The October Man is a novella by Ben Aaronovitch.
It was written between February and May in 2018[1] and was published on 13th June 2019. A short extract is available online.[2]
The audiobook is narrated by actor Sam Peter Jackson.[3]
Etymology[]
The German word “Oktobermann” may be an old-fashioned colloquialism for a good-looking “ladies’ man”, especially if born in October.
Plot[]
Tobias Winter of the KDA is called to Trier, where a vineyard is apparently killing people. Solving the mystery together with the local police, Vanessa Sommer, requires the uncovering of secrets dating back to Roman times.[4]
List of returning characters[]
- Tobias Winter
- Die Chefin, AKA "The Director", Tobias' boss
- Thomas Nightingale (mentioned)
- Peter Grant (mentioned)
List of characters introduced in this story[]
- Tobias' family and friends:
- Herr Winter, Tobias' father
- Frau Winter, Tobias' mother
- 'Uncle' Stefan, friend of Tobias' father
- Police in Trier, etc:
- Kriminalkommissarin Vanessa Sommer
- Polizeihauptkommissarin Lisa Ziegler
- Erster Kriminalhauptkommissar Ralf Förstner
- Prof. Dr. Carmela Weissbachmann, patologist
- Elton Schuster, head of the rapid response team
- Maximilian Uzun, constable
- Fae etc
- Kelly, goddess of the river Kyll
- Morgane, child goddess of the river Mosel
- Gunter Hirsch
- People in Trier
- Jaqueline Stracker, vineyard owner and wine maker
- Jason Agnielli, chef at Jacqueline Stracker's restaurant
- Dominique “Gaston” Farandis, a tattoo parlour owner
- Petra, a museum guide
- "The Society for Drinking Good Wines":
- Historical people:
- Christian Stracker, Kelly's husband (18:th century)
- Ferdinand Tietz, sculptor (18th century)
- Gabriel Beck, a practitioner from Cologne (18th century)
- Dr Hugo Braun, author, presumably practitioner (?)
- Heinrich Brandt (1945–1982)
Timeline[]
The following is an outline of the internal event timeline.
Cave pericula secunda! The following sections may contain spoilers for all novels and comics. |
- ca. 300 BC: Kelly born
- 1754–1766:
- Ferdinand Teitz working in Trier
- Gabriel Beck courts Kelly but is spurned
- Kelly and Christian Stracker in love ("How old were you?" "2000 going on 17...")
- Marriage between Kelly and Christian Stracker
- 1765:
- Gabriel Beck accuses Kelly of witchcraft
- Christian Stracker challenges Gabriel Beck to duel
- Kelly's and Christian's baby boy is born
- Christian Stracker killed by Gabriel Beck
- Kelly floods the Mosel valley, Gabriel Beck flees but is caught by Kelly and buried alive (but undying) on the Markusberg
- Kelly's baby is fostered to the Stracker family
- 1945:
- Heinrich Brandt born (revenant by GB) during allied bombing of Trier
- Kelly protects Nightingale, who is fleeing nazi werewolves, for three days under the Roman bridge
- Kellys mother, the Mosel, "cleaned", i.e. killed, by the Ahnenerbe
- 1970: Jaqueline Stracker born
- 1982: 12 year old JS stalked and attacked by HB, he is shot by her; HB disappears (killed?)
- 1984: JS' grandfather offers wine to Kyll; JS tries to steal it and meets Kelly; Kelly thanks her but claims the old pact is over
- 1993: JS' grandfather dies and the vineyard is lain fallow
- ?: JS moves to California
- 2011?: JS returns to Trier
- 2011: Morgane born
- 2013: The Society for drinking Good Wines founded; picnic by the riverside; probable start of beneficial river influence on their lives
- 2015:
- (August) Picnic by the Mariensäule; probable start of Gabriel Beck's sequestration of Jonas Diekmayer
- Jason Agnelli hired by Jacqueline Stracker, he begins to feel attracted by her
- (October) Jason Agnelli and Jörg Koch murdered; Tobias Winter identifies and arrests the murderer
- The Chefin declares the old agreements are voided by Nightingale taking not only a single apprentice (Peter Grant), but several (Lesley May, Abigail Kamara), and offers Vanessa a job at the KDA
- (December) Vanessa Sommer transfers to the BKA/KDA