Magic impacts Peter and his partner, PC Lesley May, as early as the first book-May, in working their first case in Midnight Riot, suffers a serious magical injury that haunts her through the rest of the series. Peter becomes deeply embroiled with the magical world-called the Demi-monde-interacting with fae, the gods and goddesses of London’s rivers, and other magic users, some of whom don’t have Nightingale’s scruples.įurther reading: The Best New Fantasy Books

‘It’s witty, fun, and full of vivid characters, and the plot twists will keep even seasoned mystery fans guessing.Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale, who is also the last officially registered wizard in England, takes Peter under his wing, both as a police officer and as a magical apprentice. ‘A witty and inventive twist to urban fantasy… Wouldn’t let go until the last page.’ - Mario Acevedo ‘A hilarious, keenly imagined caper.’ - Diana Gabaldon

‘… fresh and original and a wonderful read. Which, I don’t mind telling you, would involve a hell of a lot of paperwork.

The spirit of riot and rebellion has awakened in the city, and it’s fallen to me to bring order out of chaos – or die trying. Now I’m dealing with nests of vampires in Purley, negotiating a truce between the warring god and goddess of the River Thames and digging up graves in Covent Garden – and that’s just the routine stuff.īecause there’s something festering at the heart of the city I love, a malicious, vengeful spirit that takes ordinary Londoners and twists them into grotesque mannequins to act out its drama of violence and despair. Now I’m in plain clothes and the first apprentice wizard in fifty years, and my world has become somewhat more complicated. Then one night, in pursuance of a murder inquiry, I tried to take a witness statement from a man who was dead, but disturbingly voluble and that brought me to the attention Chief Inspector Nightingale, the last wizard in Britain.Īnd that, as they say, is where the story really starts. My only concerns in life were avoiding a transfer to the Case Progression Unit – We do paperwork so other coppers don’t have to – and where to get a hot coffee while on late shift. My name is Peter Grant and until recently I was just another probationary constable in that mighty army for justice known to all right thinking people as the Metropolitan Police and by everyone else as the filth. Restored to its original British title Rivers of London, this Author’s Preferred Edition includes revised text never before seen by US readers and a new introduction by the author. 10th Anniversary Edition of Midnight Riot by #1 Sunday Times bestselling author Ben Aaronovitch, the first book in the international bestselling Rivers of London series!

Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch