*The Masquerades of Spring* by Ben Aaronovitch is a thrilling and imaginative blend of urban fantasy and mystery. Set in the author's signature universe, the story follows a new cast of characters as they uncover secrets hidden beneath the surface of a seemingly ordinary world. Aaronovitch’s trademark wit, sharp dialogue, and richly detailed setting shine throughout, as the plot twists and turns with engaging suspense. While the narrative’s pace occasionally slows, the atmospheric tension and quirky characters keep the story fresh and captivating. A must-read for fans of Aaronovitch's work, *The Masquerades of Spring* offers both intrigue and humor in equal measure.

An expansion to the Rivers of London that I found to be a very good time. Our narrator is Augustus Berrycloth-Young, an English magician built on the Bertram Wooster model, living in New York, in love with jazz, and even more in love with Lucien Gibbs, a Black journalist involved in the Harlem Renaissance. I'd place this novella a skoosh behind The October Man but very far in front of Winter's Gifts, BUT you have to enjoy the archness of Gus's humor and be OK with the historically accurate and painful language and circumstances.

The world of New York, and particularly Harlem, during the 1920s is inherently interesting, so Mr. Aaronovitch has a lot to work with if he chooses to revisit Gus and Lucien in subsequent novellas. The mystery here is frankly an afterthought, and I'm fine with that, given that this is a first entry and a novella that is rightfully more concerned with populating the world. I'd be very happy if this series continues!

I am a fan of the Ben Aaronovitch Rivers of London book series. But this novella, featuring the Nightengale character disappointed me. Instead of a story which filled in background information about the mysterious Nightengale, the story is transposed to Harlem in the 1920's, with new characters, and not really much for him to do. Perhaps expectation played a role here, but I did not enjoy the story, found that the new characters were not very well developed, and reference to a Bertie and Jeeves vibe to be somewhat weak.

I’ve been an avid reader of the Rivers of London series for years, ever since my friend recommended the first book in the series and I got hooked. Thanks Kim! Thus far, I’ve mostly stuck with the main books in the series while neglecting the novellas. I loved the last novella, Winter’s Gifts, featuring FBI Agent Kimberley Reynolds, even as the story didn’t really feature any of the other characters from the series. I figured this would be equally enjoyable, but it just didn’t really hit the mark for me and wound up being simply an okay read.

This has had me puzzled. If I love a series, and love how the writer tells a story, why didn’t I like this one as much as I was expected to? Well, I’ve put a lot of thought into it, and came up with some ideas.

First of all, the story takes place in a different time period than the series. Far from the present-day setting of the main books in the series, this one is set in the Jazz Age of the Harlem Renaissance. I actually loved the setting and getting a view of what it must have been like living during those times. However, the historical setting meant that the MC was new to me, and the only character I had any investment in was Thomas Nightingale. Unfortunately, I would have loved to see more of Nightingale, since he’s a favorite of mine.

Augustus Berrycloth-Young is a character that was new to me, and I was so sad that I didn’t quite gel with him. It never felt like he had very much substance to him—he was a pretty one-dimensional character throughout the story. While he was focused on having fun and a mystery arose, I struggled to put myself in his shoes and connect with him. Since all of the characters were new other than Nightingale, I wasn’t really overly invested in anyone but him.

As for the plot, it felt less organized and fast-moving than those in the other books I’ve read in the series. While Augustus is just hanging around NYC, he finds himself wrapped up in a mystery, but to me, it never really felt like it was the central part of the story. It didn’t even feel like the plot showed up until halfway through the novella, so this short read felt especially long to me.

Overall, this was an average read for me. There’s the wit and humor I’d expect from Nightingale, but Augustus wasn’t as witty or humorous as either Nightingale or Peter Grant is. I did love the diversity in the book, with Augustus being in a queer, interracial relationship, along with the associated issues they faced in the 1920s. While this wasn’t one of my favorites in the series, I still wholeheartedly recommend this series to anyone who likes paranormal mysteries, urban fantasy, Monty Python and their specific brand of British humor, and a series with books that are full of fun and diverse characters.

The Masquerades of Spring marks a diversion of sorts in the Rivers of London series, away from London, away from England, and away from the 21st century. Here we move to an historical setting, New York City of the 1920s, where one Augustus Berrycloth-Young, Gussie to his friends, has gone on the lam from the Folly hoping they will leave him alone. For now he wants to enjoy the wonders of the world of jazz available to him in Harlem and the love of his guide, Lucien, a reporter who lives in Harlem.

All is going swimmingly until a houseguest arrives from England, his friend, Thomas Nightingale, who has mysterious and magical reasons to be in New York and enlists Gussie’s assistance. This begins a fun outing in a very different setting from what I’m used to in Aaronovitch’s series. The mood is camp and positively Jazz Age, with fabulous clothes, outrageous behavior, hoodlums, and bathtub liquor. Oh, and crime with magic involved.

This is a standalone of sorts within the series and has served to inspire me to get back and pick up those books I have missed. It’s an enjoyable read. You might enjoy this even without knowing the series as all the characters are new except for this young version of Nightingale. But you must accept that there is magic in the world. Recommended.

Thanks to Subterranean Press and NetGalley for an eARC of this book

Aaronovitch takes Nightingale to London to safeguard a bit of magic that has escaped the control of the Folly, and to rescue a friend of a friend from the gangsters of prohibition New York.

The bad guys have their hands on a member of the fae, and are using her powers to protect and grow their illicit business. This clearly breaks all the rules of magic, and Thomas Nightingale takes a trip across the sea to clean things up. Augustus Berrycloth-Young, a self-admitedly under-powered magician, has taken refuge in New York, and finds the lifestyle of gay Harlem a perfect fit. He has no desire to go back to England, or to reconnect with its magical world. But when Nightingale shows up on his doorstep, he is honor-bound to help.

Masquerades is light on magic, but heavy on the atmosphere of New York City and the demi-monde. I personally look forward to another Peter Grant outing, but this will satisfy my Rivers of London craving until then.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

In "The Masquerades of Spring," our Wooster-esque hero is Augustus Berrycloth-Young, your garden-variety upperclass Brit of the time. He's left Old Blighty to settle in New York City, and enjoys his mildly hedonistic life. He is capably cared for by Beauregard, who is almost as omniscient and omnipresent as Jeeves. Gussie and his boyfriend, Lucien, are swept up into Nightingale's latest case to find a haunted saxophone.

I'm generally not a fan of pastiche works, but Aaronovitch was able to channel Wodehouse to great effect, and I am duly impressed. I did keep expecting "Gussie" to be followed by "Fink-Nottle," though, which did distract me a time or two. This is imitation as the highest form of flattery.

It's not all sunshine and light, though. There's the racism and police brutality of the time, and Nightingale doesn't seem to read the room well and puts Gussie, Lucien, and Beauregard into more trouble than they might be able to escape.

Why you should read this: It's a solid entry and a whole lot of fun to read. I'd love to see more of Gussie in future works, and I think we just might.

Why you might not want to read it: There are a LOT of characters in the Rivers of London books, and even though this is a novella, there are mentions of the others that might leave you a bit lost.

I received an advance copy from Subterranean Press via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 out of 5 stars.

A spinoff from a long-running series works best when it delves further into an element that falls outside the scope of the main series proper, whether that's further fleshing out a side character or exploring a new part of that world. The Masquerades of Spring pulls this off with panache, taking us to a magical underworld virtually untouched by the main Rivers of London series: New York City in the Jazz Age.

The mystery that unfolds is briskly told, but what really sells this one is the character voice: rather than the smart, charismatic detective-turned-wizard Peter Grant, the first-person narration is delivered by a quite different member of the Folly: Augustus Berrycloth-Young, affable dilettante and expatriate thoroughly enjoying his exile from London's magical society--until a face familiar to both himself and the reader arrives, dragging Augustus back into the Folly's world of mystery, magic, and danger. It's clear that Aaronovitch was thoroughly enjoying the character voice in this one, and as a reader you can't help but share in his infectious enthusiasm for writing a foppish and self-effacing protagonist who nonetheless finds it in himself to rise heroically to the occasion--eventually.

A music-loving Englishman in early 1920s New York is visited by his old schoolfellow Thomas Nightingale. This is P.G. Wodehouse pastiche. The last time I read a novel actually written by P.G. Wodehouse that was set in New York, I reached the horrifyingly racist interlude in the middle of it while stuck on an airplane. That makes it tricky for me to relax into a story that's mostly about a nice feckless Bertie Wooster clone and his much cleverer boyfriend from Harlem rambling around the city enjoying jazz. On the opposite tack, there is a sad lack of aunts; I feel all Wodehousian prose is improved by a suitably forceful aunt. However, it's clear that Aaronovitch is enjoying himself greatly, and is perhaps particularly enjoying (after many volumes of fantasy police procedural) writing a book where the cops are the bad guys. There's also canonically asexual Nightingale, if you're interested in canonically asexual Nightingale.

I liked it. The narrator is an English friend of Nightingale's who is living in New York during the Jazz Age. He and his lover, an African American man, get caught up with Nightingale in the pursuit of an enchanted/cursed saxophone. I thought there was a touch of Wodehouse's Wooster in our narrator, and that was fun. The adventure was fun, going to the jazz clubs was fun, and I liked it.

When mysteriously powerful instruments are wreaking havoc in 1920s Harlem, it’s up to Gussie, a former Folly practitioner, and Thomas Nightingale to hunt them down.

Aaronovitch seems to really have gotten back into the swing of the Rivers of London, and I could not be more excited.

I really was expecting a lot more Nightingale, but Gussie & his boyfriend are an absolute delight. The style is very Jeeves and Wooster feeling, which perfectly fits Gussie’s lackadaisical energy. The relationship between Gussie and Lucy is also just a joy. Even in this brief novella, we really get an understanding of their love and respect for each other. Also canonical asexual Nightingale? Love it.

The exploration of magic beyond England continues to be fascinating and my favorite part of these novellas. And the glimpses of Harlem nightlife were so fun. We even get a famous New Yorker cameo! There is some attempt at examining racism and homophobia in the 1920s, which sometimes fell a little flat. And I’m not sure how I feel about some slurs being censored in the text while some were not.

The mystery was really compressed and the ending a bit abrupt, but overall this is one of my favorite of the novellas, and I’ve immediately ordered an audio copy!

Many thanks to both NetGalley and Subterranean Press for this wonderful arc!

I really enjoyed this. If you're a fan of the Peter Grant series, definitely pick this one up. The setting (1920s NYC, amidst the Harlem Renaissance and jazz, ball culture) was so much fun. I enjoyed the amusing narrative voice of Gussie as we follow along with the mystery and adventure he gets thrown into when his old classmate, young Nightingale, unexpectedly shows up at his door as they try to track the provenance of a magical saxophone.

Good job representing both the Black and queer communities. The Harlem Renaissance was very queer, so I'm glad to see that reflected in the tale. Also major points for a Gladys Bentley shout out. She was awesome (and had no business rocking her tails, top hat, and cane as hard as she did hehe).

I really enjoy the Rivers of London series, so jumped at the chance to read The Masquerades of Spring. Meeting a much younger Nightingale was great fun, and I enjoyed as well the characters of Gussie and "Lucy." The between-the-series reads are even better than the full length novels.!

Thanks to Ben Aaronovitch, Subterranean Press and NetGalley for access to the Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve enjoyed Ben Aaronovitch’s Hugo nominated Rivers of London series and was pleased to see this book which takes place in the states and introduces new characters. This book is a fast paced, fun ride in 1920’s New York and Harlem. I enjoyed the characters, the plot was interesting, I’d be interested in additional books in the series should they be part of the plan. Recommended.

Thomas Nightingale is back, but this time in 1920’s New York City, not London, where he shows up as the unexpected guest of expat Augustus Berrycloth-Young. His stated quest is to track down magically infused instruments, particularly a trumpet, Gussie is to be his (reluctant) guide to the city, using his friends knowledge of the music scene to help. The story is told by Gussie in his wonderful upper class English meets New York jazz scene language, with the music scene in Harlem at the time as the main setting. I loved it, the period came to life with the music, class barriers, prohibition, and gangsters as Thomas and Gussie unravel the trumpets path, and other mysteries. Even if you haven’t been reading this extraordinary series this one will work well as a stand alone.
Thank you to NetGalley and Subterranean Press for an advance copy, it’s such a fun book with turns you won’t see coming.

A different time (the 1920s' Harlem Renaissance), a different location (NYC), a different practitioner (Augustus Berrycloth-Young), and a new challenge (finding the source of an enchanted saxophone) combine to let us see a whole other side of Thomas Nightingale as he tries to figure out what's going on with enchanted musical instruments and what's behind it all. Augustus narrates the story with vocabulary and slang terms that were in vogue in 1920's New York. His descriptions of the jazz music scene and of his adventures are comical, bordering on ludicrous. Nightingale provides a serious counterpoint to Gussie's playful, easy-going attitude. A fun, lighthearted magic-filled mystery!

Full Disclosure: I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of The Masquerades of Spring by Ben Aaronovitch from Subterranean Press via NetGalley.

The Masquerades of Spring is a novella in the Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch. I have only read the first book in the series, so I can safely tell you that you could read this as a standalone. While maybe reading the first book would help set up some information for you, it is not really necessary.

I enjoyed the setting of 1920s New York City and Harlem specifically. It was an interesting time in the United States, and the Harlem Renaissance was in full bloom. You will also get a taste of ball culture which sounds spectacular to witness in person.

It may bother some people that the language used is accurate to the time period. There are terms used regarding black and queer people that would never be acceptable today. If that bothers you, I would move along to another book.

This is a fun little novella set in the Rivers of London world, but I’d recommend having read at least one of those before diving into this. You CAN read this as a standalone, but I think you’ll get way more out of it if you’re familiar with this universe.

Welcome to the Harlem Renaissance, 1920’s New York City. The jazz scene is in full swing as we’re introduced to Augustus Berrycloth-Young, British ex-pat, magician, and former schoolmate of one Thomas Nightingale. Gussie, as he’s known, is very aristocratic, very dandy, and very gay. I absolutely LOVE the setting of the queer community in 20’s Harlem and the cast of characters we meet. The voice is very, very different from Peter Grant, and honestly I found Gussie very annoying at the beginning. He grew on me though, and once Nightingale showed up on the scene things picked up quickly and I found myself Gussie as the reluctant hero.

Nightingale is in search of a magical object and needs Gussie’s help. He reluctantly tries to balance helping Nightingale while hiding the truth of who he is – a queer man in a society that does not approve.

I enjoyed seeing pre-war Nightingale, but there wasn’t very much magic evident in this story, which is always a bit of a let-down. Despite that it’s still pretty action packed, and the climax at the titular Masquerade was a great bit of fun. All in all, this is a lighthearted and fast paced novella that any Rivers of London fan will enjoy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Subterranean Press for the early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

This is the earliest set story in the Rivers of London series and is works for both new and old fans. Augustus has moved from London to New York and has set himself up nicely when his old school friend Thomas Nightingale comes to town on Folly business. Jazz features in this since Augustus is a big fan of it. It was nice to see someone who knew Nightingale from before the War and the New York Jazz scene features quite a bit in this since Nightingale’s quarry is involved with this a bit. Overall, a great story and maybe we will see more of Gussie down the line.
Digital review copy provided by the publisher on Netgalley

I really like the Rivers of London series, and this is a little detour from the main story arc that I had a ton of fun with! It's set in 1920s NYC and written from the perspective of Augustus "Gussie" Berrycloth-Young. (Don't worry if you don't recognize him: I'm pretty sure he's a new character.) He's having an amazing time listening to jazz and falling in love in the New World when his old boarding school prefect, Thomas Nightingale, shows up on (what Gussie assumes is) a mission from the Folly.

The novella is a mix of amateur sleuth procedural, historical "slice of life" full of little historical details, and a new perspective on pre-WWII Nightingale. I'd recommend it for fans of the series, but not necessarily as a starting place. In other words, if you just read this review and have no idea what "the Folly" is, or why a reader might be intrigued by reading about young Nightingale breaking a little protocol, you probably don't want to pick this up. But if you DO, you'll be pleased with this one.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novella.