Rivers of London is billed as "What would happen if Harry Potter grew up and joined the fuzz". I disagree. When Harry Potter grew up he knew there was magic. PC Peter Grant did not know or believe in magic until he was left by himself while protecting a murder scene while his partner goes for coffee. While alone he is greeted by what he believes is a ghost. After the ghost leaves a man walks by and identifies himself as a DCI Thomas Nightingale.
At the same time, he and a fellow PC Lesley May are reaching the end of their probation and pondering and hoping for an exciting assignment. Lesly gets the job she dreams of, joining a major crime department while Peter finds out he going to be pushing paper for his career.
Enter DCI Thomas Nightingale, and PC Grant finds himself in a secret investigation department, which consists of DCI Nightingale and now himself. Their department basically investigates things that go bump in the night. As Peter is introduced to magic and begins his lessons he learns there is a lot more to Nightingale than meets the eye.
Rivers of London introduces us to a new magical story and Ben Aaronovitch's imagination is magical in its own self. Aaronovitch takes Peter through modern England and its history to tell this story. Some parts get a little long but all in all, this is a very solid book and a very good lead-in for a brand new series. While I am late getting into this series, I will probably catch up with it by the end of the year.
I rate this 3.5 stars, and I bet this series gets better as time goes on.
Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch
Book 1 in the Rivers of London Series
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