I ate it up in a day. I still think a different reader might have suited this one better, in line with the other "seasons" novellas, but it was so much fun I can't knock off more than one star on the performance. It's also very funny, especially in the last third or so.

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Another Bally Belter from Ben!

Although it is yet another bally belter from Ben, I'm gutted that a) it was toooooooo short, and b) it'll be months and months before the next installment in this wonderful world of magic and the demi-mond.

Please can you write faster Ben????

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A great short story

Love all of these books, I can really get lost in them, and this was no exception. A great interlude until we get back to London perhaps, although was happy to be stateside a while. Brilliant KHS read with such ease that befitted the NY timeline, I could have been in the room with the characters! He is possibly my favourite Audio book reader, and I’ve listened to a lot!

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Nightingale pre WW2.

Nightingale, cool and unflappable. New York City and an Old school acquaintance. Takes his mission on.
Do we learn anything new about this man? Yes, we do. As this tale takes us on this magical journey.
Brilliant.

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