Peter Grant has just reached the end of his probationary period in the London Metropolitan Police. He wants to be a detective, but his superiors have pretty much decided he’s ripe for a desk job. But that changes the night that he’s given an exclusive eye witness account to a murder – by a ghost. That brings him to the attention of Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale – the more or less one man department in charge of all supernatural goings on in London.
Almost before he knows it, Peter is an apprentice sorcerer, learning that there’s far more going on in London than he ever dreamed, including a long running feud between dueling deities of the Thames, and an old evil centered in Covent Garden, trying to return to the land of the living.
I loved this book – it’s centered in a very real London, and the supernatural aspects blend in well – they fit better than many of your stereotypical vampires or river spirits. It’s just a great story, and I very much look forward to reading more.
I would like to know why they felt the need to rename this book for an American audience. Rivers of London is a quite serviceable name, and pretty well captures what the whole book is about. Midnight Riot is a only a tiny slice of the action. All I can think is that rights are weird.