What Abigail Did That Summer

August 15, 2021 7:00 AM - by Aaronovitch, Ben

It is the summer of 2013 and Abigail Kamara has been left to her own devices. This might, by those who know her, be considered a mistake.

While her cousin, police constable and apprentice wizard Peter Grant, is off in the sticks chasing unicorns, Abigail is chasing her own mystery. Teenagers around Hampstead Heath have been going missing but before the police can get fully engaged, the teens return home - unharmed but vague about where they've been.

Aided only by her new friend Simon, her knowledge that magic is real, and a posse of talking foxes that think they're spies, Abigail must venture into the wilds of Hampstead to discover who is luring the teenagers and more importantly - why?

This is the long-promised novella about what Abigail was getting up to during the events of Foxglove Summer (Peter hints about it in The Furthest Station.)

posted by Wretch729 (6 comments total)

I am a sucker for anything involving Abigail so I've been excited for this one since Aaronovitch teased it as upcoming. I thought the characterization of Abigail was great; I loved the insight into her relationship with Nightingale. It'll be interesting to see if/how Aaronovitch develops the idea of the Home Office MI5 spooks have their own knowledge of and attitudes towards magic. He's hinted at it before, in the German book and in how the Virginia Gentlemen guys were disposed of.
posted by Wretch729 at 7:18 AM on August 15, 2021 [1 favorite]

I do like seeing the way stories look from other characters' POVs, and enjoyed this one. Would be nice to see a short story compilation of similar ones, though some of the comics do this too.
posted by Marticus at 5:43 PM on August 15, 2021

Would be nice to see a short story compilation of similar ones, though some of the comics do this too.

Some of the short stories in Tales from the Folly definitely fit this bill (this is largely the Waterstones Short Stories, with a couple other short pieces in there).
posted by dinty_moore at 8:04 PM on August 15, 2021 [2 favorites]

I was so charmed by this story, especially as a person who already really liked Abigail. And of course, I want a posse of foxes to go adventuring with now.
posted by PussKillian at 10:21 AM on August 16, 2021

Loved this! Abigail is such a great character.
posted by Coaticass at 2:51 PM on August 21, 2021

Saving this for when the cold & dark are really weighing on me this winter, because I know Abigail will be bright & warm.
posted by wenestvedt at 1:09 PM on November 4, 2021