Books 158-159: Rivers of London and Third Grave Dead Ahead
Book 158: Rivers of London (Peter Grant #1).
Author: Ben Aaronovitch, 2011.
Genre: Urban Fantasy. Police Procedural. Black Comedy. Ghosts. Myth and Legend.
Other Details: Hardback. 392 pages.
The spirit of riot and rebellion has awakened in the city, and it’s falling to me to bring order out of chaos - or die trying. - Peter Grant, narrator of The Rivers of London.
Peter Grant had been a probationary constable in the Metropolitan Police until he attempted to take a witness statement from a ghost during a murder enquiry. Peter's ability to communicate with the corporally challenged brings him to the attention of Detective Inspector Thomas Nightingale, the last wizard in England, who is in charge of investigations into crimes involving magic and other manifestations of the supernatural. Peter is promoted to Detective Constable and becomes a trainee wizard under Nightingale's tutelage. He finds himself plunged into a strange world that sees him dealing with nests of vampires and assisting in complex negotiations between warring gods and goddesses of the rivers of London. There is also a wave of murders linked to that initial crime in which a malignant spirit is taking over the bodies of ordinary Londoners in order to act out a violent drama.
I could tell from the outset that Aaronovitch is in love with London and, as suggested by the title, its history and cityscape are central to the story. It is also very much a police procedural as Peter Grant and others investigate a series of strange murders. Having lived in London for well over a decade and worked in the Covent Garden area, it was like returning home and visiting familiar sights. His descriptions of London were somewhat more detailed than other writers and I attributed this to catering for readers not so familiar with London.
The story was fast-paced with plenty of pop culture references and wry humour and I loved it. It has been published in the US as Midnight Riot.
Ben Aaronovitch's page on 'Rivers of London' (UK).
Book 159: Third Grave Dead Ahead (Charley Davidson #3).
Author: Darynda Jones, 2012.
Genre: Urban Fantasy. Paranormal Romance. Ghosts. Angels/Demons
Other Details: Paperback. 310 pages.
The plot focuses on the repercussions of Charley's actions at the end of Book 2, which I cannot really discuss without spoilers. This is combined with another missing person case, which is pretty much relegated to sub-plot with the main focus being on Charley and her complex and tumultuous relationship with Reyes.
The pace of the story zinged along and the things that I had found a little weak/irritating in Book 2, just didn't bother me so much here. Maybe I have just become used to how many times Charley mentions Reyes' beauty, it is such a standard factor in this kind of novel; or perhaps I was just in the mood for a little paranormal romance complimented with PI/Grim Reaper activities on the day that I read it.
Darynda Jones' page on 'Third Grave Dead Ahead' - for readers as major spoilers in detailed synopsis for Books 1 & 2 plus link to excerpt.