# A quirky series I discovered that I've not seen mentioned here



## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

It's called either Rivers of London or the Peter Grant series. Essentially, it's a 'police procedural' set in and around London in the present day. EXCEPT, this particular police constable is assigned to a specialist unit where they investigate crimes with unusual connections. Basically, his boss is the last registered wizard in the UK (who looks to be middle aged but has stories from very early in the 20th century that feel very like he was actually there) and he's become a wizard in training. As such, he learns to examine crime scenes for traces of magic usage and/or not completely human involvement. It's told from Constable Grant's point of view and he's got a down to earth and quirky sort of humor -- much like in the St. Mary's series. Also, he's decided to bring the study of magic into the 21st century, using science to analyze how magic works and what effect it has on modern conveniences.

It's quite a fun series -- there are currently 8 full length books as well as a couple shorter ones. In addition, there are apparently some 'graphic novel' titles that connect to the series. All the novel length ones are available via Overdrive, but the older ones aren't priced too badly, currently $7.99. I've linked to the first one below.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

That looks interesting. Checks a lot of my boxes. I like prodedurals. I like them straight like the Lynely series. Added bonus, british set. So thats 2 checks. I also like In Death series, procedural but with a twist. In that case a bit in the future. And as I also like urban fantasy, so procedural with a urban fantasy twist, it checks another of these boxes. 

I shall check it out. As in literally, I just checked it out.  . Now I am struggling how to shelf it in goodreads. I'll have to read it first I guess to see what shelf tags I have to add. Is it urban fantasy? Is it fantasy? Is it paranormal? crime? Both? I must catalog my things. Things must fit into such catalogs.   I catalog my wine, my pantry, my freezer and fridge and of course my books. Keeps me sane, somehow. 

I shall read this next, after my current KU selection.


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## Koi (Apr 28, 2010)

Thanks! These sound awfully fun. What’s the St Mary’s series?  

Edit to ask what the In Death series is, too. A search brings up lots of diverse stuff.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Koi said:


> Thanks! These sound awfully fun. What's the St Mary's series?
> 
> Edit to ask what the In Death series is, too. A search brings up lots of diverse stuff.


Here's the first of the Chronicles of St. Mary's: 11 full length books and a number of shorts.



And here's the first of the In Death Series:



There are at least 50 of them.


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## Linjeakel (Mar 17, 2010)

I've had this series on my radar for years but somehow I've never gotten around to trying it. 

In the UK the first book is published under the title of 'Rivers of London' rather than 'Midnight Riot' and the entire series, on Amazon at least, is also called 'Rivers of London'.

Your mention of Overdrive made me check my library - only about once in a blue moon do I find books that I want to read are available at my library and of course they're usually .epub files - UK libraries don't do Kindle books. Amazingly it's available. Less amazingly, it's only in .pdf format.  Oh! And the reason for that is it's one of the graphic novels.   Sigh. I knew it was too good to be true.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Thats to bad Linjeakel. You got all exited. I don't do graphic novels or comics at all, so I wouldn't read those anyway. 
I noticed the different titles when I added it to my goodreads shelf. Took me a bit to figure out why there were different names on different covers, kept thinking I didn't have the first in series for some reason. I like the name Rivers of London much better, why did they have to change that title? Pretty sure american readers know where and what London is, right? 
Now I worry that they changed some language in the text, I hope now. Can you tell *Ann* if they did any americanizing in the actual book text?


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Atunah said:


> Thats to bad Linjeakel. You got all exited. I don't do graphic novels or comics at all, so I wouldn't read those anyway.
> I noticed the different titles when I added it to my goodreads shelf. Took me a bit to figure out why there were different names on different covers, kept thinking I didn't have the first in series for some reason. I like the name Rivers of London much better, why did they have to change that title? Pretty sure american readers know where and what London is, right?
> Now I worry that they changed some language in the text, I hope now. Can you tell *Ann* if they did any americanizing in the actual book text?


It seems to me that the language is very British. They say "bollocks" a lot, for example.  And it's very much in the voice of Peter Grant who is from central London, if not quite Cockney. It doesn't feel Americanized to me. I _think_ they just changed the name of the first one when he went on to write a whole series -- so they gave the "Rivers of London" name to the series.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Ann in Arlington said:


> It seems to me that the language is very British. They say "bollocks" a lot, for example.  And it's very much in the voice of Peter Grant who is from central London, if not quite Cockney. It doesn't feel Americanized to me. I _think_ they just changed the name of the first one when he went on to write a whole series -- so they gave the "Rivers of London" name to the series.


Thanks. Good to know. Getting to it soon. Curious about it.


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## Koi (Apr 28, 2010)

Thank you Ann! 


About Americanization.... that’s always a fear of mine, when I’m looking at books from the UK, and see the titles are different. I figure all the flavor has been washed out, and loose interest.  I think we all know each others’ slang and terms by now. And we have the internet to look it up, if not. Maybe twice I’ve stumbled across a term not even my Cornwall born neighbor knows, but nothing was lost by not finding an answer.  Lots to be lost if the publisher starts rummaging around in the wording. Bleh.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

I just started the Rivers of London. Or Midnight Riot as we call it in the US apparently. So far I really like the tone and the writing. Very very early in so far, but I am really looking forward to where this is going. I have a feeling this is one of those books that reads well for me right now. Being in this almost stand still feeling of life. I need to "get away", if that makes sense. turn off news and social media, and read books like that. 

I'll check in again when I am further in, or done. I am in the middle of waffling over painting our house so I have to pick colors. Its more stressful than it should be. At least I have new garage doors. I am in love with my new garage doors. You know when you open them and they don't sound like the Langoliers are come to get you. That is a good day. Its so strange the things I find pleasing these days. That's what happens when you stuck at home. You get exited over garage doors.

I am looking forward to reading more tomorrow. Then I'll decide the paint color. Or not.


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

i've looked at this book a few times, but never bought it.  i think i'll wait until Atunah is more into it and then decide if i'm going to get it.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Pressure


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Atunah said:


> Pressure


For sure! Clearly my opinion means nothing!


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

Ann in Arlington said:


> For sure! Clearly my opinion means nothing!


No pressure....
And Ann, you called it a fun series, so i figured you liked it. i was trying to get consensus of people who i know can have varying tastes

*passes godiva cubes to placate everyone*


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

*grabs. Yum. Thanks.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

its going a bit slow. I am having a bit of a hard time getting into the story. Not sure what it is exactly yet. I am not feeling any feelings. that sounds weird, but I am just not connecting with any characters. So I have a hard time caring. 
And it doesn't help that the book is in first person from a guy that acts a wee bit like Harry Dresden at times with the male gaze and wish fulfillment. Character here, like Dresden did for me, reads juvenile too many times. I'll finish it, but it might be a wee bit more time.The story so far is ok, but started out stronger than as it went on. It kind of went of in a totally different way than the beginning showed. 
So far I am "meh" on it. I am not getting a sense of anyone and I think it because I am looking from the eyes of a dude that is acting not like a interesting adult to me. At least not at the moment. So far most females in the story have been of some sort of object to him on one way or another. 

I'll see how it is by the end. But I am not really enjoying reading at the moment with this one.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Atunah said:


> its going a bit slow. I am having a bit of a hard time getting into the story. Not sure what it is exactly yet. I am not feeling any feelings. that sounds weird, but I am just not connecting with any characters. So I have a hard time caring.
> And it doesn't help that the book is in first person from a guy that acts a wee bit like Harry Dresden at times with the male gaze and wish fulfillment. Character here, like Dresden did for me, reads juvenile too many times. I'll finish it, but it might be a wee bit more time.The story so far is ok, but started out stronger than as it went on. It kind of went of in a totally different way than the beginning showed.
> So far I am "meh" on it. I am not getting a sense of anyone and I think it because I am looking from the eyes of a dude that is acting not like a interesting adult to me. At least not at the moment. So far most females in the story have been of some sort of object to him on one way or another.
> 
> I'll see how it is by the end. But I am not really enjoying reading at the moment with this one.


The first book is more difficult to get into because you have to get to know Peter. If you finish it and decide it's not completely horrible, I'd suggest trying the second book and see if you feel there's improvement. I thought the second held together better, with a more cohesive plot, probably because there was not the same need to explain a lot of the magic stuff. But: his personality doesn't change, so if that's what's not doing it for you ......  I found him a bit obnoxious to start but, ultimately, fairly honest with himself while at the same time not taking it all too seriously.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Ann in Arlington said:


> The first book is more difficult to get into because you have to get to know Peter. If you finish it and decide it's not completely horrible, I'd suggest trying the second book and see if you feel there's improvement. I thought the second held together better, with a more cohesive plot, probably because there was not the same need to explain a lot of the magic stuff. But: his personality doesn't change, so if that's what's not doing it for you ......  I found him a bit obnoxious to start but, ultimately, fairly honest with himself while at the same time not taking it all too seriously.


I'll finish it and hopefully I feel the same about the 2nd. I like more about it than I don't, so I do want to finish it. In most series, as long as I find it interesting enough, I try to at least read through the 2nd.

We shall see.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Atunah said:


> I'll finish it and hopefully I feel the same about the 2nd. I like more about it than I don't, so I do want to finish it. In most series, as long as I find it interesting enough, I try to at least read through the 2nd.
> 
> We shall see.


Can't say fairer than that. Every book doesn't appeal to everyone and that's o.k.!


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## Linjeakel (Mar 17, 2010)

I'd had this on my radar for quite a while and Ann's mentioning it here got me to finally give it a try. It really didn't grab me at all - in fact it ended up as a DNF for me.

I can't quite put my finger on _why_ I didn't like it, I just found I had no enthusiasm for finding out what happened next. I was really surprised as it sounded just the kind of thing I'd like and usually Ann and I seem to have similar tastes - I'm currently working my way through more than one series she's recommended.

Oh well, plenty of other things to read. *eyes ever increasing TBR pile*


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Linjeakel said:


> I'd had this on my radar for quite a while and Ann's mentioning it here got me to finally give it a try. It really didn't grab me at all - in fact it ended up as a DNF for me.
> 
> I can't quite put my finger on _why_ I didn't like it, I just found I had no enthusiasm for finding out what happened next. I was really surprised as it sounded just the kind of thing I'd like and usually Ann and I seem to have similar tastes - I'm currently working my way through more than one series she's recommended.
> 
> Oh well, plenty of other things to read. *eyes ever increasing TBR pile*


Though I like the series -- and actually have liked later entries better than the first -- I do see why it might not work for some. I admit I found the whole "Punch" thing confusing at the time and it still is when "Mr Punch" is mentioned in later books. But, yeah, no point in continuing if it's not doing it for you; as you say, it's not like there's nothing else to read, is it?


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## Koi (Apr 28, 2010)

I'm glad you mentioned the series, Ann.  I've finished the first one, and plan to continue.  I enjoyed it.  I did have trouble getting a bead on what I think of the protagonist-  there's no real character portrayal in this book, as I've come to look for after reading L Penny, JL Burke, and A Cleeves- nothing that makes me get to know who I'm reading about, as easily as those authors do it-  but I still found much to enjoy, and figure I'll come to know the characters as we go along.  Maybe.  Willing to give it another go, anyway.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Well, my library loan ran out while I was going to continue reading. The  library I got it from reset my default to 7 days, instead of 14 days. So its a wait again now anyway, so I am in no hurry at this time to continue. Got 3 other library loans that came out since. 

Maybe one day I'll continue with this one, but not sure yet.


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

I just now found this thread...I was intrigued at the start of the thread, but not so much now after reading comments. I have added it to watch list at ereaderiq, and May garb it if it gets cheap again.


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## archaeoroutes (Oct 12, 2014)

They're great. Shame half are comic books so I miss out on those stories (I just cannot read them as it means bouncing my eyes all other the place).


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

archaeoroutes said:


> They're great. Shame half are comic books so I miss out on those stories (I just cannot read them as it means bouncing my eyes all other the place).


Yeah ... I've skipped the graphic novels ..... not my thing.


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