Rivers of London

Rivers of London, Book 1

By: Ben Aaronovitch

Narrated by: Kobna Holdbrook-Smith

Book 1 in the Rivers of London series, from Sunday Times Number One bestselling author Ben Aaronovitch.

My name is Peter Grant, and I used to be a probationary constable in that mighty army for justice known to all right-thinking people as the Metropolitan Police Service, and to everyone else as the Filth.

My story really begins when I tried to take a witness statement from a man who was already dead...

Probationary Constable Peter Grant dreams of being a detective in London's Metropolitan Police. After taking a statement from an eyewitness who happens to be a ghost, Peter comes to the attention of Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale, who investigates crimes involving magic and other manifestations of the uncanny.

Suddenly, 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.

Praise for the Rivers of London novels:

'Ben Aaronovitch has created a wonderful world full of mystery, magic and fantastic characters. I love being there more than the real London'
NICK FROST

'As brilliant and funny as ever'
THE SUN

'Charming, witty, exciting'
THE INDEPENDENT

'An incredibly fast-moving magical joyride for grown-ups'
THE TIMES

Discover why this incredible series has sold over two million copies around the world. If you're a fan of Terry Pratchett or Douglas Adams - don't panic - you will love Ben Aaronovitch's imaginative, irreverent and all-round irresistible novels.©2011 Ben Aaronovitch

Critic reviews

A darkly comic read with characters you can't help but like

Funny and wildly inventive

Masterfully crafted . . . gives the late, great Terry Pratchett a run for his money

Ben Aaronovitch has created a wonderful world full of mystery, magic and fantastic characters. I love being there even more than the real London

Charming, witty, exciting

An incredibly fast-moving magical joyride for grown-ups

What would happen if Harry Potter grew up and joined the Fuzz. A hilarious, keenly imagined caper

A consummate story of real policing in a vividly real world intersecting the decidedly unreal to marvellous effect. Filled with detail and imagination, the quality of this achievement stands out, making Aaronovitch a name to watch

Magical, mysterious and mesmerising, Rivers of London will have you spellbound

An engaging mix of magic and police procedural, this is a great kick off to a very promising series as well as the most satisfying fantasy thriller to hit bookshelves in quite some time. Witty, imaginative and gripping

We can't fault the pace, ingenuity and creativity of Rivers of London. With each page, we're eager to learn more about this mysterious new world, set on very familiar streets

The perfect blend of CSI and Harry Potter

Great, great fun

It's a real treat - Hot Fuzz meets Harry Potter via hardboiled police procedural - with a compelling cast of characters and a nail-biting mystery to be solved

Rivers of London manages to be fresh and original and a wonderful read. I loved it

Nice urban fantasy

Nothing stood out in either direction, it had no brilliant parts but also no horrible drops in quality. A nice distraction. 4/5 is just right

I really enjoyed this book!

This book seem to be both loved, and hated. Me personally loved it. If you like magic, English police and som mystery you might enjoy this book..

Not Harry Potter, but...

This book was a very pleasant surprise. The story is good, the narrator is excellent. The premise is a little old, but to be honest do any of us get sick of wizards and other "spirits of the night"?

The story as told was utterly believable and had a good dose of humor. It doesn't take itself too seriously and I actually cared about the characters.

Dry Entertaining

This is a Great listen and very well narrated. Definitely recommend for the commute to work.

The narrator is great, but...

The music in between chapters took me out of the immersion. Otherwise, no complaints. Fun time.