Review - Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch

Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Probationary Constable Peter Grant dreams of being a detective in London’s Metropolitan Police. Too bad his superior plans to assign him to the Case Progression Unit, where the biggest threat he’ll face is a paper cut. But Peter’s prospects change in the aftermath of a puzzling murder, when he gains exclusive information from an eyewitness who happens to be a ghost. Peter’s ability to speak with the lingering dead brings him to the attention of Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale, who investigates crimes involving magic and other manifestations of the uncanny. Now, as a wave of brutal and bizarre murders engulfs the city, Peter is plunged into a world where gods and goddesses mingle with mortals and a long-dead evil is making a comeback on a rising tide of magic.

Well this book ticked the box "Set in London" for a reading group challenge. It was lent to me by my DIL and I wasn't quite sure what to expect or what I'd make of it.

The main character, Peter Grant, is a probationary police officer with the Metropolitan Police in London. He finds himself caught up in a murder enquiry that involves ghosts, a department of the police led by a wizard and all sorts of other nonsense.

Despite how daft that all might sound I did actually enjoy the book, although it did take me a while to get into it. There's also a lot of information about London thrown in, particularly about the river Thames and its tributaries.

It was definitely a good bit of light reading during lockdown but not sure I'm hooked enough to carry on with the series.

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