Rivers of London cover art

Rivers of London

Rivers of London, Book 1

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Rivers of London

By: Ben Aaronovitch
Narrated by: Kobna Holdbrook-Smith
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About this listen

 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 Crime Fiction Fantasy Fiction Mystery Police Procedural Paranormal Funny Exciting Witty Magic Detective Wizardry England Magic Users

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
All stars
Most relevant
Brilliant story and brilliantly narrated!!! Peter Grant is a loveable character, and the mix of modern day London, magic, and historical references is so well done.

Loved every minute!

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I very much enjoyed this introduction to Ben Aaronovitch's storytelling prowess. It was certainly entertaining, and great fodder for a lover of British history (however rapidly it was covered, backwards) and London itself. From go to whoah... I was very happily entertained by the humour woven into the tale of wizardry mixed with every day London. I definitely look forward to continuing my discovery of this series.

Jolly Entertaining

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story is well written but not all absorbing .however the narrator is so exceptional .his flawless accents a masterful .

the narrator makes this book

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This is an awesome book, filled with humour and intrigue. The narrator is a particular highlight!

Fantastic narrator!

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Wonderful performance brings the story alive. I couldn’t get in to the written version, and listened to it as my first (!) audio book on recommendation of friends. Now I’m a convert - I have an Audible subscription and I’m officially a Kobna Holdbrook-Smith fan ☀️

Kobna Holdbrook-Smith FTW

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