League of Dragons, by Naomi Novik

The final instalment of the Temeraire versus Napoleon saga sees hungry, freezing and exhausted aviators and dragons pursuing the French tyrant in his retreat from Russia. Napoleon may have lost the battle, but the war is far from over and he has big plans. This includes a spot of egg-napping, which leads Lawrence and Temeraire into captivity. History nerds will know the eventual outcome, so the interest lies in the journey there and how it is altered by the presence of dragons. In truth the social and political reforms achieved by the dragons during this period is unbelievably rapid, but make for a nice conclusion. The prospect of Temeraire MP is delightful, but it is difficult to fathom Westminster accommodating dragons – physically or socially.

Enola Holmes 2 (2022), directed by Harry Bradbeer

After her success with the Tewkesbury case, Sherlock’s little sister has set herself up in business as a private detective. Unfortunately Victorian England affords little respect for independent young women and she is about to shut up shop when a case of a missing match girl comes her way. This lands her in the middle of a murky commercial and political conspiracy, already under investigation by big brother, and sees her charged with murder. It takes all her ingenuity and not a little help from family and friends to solve the case and save the day. Breaking the fourth wall can be annoying, especially in a period piece, but Millie Bobby Brown is a delight as Enola and she pulls it off. Henry Cavill and Helena Bonham Carter reprise their roles as Enola’s detective brother and suffragette mother, contributing to another thoroughly entertaining take on the Holmes legend. A Netflix success.

Digging up Dirt, by Pamela Hart

A researcher with ABC Kids, Poppy McGowan is in the midst of renovating her inner city Sydney worker’s cottage when a contractor finds bones under the floorboards. Reno stalled by an archaeological dig, overseen by Poppy’s arch enemy, she soon finds herself in a nightmare of murder and political intrigue, all complicated by her attraction to the victim’s boyfriend. An enormous suspension of disbelief is required to get past the unlikely police operating procedures and ABC journalistic practices that allow Poppy to become an instant investigative reporter and amateur detective. But it’s all good fun, with some interesting family dynamics thrown in to round out the story.

The Furthest Station, by Ben Aaronovitch

The seventh book in the Rivers of London series is a super short one, more of a novella or a longish short story than a novel. It takes us back to the London Underground, with a series of ghostly encounters reported on the Metropolitan Line. Constable Peter Grant and his teen cousin Abigail must get to the bottom of magical messages that could lead to solving a non-magical crime. No sign of the faceless man or erstwhile colleague Lesley in this brief tale, but the scene is set for Abigail to be properly apprenticed to the magical unit of the Metropolitan Police.

The Trip to Greece (2020), directed by Michael Winterbottom

In the final instalment of their foodie odyssey, Rob Brydon and Steve Coogan enjoy a couple of Greek islands and some mainland tourist experiences. The premise is that they are following in the footsteps of Odysseus, but this is not really an epic journey. Although they have thankfully moved on from the Michael Caine impressions, the repartee and ribbing still falls a little flat – same old, same old. There is less focus on the food this time, although there are some of the usual kitchen shots and ultra-professional waitstaff. The gorgeous scenery is a feature, but it manages to avoid masquerading as a Greek tourism commercial. The fictional element of the Trip is the strongest in this last outing, with a poignant throughline of love and loss, involving Steve’s father and son and Rob’s wife. It’s a fitting end to the trips, fortunately completed pre-COVID, during which we could now only dream of such indulgence.

The Hanging Tree, by Ben Aaronovitch

Formidable river goddess Lady Tyburn’s daughter is caught up in the drug-related death of a fellow rich kid and Constable Peter grant owes her a favour. Of course the crime turns out to have a supernatural element so Peter is drawn in on two fronts, with the associated search for a powerful stolen magical text. A lot of other magical practitioners also want the book, leading to a multiple magical tussle. The tale see the return of Lesley May, face restored, and her boss the Faceless Man, whose connection to the case is unexpected. The Rivers of London universe is expanding to reveal all sorts of new creatures and practitioners, some of whom make dubious allies to Peter Grant and his colleagues. It is always a joy to see Peter blending standard policing techniques with magical innovations to solve the crime. This book takes him a step closer to defeating the Faceless Man as his abilities and networks expand.

Spellbreaker, by Charlie M Holmberg

Elsie is assistant to a stonemason and also a secret spellbreaker in a Victorian England where magic rules, rather than science and technology. An orphan with abandonment issues, Elsie has contributed her talents for many years to a secret organisation she believes is dedicated to freeing up magic for the poor and oppressed. When she is caught on a secret mission by aspiring magic master Bacchus Kelsey, he obtains her help in return for not turning her in to the authorities. There is a lot going on in this very complicated story, which gets bogged down in too much exposition and florid description. The plot relies on unlikely coincidences and the wilful ignorance of its otherwise intelligent protagonist. Its resolution reads as though made up on the fly. This has the bones of a good tale, with some interesting characters, but needed at least one more draft and a damn good edit to make it work.