It’s entirely possibly that I’m missing something, but I’m not sure why Rivers of London couldn’t have started in 2011? (Aside from Ben Aaronovitch’s say-so, of course). That would take care of the anachronisms in The Home Crowd Advantage, no?

The Home Crowd Advantage has to take place in 2012 because that’s when the Summer Olympics is. Peter has a taser, which he didn’t get until Broken Homes, and he mentions Oxford Circus, which happens in Whispers Under Ground, so that’s two points in favor of RoL starting in 2011.

As far as I can tell, there isn’t anything else mentioned in the short story that would require it to take place between RoL and Moon Over Soho. Lesley isn’t in it, so that’s not a factor.

Based on sixthlight's super helpful timeline, it would also make more sense for Whispers Under Ground to take place during 2011 because Christmas falls on a Sunday in 2011, which matches the book’s timeline. There doesn’t seem to be anything else in RoL through BH that requires the 2012 timeline. (And it would give Ben Aaronovitch a whole other year to write about before getting to Brexit/Trump, which, like, has to be a plus.)

So, is there a reason why the timeline can’t be:

January-June 2011: Rivers of London

Sept-October 2011: Moon Over Soho

December 2011: Whispers Under Ground

February-April 2012: Broken Homes

July 27, 2012: The Home Crowd Advantage

August 2012: Foxglove Summer

Help???????

I guess Varvara isn’t mentioned in the short story, but I feel like that can be explained away more easily than the taser and the Oxford Circus mention.

Crossposted on tumblr.