The Follycast

In this episode… It’s here! The latest juicy novel in the Rivers of London series for Margaret, Jan and Richard to get their teeth into and it doesn’t disappoint. As the focus moves from London to Aberdeen, it’s a tale of men with gills, panthers, lighthouses and oil rigs, of horror, romance and humour. We tackle such questions as: As Peter shares narration duties in a novel for the first time how well does that work? How essential is it to have read the graphic novel ‘Here Be Dragons’? How much is it stretching credibility for the whole cast to decamp to Aberdeen en masse? Why didn’t they just fly? Just why does Ben write so many named characters? Can we keep track? Where does the series go from here as the pandemic looms on the horizon? and most worryingly of all, why does Richard now want someone to die? Shownotes: Here be Dragons Monday Monday Erland Cooper Dr Who and the Sea Devils (John Pertwee) – IMDB (for UK listeners it is also on iPlayer) Dr Who and the Silurians (John Pertwee) – IMDB for UK listeners it is also on iPlayer Slow Horses – Mick Herron Macaroni cheese pie (recipe)   Hosted by Margaret Holborn, Richard Marks and Jan Trott Produced by Richard Marks for Uncertain Smile productions Theme tune: ‘London Is Inspired’ by Cutwater: www.cutwaterband.co.uk. Follycast image: Mack Chater (@MackChater) Contact us Email follypodcast@gmail.com with your feedback on this and upcoming books. We particularly like short (max 2 mins) audio feedback via mp3 or the audio format of your choice! We are available via iTunes, Soundcloud, Spotify, YouTube, Audible and all good pod catchers, so don’t forget to subscribe.    Subscribe to our RSS feed for further updates  

In this month’s episode… Up to date with all the books and novellas, the Follycast breaks its usual format for a quiz about all things Folly-related. Seven rounds of (hopefully) guessable questions as Margaret and Jan fight it out for the coveted ‘Rivers Of London’ Mastermind title. Pit your wits against the Follycast team by playing along at home. Will Margaret have a significant advantage in having read all the books twice, compared to Jan just the once? Does Richard’s complicated scoring system make any sense at all? These questions and many more will be answered in the Follycast Christmas Quiz.   Hosted by Margaret Holborn, Richard Marks and Jan Trott Produced by Richard Marks for Uncertain Smile productions Theme tune: ‘London Is Inspired’ by Cutwater: www.cutwaterband.co.uk. Cover image: Mack Chater (@MackChater)   Contact us Email follypodcast@gmail.com with your feedback on this and upcoming books. We particularly like short (max 2 mins) audio feedback via mp3 or the audio format of your choice! Follow us on Twitter @thefollycast We are available via iTunes, Soundcloud, Spotify, YouTube and all good pod catchers, so don’t forget to subscribe.    Subscribe to our RSS feed for further updates  

In this month’s episode… Margaret, Jan and Richard discuss the two remaining books in the ‘four seasons’ quartet of novellas in the Rivers Of London universe. Along the way we debate such issues as: Wodehouse and the X-Files: influence or parody? Nightingale’s de-aging and whether Augustus Berrycloth-Young actually could turn up in the main range. Richard’s experience listening to a Rivers Of London audiobook for the first time. Our impressions of the novellas overall and the results of a reader poll ranking the four novellas. Listener feedback on Masquerades of Spring …all in just 48 minutes.   Shownotes: PG Wodehouse Bertie Wooster Jazz Age Tin Pan Alley Big Finish Pinkerton Agency Tecumseh confederacy 1812 War Latest Graphic novel – Stray Cat Blues   Hosted by Margaret Holborn, Richard Marks and Jan Trott Produced by Richard Marks for Uncertain Smile productions Theme tune: ‘London Is Inspired’ by Cutwater: www.cutwaterband.co.uk. Cover image: Mack Chater (@MackChater)   Contact us Email follypodcast@gmail.com with your feedback on this and upcoming books. We particularly like short (max 2 mins) audio feedback via mp3 or the audio format of your choice! Follow us on Twitter @thefollycast We are available via iTunes, Soundcloud, Spotify, YouTube and all good pod catchers, so don’t forget to subscribe.    Subscribe to our RSS feed for further updates  

The Follycast Episode 15: In Conversation with Ben Aaronovitch In this month’s episode… Richard and Margaret welcome Ben Aaronovitch onto the podcast. The interview was recorded a few weeks ahead of the publication of the Masquerades of Spring and we discuss the origins of the series, cover the novels, novellas and graphic novels and look to the future. Along the way Ben reveals: What order the books originally were supposed to be released in When book ten and eleven are set How Molly was not supposed to be a regular character Ben’s writing process What the graphic novels can do that the books just can’t The latest status of ‘Schroedinger’s TV series’, and the potential challenges of casting Nightingale The timetable for the next main novels. Hosted by Margaret Holborn and Richard Marks, Produced by Richard Marks for Uncertain Smile productions Theme tune: ‘London Is Inspired’ by Cutwater: www.cutwaterband.co.uk. Cover image: Mack Chater (@MackChater) SHOW NOTES AND LINKS   The book tour for Masquerades Of Spring Ben’s interview with Radio Free Skaro Ben enjoyed reading: Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree.  Ben’s collaborator Andrew Cartmel has his own hit book series, The Vinyl Detective. Ben’s novel Genius Loci, sadly not currently in print. Remembrance Of The Daleks, which happily is.. Cutwater live at The Bedford on 25 September (free to attend or watch live stream)  Ben discusses Rivers of London with Kobna Holbrook-Smith Contact us Email follypodcast@gmail.com with your feedback on this and upcoming books. We particularly like short (max 2 mins) audio feedback via mp3 or the audio format of your choice! Follow us on Twitter @thefollycast We are available via iTunes, Soundcloud, Spotify, YouTube and all good pod catchers, so don’t forget to subscribe.    Subscribe to our RSS feed for further updates  

The Follycast Episode 14: Amongst Our Weapons In this month’s episode… Amongst Our Weapons by Ben Aaronovitch, book nine in the Rivers Of London series, is hot off the press at the time of recording and we meet up to share our views. No spoilers in this episode description, but plenty in the podcast itself, so probably best to wait if you haven’t had a chance to read it yet! Credits Hosted by Margaret Holborn and Richard Marks, with Jan Trott and Jennie Beck Produced by Richard Marks for Uncertain Smile productions Theme tune: ‘London Is Inspired’ by Cutwater: www.cutwaterband.co.uk. Cover image: Mack Chater (@MackChater) Contact us Email follypodcast@gmail.com with your feedback on this and upcoming books. We particularly like short (max 2 mins) audio feedback via mp3 or the audio format of your choice! Follow us on Twitter @thefollycast We are available via iTunes, Soundcloud, Spotify, YouTube and all good pod catchers, so don’t forget to subscribe.    Subscribe to our RSS feed for further updates  

The Follycast Episode 13: Monday, Monday and Amongst Our Weapons preview In this month’s episode… We make our first foray into the world of the Rivers Of London graphic novels with the recently released ‘Sunday Sunday’. We have a wider discussion about the graphic novels released so far and we wonder what implications the revelations in Monday, Monday have for the (at time of recording) soon to be released new novel ‘Amongst Our Weapons’. Now that the back cover ‘blurb’ has been released, what are our hopes and predictions for the ninth book in the Rivers series? Along the way we discuss whether ‘Monday, Monday’ actually reveals quite as much as it seems to and the role the graphic novels play in the Rivers universe. Suffice it to say our opinions vary considerably. Along the way Jennie gets angry, Margaret does some name etymology and we generate the most extensive show notes so far. Whether you have read ‘Monday, Monday,’ or are wondering whether the graphic novels are really for you, this is the podcast for you. Credits Hosted by Margaret Holborn and Richard Marks, with Jan Trott and Jennie Beck Produced by Richard Marks for Uncertain Smile productions Theme tune: ‘London Is Inspired’ by Cutwater: www.cutwaterband.co.uk. Cover image: Mack Chater (@MackChater) Contact us Email follypodcast@gmail.com with your feedback on this and upcoming books. We particularly like short (max 2 mins) audio feedback via mp3 or the audio format of your choice! Follow us on Twitter @thefollycast We are available via iTunes, Soundcloud, Spotify, YouTube and all good pod catchers, so don’t forget to subscribe.    Subscribe to our RSS feed for further updates   Show notes Jennie recommends: The Dark Remains by Ian Rankin & William McIlvanney Jan recommends: The Girl Behind The Wall by Mandy Robotham Margaret Recommends: The Ashes Of London by Andrew Taylor Richard recommends: Mr Wilder & Me by Jonathan Coe Margaret & Jan also mentioned: Milkman by Anna Burns Richard & Margaret recommended The Vinyl Detective series by Andrew Cartmel Graphic novels: Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace & Babbage by Sydney Padua Funhome: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel Sally Heathcote: Suffragette Origin of Taiwo & Kehinde names The London Silver vaults Amongst Our Weapons: Cover Reveal Monty Python ‘Amongst Our Weapons: full sketch

The Follycast Episode 12: False Value In this month’s episode… We reach the end of our quest (for the time being) as we review the most recent Rivers Of London novel, False Value, published in 2020, just before the pandemic turned the world upside down and gave us all the time to do this podcast. False Value is a tale that links Silicon Valley, Ada Lovelace and the New York Public Library, but does it have too many characters to keep track of? Is the order of the early chapters intriguing or confusing? How many different Hitchhiker’s Guide references are there? Could Nightingale be about to retire? Most importantly of all, when will the official Molly Cookbook be published? Having debated these questions we end with some speculation about where the series could be headed next. Hopefully our next episode will review the next Rivers Of London book as and when it is written and published! Credits Hosted by Margaret Holborn and Richard Marks, with Jan Trott and Jennie Beck Produced by Richard Marks for Uncertain Smile productions Theme tune: ‘London Is Inspired’ by Cutwater: www.cutwaterband.co.uk. Cover image: Mack Chater (@MackChater) Contact us Email follypodcast@gmail.com with your feedback on this and upcoming books. We particularly like short (max 2 mins) audio feedback via mp3 or the audio format of your choice! Follow us on Twitter @thefollycast We are available via iTunes, Soundcloud, Spotify, YouTube and all good pod catchers, so don’t forget to subscribe.    Subscribe to our RSS feed for further updates   Show notes The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – By Douglas Adams The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage Body Work graphic novel The Hogsmill River ( a handy guide to the lost rivers of London)      

The Follycast Episode 11: What Abigail Did That Summer In this month’s episode… We conclude our look at the three Rivers Of London novellas by Ben Aaronovitch that have been published so far, with the (at time of recording) recently published What Abigail Did That Summer. With Peter and Beverly away in Herefordshire investigating unicorn-related child adbuctions, Abigail has adventures on and around Hampstead Heath, assisted by her friend Simon and a band of talking foxes. Of the three novellas this generates the most debate on the pod. Do these novellas set during earlier gaps in the Rivers timeline lack a sense of jeopardy?  How successful is Ben Aaronovitch writing as a teenage girl? How many cheese puffs out of five will we give it? Next episode we come bang up to date with the most recent main novel, False Value. Credits Hosted by Margaret Holborn and Richard Marks, with Jan Trott and Jennie Beck Produced by Richard Marks for Uncertain Smile productions Theme tune: ‘London Is Inspired’ by Cutwater: www.cutwaterband.co.uk. Cover image: Mack Chater (@MackChater) Contact us Email follypodcast@gmail.com with your feedback on this and upcoming books. We particularly like short (max 2 mins) audio feedback via mp3 or the audio format of your choice! Follow us on Twitter @thefollycast We are available via iTunes, Soundcloud, Spotify, YouTube and all good pod catchers, so don’t forget to subscribe.    Subscribe to our RSS feed for further updates   Show notes The West Wing A recipe for Cheese Puffs Next podcast we’ll be reading False Value

The Follycast Episode 10: The October Man In this month’s episode… We continue our three part look at the Rivers Of London novellas by Ben Aaronovitch that have been published so far, with The October Man. For the first time in the podcast we leave Peter, The Folly and London behind as we investigate uncanny events in Trier, Germany with a new team. We also discuss the nature of spin-offs more generally and are actually surprised in hindsight at how many new things we learn about the rules of the Rivers universe. Some have direct implications for the unfolding story in London, particularly the nature of  River Gods and their offspring. As a result, we totally forget to ask the most obvious question: who is the October Man? Next episode: What Abigail Did That Summer. Credits Hosted by Margaret Holborn and Richard Marks, with Jan Trott and Jennie Beck Produced by Richard Marks for Uncertain Smile productions Theme tune: ‘London Is Inspired’ by Cutwater: www.cutwaterband.co.uk. Cover image: Mack Chater (@MackChater) Contact us Email follypodcast@gmail.com with your feedback on this and upcoming books. We particularly like short (max 2 mins) audio feedback via mp3 or the audio format of your choice! Follow us on Twitter @thefollycast We are available via iTunes, Soundcloud, Spotify, YouTube and all good pod catchers, so don’t forget to subscribe.    Subscribe to our RSS feed for further updates   Show notes Ben A’s twitter feed Next podcast we’ll be reading What Abigail Did That Summer

The Follycast Episode 9: The Furthest Station   In this month’s episode… With the recent publication of ‘What Abigail Did That Summer’, we embark on a three part look at the Rivers Of London novellas by Ben Aaronovitch that have been published so far, starting with The Furthest Station. Following a series of ghost sightings by commuters on the Metropolitan line, Peter, Jaget and Abigail investigate.  Suffice it to say, we all loved this one! Credits Hosted by Margaret Holborn and Richard Marks, with Jan Trott and Jennie Beck Produced by Richard Marks for Uncertain Smile productions Theme tune: ‘London Is Inspired’ by Cutwater: www.cutwaterband.co.uk. Cover image: Mack Chater (@MackChater) Contact us Email follypodcast@gmail.com with your feedback on this and upcoming books. We particularly like short (max 2 mins) audio feedback via mp3 or the audio format of your choice! Follow us on Twitter @thefollycast We are available via iTunes, Soundcloud, Spotify, YouTube and all good pod catchers, so don’t forget to subscribe.    Subscribe to our RSS feed for further updates   Show notes Richard mentions that the Expanse series has novellas. It’s also a great TV series Jenny referenced Heath Robinson Richard defended Arcade Fire Next podcast we’ll be reading The October Man We found this about the River Chess The interview with Ben at the back of the original publication of the Furthest Station A series of interviews here done for Forbidden planet You Tube channel

The Follycast Episode 8: Tales From The Folly In this month’s episode… …..after reading the first seven novels and still recovering from the climax of Lies Sleeping, we take a sidestep to look at the recently published short story collection, Tales From The Folly. Whilst we don’t usually enjoy short stories, we do enjoy these tales. A short story collection can be like a box of Quality Street chocolates – a bit hit and miss. So which are the caramel swirls and which are the green triangles? Along the way we get into a discussion about the birds and the bees of how rivers procreate and suggest some other Rivers characters that could feature in future short stories or novellas. We also reveal the results of our poll of listeners’ favourite stories from the book, which contains some surprises. Credits Hosted by Margaret Holborn and Richard Marks, with Jan Trott and Jennie Beck Produced by Richard Marks for Uncertain Smile productions Theme tune: ‘London Is Inspired’ by Cutwater: www.cutwaterband.co.uk. Cover image: Mack Chater (@MackChater) Contact us Email follypodcast@gmail.com with your feedback on this and upcoming books. We particularly like short (max 2 mins) audio feedback via mp3 or the audio format of your choice! Follow us on Twitter @thefollycast We are available via iTunes, Soundcloud, Spotify, YouTube and all good pod catchers, so don’t forget to subscribe.    Subscribe to our RSS feed for further updates   Show notes Moment 4: Christmas Moment Our theme tune and the rest of Cutwater’s excellent album are on Spotify!  

The Follycast Episode 7: Lies Sleeping In this month’s episode… …..we review Lies Sleeping, book seven in the Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch. The book brings to a conclusion the Faceless Man and Mr Punch plotlines (or does it?) in a story that somehow ties together magical bells, oubliettes, The Silmarillion, Merlin, King Arthur, goat sacrifices, foxes, cheese puffs, St Pauls, Glastonbury, Roman London and Covent Garden Tesco Metro. In our next episode we will be reviewing the recently released book of short stories ‘Tales From the Folly’ Credits Hosted by Margaret Holborn and Richard Marks, with Jan Trott and Jennie Beck Produced by Richard Marks for Uncertain Smile productions Theme tune: ‘London Is Inspired’ by Cutwater: www.cutwaterband.co.uk. Cover image: Mack Chater (@MackChater) Contact us Email follypodcast@gmail.com with your feedback on this and upcoming books. We particularly like short (max 2 mins) audio feedback via mp3 or the audio format of your choice! Follow us on Twitter @thefollycast We are available via iTunes, Soundcloud, Spotify, YouTube and all good pod catchers, so don’t forget to subscribe.    Subscribe to our RSS feed for further updates Shownotes During the episode we discussed the following: The Silmarillion by Tolkein Tales From The Folly Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson Doctor Who: Battlefield by Ben Aaronovitch Genius Loci by Ben Aaronovitch  

The Follycast Episode 6: The Hanging Tree In this month’s episode… … after a magical midsummer sojourn with unicorns and fairies, we are firmly back in London and the hunt for the Faceless Man takes centre stage. Peter and Guleed investigate a drug-related death at a socialite party and along the way encounter shady US agents, Lady Ty floods part of central London and we discover the history of magic from a female perspective. And yes, Lesley is back and Harrods electrical department is trashed in the process. We tackle such issues as the collective noun for rich girls, at what point in the book Richard’s head nearly exploded, why Rivers Of London books are easier to read on a Kindle and what any of this has to do with the history of women’s football and the Number 14 bus route. Credits Hosted by Margaret Holborn and Richard Marks, with Jan Trott and Jennie Beck Produced by Richard Marks for Uncertain Smile productions Theme tune: ‘London Is Inspired’ by Cutwater: www.cutwaterband.co.uk. Cover image: Mack Chater (@MackChater) Contact us Email follypodcast@gmail.com with your feedback on this and upcoming books. We particularly like short (max 2 mins) audio feedback via mp3 or the audio format of your choice! Follow us on Twitter @thefollycast We are available via iTunes, Soundcloud, Spotify, YouTube and all good pod catchers, so don’t forget to subscribe.    Subscribe to our RSS feed for further updates Shownotes During the episode we discussed the following: Nadine’s Map Journal for The Hanging Tree Newton’s Principia When Football Banned Women

The Follycast Episode 5: Foxglove Summer In this month’s episode… …after a summer break we discuss, appropriately enough, Foxglove Summer – book five in the bestselling Peter Grant series of novels by Ben Aaronovitch. It’s a story that ties together changelings, unicorns, dogging, forests, steam traction engines, bees, fairy queens and Roman Roads, but if we are entirely honest, did we entirely understand the plot? Is it a much needed break from London and the Folly, or frustrating after the explosive conclusion of the book before it, Broken Homes? After a re-read is it still Margaret’s favourite book? Why does Jennie think it ends like an opera? Why does Richard hang around in a den of geeks and will Jan be able to visit Herefordshire any more? All this will be revealed in the next 42 minutes.   Credits Hosted by Margaret Holborn and Richard Marks, with Jan Trott and Jennie Beck Produced by Richard Marks for Uncertain Smile productions Theme tune: ‘London Is Inspired’ by Cutwater: www.cutwaterband.co.uk. Cover image: Mack Chater (@MackChater) Contact us Email follypodcast@gmail.com with your feedback on this and upcoming books. We particularly like short (max 2 mins) audio feedback via mp3 or the audio format of your choice! Follow us on Twitter @thefollycast We are available via iTunes, Soundcloud, Spotify, YouTube and all good pod catchers, so don’t forget to subscribe.    Subscribe to our RSS feed for further updates Shownotes During the episode we discussed the following: Den Of Geek article: Lies Sleeping & the challenge of crafting an intersectional narrator for the Rivers Of London Series Nadine Hughes’s Foxglove Summer Interactive Map Other maps in the Follypedia Star Trek: The Next Generation – Family The new short story collection, Tales From The Folly

The Follycast Episode 4: Broken Homes In this month’s episode… …we discuss ‘Whispers Underground’, the fourth novel in the Rivers Of London series by Ben Aaronovitch. In Broken Homes, Peter finds a whole new set of senior officers to annoy as bodies pile up across the home counties and South London. All roads lead to Skygarden tower, a fictional, but strangely familiar, tower block in Elephant & Castle. Peter and Lesley move in together, but not in the way many of us would have been hoping for back when we were reading book one. We experience a trippy Spring Court on the South Bank, Nightingale manages to lay waste to a farmhouse and the book ends with a huge revelation, much to the relief of hosts Margaret and Richard who have been carefully policing potential spoilers in the first three podcasts. As BBC continuity announcers are fond of saying, “Things will never be the same after this episode of the Follycast.” Credits Hosted by Margaret Holborn and Richard Marks, with Jan Trott and Jennie Beck Produced by Richard Marks for UncertainSmile productions Theme tune: ‘London Is Inspired’ by Cutwater: www.cutwaterband.co.uk. Cover image: Mack Chater (@MackChater) Contact us Email follypodcast@gmail.com with your feedback on this and upcoming books. We particularly like short (max 2 mins) audio feedback via mp3 or the audio format of your choice! Follow us on Twitter @thefollycast We are available via iTunes, Soundcloud, Spotify and all good pod catchers, so don’t forget to subscribe.    Subscribe to our RSS feed for further updates Shownotes During the episode we discussed the following: Rivers Of London graphic novels- Body Work Night Witch The new short story collection, Tales From The Folly We also discussed: Gallifrey Heygate Estate Elephant Park For those who couldn’t place it, the music playing at 3:15 into the podcast is the theme tune from the 1980s US comedy, ‘Soap’

The Follycast Episode 3: Whispers Underground In this month’s episode… …we discuss ‘Whispers Underground’, the third novel in the Rivers Of London series by Ben Aaronovitch. We review a tale of pigs, potteries, FBI agents, sewers, art installations, Underground raves, earthbenders and time travel hallucination.  The Grant and May partnership is back, but how well is Lesley coping and how has her relationship with Peter evolved? Are the noticeably lower level of horror and the smaller body count good things? If Zach had been more co-operative would that have made for a much shorter book? Does the London Underground feature as much as we were hoping? Eight years on from ‘Whispers Underground’ will Crossrail ever be finished? Meanwhile, as Peter settles down to watch the 2012 Doctor Who Christmas special at the end of his first year at the Folly (yes, everything so far really did all happen in the same year) we close the episode with a Rivers Of London quiz covering the first three books. Play along at home! Credits Hosted by Margaret Holborn and Richard Marks, with Jan Trott and Jennie Beck Produced by Richard Marks for UncertainSmile productions Theme tune: ‘London Is Inspired’ by Cutwater: www.cutwaterband.co.uk. Cover image: Mack Chater (@MackChater) Contact us Email follypodcast@gmail.com with your feedback on this and upcoming books. We particularly like short (max 2 mins) audio feedback via mp3 or the audio format of your choice! Follow us on Twitter @thefollycast We are available via iTunes, Soundcloud, Spotify and all good pod catchers, so don’t forget to subscribe.    Subscribe to our RSS feed for further updates Shownotes During the episode we discussed the following: Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman The Time Machine by HG Wells Pottery Lane Kindle X ray? Here is a short story available online, set during the 2012 Olympics: The Home Crowd Advantage by Ben Aaronovitch

  The Follycast Episode 2: Moon Over Soho In this month’s episode… …we discuss ‘Moon Over Soho’, the second novel in the Rivers Of London series by Ben Aaronovitch. We all loved the first book, so how does this live up to expectations as a sequel? We welcome important new characters to the series and witness the appearance of a major new foe. We debate some of Peter’s questionable choices, Richard shares his childhood nightmares and we wonder at exactly what point in the future Peter Grant decides to get this all down on paper.  All whilst listening to multiple versions of ‘Body and Soul’ We introduce our first listener feedback section, but there’s no spoiler zone this episode (although the spoiler klaxon does make its debut for the first time).   Credits Hosted by Margaret Holborn and Richard Marks, with Jan Trott and Jennie Beck Produced by Richard Marks for UncertainSmile productions Theme tune: ‘London Is Inspired’ by Cutwater: www.cutwaterband.co.uk. Cover image: Mack Chater (@MackChater) Contact us Email follypodcast@gmail.com with your feedback on this and upcoming books. We particularly like short (max 2 mins) audio feedback via mp3 or the audio format of your choice! Follow us on Twitter @thefollycast We are available via iTunes, Soundcloud, Spotify and all good pod catchers, so don’t forget to subscribe.    Subscribe to our RSS feed for further updates Shownotes During the episode we discussed the following: Kate Mosse JK Rowling  Andrew Cartmel’s  Vinyl Detective series Neal Stephenson’ Baroque Trilogy Doctor Who: Survival ‘If’ by Lindsay Anderson Four versions of ‘Body and Soul’ are featured during the podcast. In order they are: Coleman Hawkins & His Orchestra John Coltrane Ella Fitzgerald Ken ‘Snakehips’ Johnson

  The Follycast Episode 1: Rivers Of London In this month’s episode… …we start our look at the Rivers Of London novels by Ben Aaronovitch with – logically enough – Rivers Of London itself, the first book in the series. Will new readers Jennie and Jan share hosts Margaret and Richard’s enthusiasm for the world of the Folly?  In the nail biting finale to the show we find out whether our control sample want to stick with the podcast for the next book or whether we will need a new pair of ‘test subjects’ upon whom to inflict our enthusiasm next time. Before that dramatic reveal we speculate about the influences on the book, London as a character in the novel and the significance of the ‘Molly Folly Bite Time Machine’. We wonder how on earth it could be made into a TV show and, in his desperate attempts to not mention Doctor Who, Richard talks about Sons Of Anarchy for no obvious reason. Richard and Margaret then retire to a spoiler zone to discuss how the book works effectively as a ‘Season Premiere’. What about spoilers? Each show will contain plot points for that particular book but, to not spoil the series for new readers, how the book fits into the series as a whole will be left to the end of each podcast (from 37:20 in this episode), so new readers can skip and come back at a later date. Credits Hosted by Margaret Holborn and Richard Marks, with guests Jan Trott and Jennie Beck Produced by Richard Marks for UncertainSmile productions Theme tune: ‘London Is Inspired’ by Cutwater: www.cutwaterband.co.uk.You can hear the track in full at the end of the pod from 47:35 Cover image: Mack Chater (@MackChater) Contact us Email follypodcast@gmail.com with your feedback on this and upcoming books. We particularly like short (max 2 mins) audio feedback via mp3 or the audio format of your choice! Follow us on Twitter @thefollycast We are available via iTunes, Soundcloud, Spotify and all good pod catchers, so don’t forget to subscribe.    Subscribe to our RSS feed for further updates Shownotes During the episode we discussed the following: Guardian Podcast with Ben Aaronovitch (very mild spoilers) Rivers Of London – the TV series? Hawksmoor by Peter Ackroyd London’s Lost Rivers by Paul Talling Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman Neal Stephenson’ Baroque Trilogy Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis Sons Of Anarchy Istanbul by Orhan Pamuk The Bone Clocks

About the Follycast Welcome to the Follycast, a Rivers of London bookclub podcast, in which we discuss each book in the PC Grant series of fantasy detective novels by Ben Aaronovitch.  Each podcast will contain plot points for that particular book but, to not spoil the series for new readers, how the book fits into the series as a whole will be left to the end of each podcast, so new readers can skip. Credits Hosted by Margaret Holborn and Richard Marks, with guests Jan Trott and Jennie Beck Produced by Richard Marks for UncertainSmile productions Theme tune: ‘London Is Inspired’ by Cutwater: www.cutwaterband.co.uk Cover image: Mack Chater (@MackChater) Contact us Email follypodcast@gmail.com with your feedback on this and upcoming books. We particularly like short (max 2 mins) audio feedback via mp3 or the audio format of your choice! Follow us on Twitter @thefollycast We are available via iTunes, Soundcloud and Spotify, so don’t forget to subscribe.