Moon Over Soho (Rivers of London)

This book series came highly recommended by a Scottish knitting blogger and has proven very worthy of the praise given. Though not a genre I'm especially familiar with, I'd found the writing entertaining and interesting, and enjoyed the characters and story. I'd put the second book in the series on my Kindle as soon as I'd finished this book, and have since acquired 3 more books in the series for my Kindle, too. It will be interesting to see whether this becomes optioned for a television series--it should be one.

I just bought the 3rd book in this series because I found myself in the unusual position of reading a sequel that was actually as good as the first book. There was giggling at home, giggling at the cafe and giggling in the car during Friday rush hour. It's not often you find a book that crosses genres so effortlessly. Bravo, Mr Aaronvitch!

I don't remember ever snorting with laughter during a murder mystery. Whimsical, tightly plotted and rife with that uniquely British sense of humor. If you don't understand some of the slang, there are plenty of dictionaries. A quick exploration of the dictionaries will give you a unique command of dire insults that most Yanks won't understand - useful, that.

Urban fantasy, with the city of London definitely a character. There were clever portrayals of supernatural beings, lots of action.
I loved the characters, the witty dialogue, but it was a lot of different sorts of supernatural characters. Ghosts, spirits, manifestations of natural elements, supernatural perceptions, time travel, shape shifters, and even a vampire. No kidding. It seemed like a lot - but maybe in the books following it gets sorted out a bit more.

Clever and imaginative. Fan of urban fantasy will love it.

I love all the Peter Grant books and will continue buying them as they come out. Mr. Aaronovitch has created a fully developed world, interesting characters and complex plots. The pacing is quick, I can't anticipate the plot, I care about the characters and want to see what happens next. Though the main character is a police officer and is frequently investigating murders, these books aren't gory, gritty, dark, or horrific. Instead, they read more like fast paced adventure. Mr. Aaronovitch also avoids overused fantasy elements, instead expanding the field of fantasy in interesting directions. I'd love to see more of his work.

I love all the Peter Grant books and will continue buying them as they come out. Mr. Aaronovitch has created a fully developed world, interesting characters and complex plots. The pacing is quick, I can't anticipate the plot, I care about the characters and want to see what happens next. Though the main character is a police officer and is frequently investigating murders, these books aren't gory, gritty, dark, or horrific. Instead, they read more like fast paced adventure. Mr. Aaronovitch also avoids overused fantasy elements, instead expanding the field of fantasy in interesting directions. I'd love to see more of his work.

Another great book in this series. I find myself eagerly awaiting the next one and wishing that Aaronovitch was more prolific. The main, overarching plot line gets developed a lot in this book, as well as the individual storyline being interesting and quirky. I loved the focus on architecture as a source or focus of power. Very significant twist at the end, which was signposted earlier, but so subtly that I was still surprised. Recommended for anyone who has read the others, and anyone who likes good urban fantasy who hasn't read this series should start at the beginning.

Peter is a fun character to follow. Inquisitive (often to a fault), easily distractable, yet charming and insightful. His explorative and modern approach to magic is a solid foil to his mentor's more traditional style, and creates good tension as well as several developments that further the plot.

In all, Midnight Riot offers an original magical world with all manners of godlings and beasts, yet which is grounded in police procedural and even scientific elements that make the story more believable.The characters are fun and engaging, and even the minor mysteries will keep you reading, hoping you'll discover the next clue.

Continue reading on Examiner.com Review: Midnight Riot, by Ben Aaronovitch - National speculative fiction | Examiner.com [...]

I took advantage of the special offer because of a recommendation by a favorite book blog to purchase Midnight Riot. What a good move---it's delightful. Wonderful blend of contemporary British police procedural and off-beat paranormal storytelling. It's about a much different London than I'm used to encountering. Found myself highlighting several dozen bits of dialog that I especially enjoyed. Aaronovitch's voice is addictive, so I'm on to read the next Peter Grant story.

Very fun, and I burned through all three books that are so far available. I'm on my second reread and the books are holding up well.

The stories center on some interesting, charming even, characters living in London. There are cops, there are twists and there are adventures.( If you like this, you should try the Rook.) The magical world is complex with a mix of mystical and seedy. The actors and dialog feel real to me and I can't wait for book four. Note my review is really for all three of the books because I have a hard time imagining stopping at just one. Enjoy!

These books are absolutely phenomenal, if you're looking for a light but engaging urban fantasy story. I do have to say, however, that $8 for Kindle is not an appropriate price point for these. They simply aren't long enough to merit spending that much money. I just finished the second book in 3 days, and not even days where I read particularly a lot: just on the subway and a bit before bed each day. $4 or $5 is the correct price for these books, or maybe $8-10 for a set of 2 or 3 of them at a time. I will definitely be finishing them, because they're quite good, but I'll be looking for another seller that lists them at a more reasonable price.

Overall, I'm giving this four stars. The originality of the premise and the characters make up for a slower plot. Also, the facts a reader learns about London and police procedure are well worth it. Further, having read the books that follow this one, I've noticed that the author improves and characters gain more emotional responses that are somewhat lacking in the first book. It's not spell-binding, but it's a lot of fun.

Extremely well-written book. A pleasure to read for its lack of trite phrases and for its well formed descriptions. Aaronovitch states, and rightly so, that he is a Londoner through and through which gives him the right and the ability to get in some great one-liners on London and its citizens. The story plot is different and engrossing. If you can't appreciate a bit of magic, not the sleight-of-hand variety, in your characters then you might want to avoid the Peter Grant series.

I haven't stumbled across a new series this enjoyable since I first read Jim Butcher. Like The Dresden Files, there's wit and humor but with an undercurrent of darkness. The character of Peter Grant and his world of magic and the Metropolitan Police are originals, and though it's set in London, Aaronovitch's world building (the hidden London) is top notch, as is his writing. I bought "Moon over Soho" the second I finished book one, and am buying book 3 as soon as I finish my review. Readers who enjoy Butcher, Martin Millar, Gaiman, and Pratchett will love Aaronovitch.

Clear your calendar, because Midnight Riot is the start of an addictive, fresh and rollicking series. I read this first book on a Friday, and by Sunday I'd read my way right through the lot. It's a very contemporary take on modern magic and mysteries, and a compelling introduction to a well-drawn shadow world populated by some of the most differentiated and memorable characters in modern fiction. On top of that, it's a fun, engaging mystery. Overall, a great read. Highly recommended.

Firstly, this book was excellent. It was interesting, contained engrossing characters, a nicely thought out mystery to solve, and was so real that I was struck by the sudden urge to pack up and move to London. Fabulous. I had some things that didn't work for me, but they were few and far between, and they were more matters of personal preference than anything actually wrong with the story.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

The Book: Rivers of London/Midnight Riot by Ben Aaronovitch

Why the two names? It's a "The philosopher's stone/The sorcerer's stone" affair. For some reason, the rest of the books in the series have the same name regardless of which edition (UK/american), is published. The covers are also the same on the rest of the books. The first one though, has two covers:

Normally I wouldn't go on about this, but it's interesting to note that they've pretty much hidden the protagonist Peter Grant in shadow in the American version. Given that the protagonist is black, it's been... suggested that there's a reason you can't tell that from the front cover. I mean, really, if you're going to show the main character on the cover, show the main character on the cover.

The UK versions have an excuse - the City of London is quite clearly the main character in this book, and they've accordingly whacked her on the front cover. Anyway. On to the actual review:
Overview:

Peter Grant is a constable who has just finished a probationary period of two years, and is about to receive his first assignment. His closest friend and fellow constable is Leslie May. Just before they're both assigned their new commissions, a murder takes place in the London theatre district. While they're watching the crime scene after everyone important has left, a ghost shows up to talk to Peter, and informs him that all is not as it seems. Leslie is subsequently assigned to the division working on the murder, while Peter is picked up as an apprentice by one Mr Nightingale, a Chief Detective Inspector and the magical division of the metropolitan police force. The murder turns is not the last of it's kind, and the rest of the book covers Peter learning his magic, a fight over territory between The Goddess of the River and the God of the River (he skipped town when the river was almost drowned to death in pollution, and now he wants back in), and figuring out the perpetrator behind the murders and bringing him to justice.
Things I liked:

The construction of the book

This was a well constructed book, with everything fitting nicely together, every seemingly innocent bit of detail mattering. If something was described it was character building, or foreshadowing. Never was a scene just there for one singular reason, except in maybe two or three small cases.

The pacing

In the pacing, this book reminded me a bit of Harry Potter. Not because of the british thing, but more because of the way the author manipulated time. There was a fair bit of "summing up" when events happen that needed to be mentioned, but weren't truely important, and this gave the sense of quite a lot of time passing in a small number of words. On the flip side of the coin, the author also knew how to show things playing out in greater detail, to give the sense of time stretching. He used it quite a lot throughout.

The magic system

This was really quite cool. Magic relies on holding a "forma" in one's mind, and stringing a number of forma together to make a spell. Nightingale goes about Peter's training in a traditional manner, while Peter uses his magic to experiment with magic's use on technology. It's all very interesting. Also, there appears to be another, more innate level of magic, which the local spirits, god and goddesses rely on.

Peter's voice

While I'm not employed as a paramedic yet, most of the people I hand around with are on their way to being there, and I do 480 hours of placement in the ambulance service here - and Peter's voice is pretty much spot on for the type of people you meet in emergency services. Very practical, very straightforwards, slightly self suffereing, an ironic deadpan sense of humour... it's great. I could really see him as a police office. Also, the way he describes the buraecracy of a major event, and of emergency services in general - also spot on. It was great, it was like I was recognising people I knew whenever a new character was introduced.

The detail (especially the human detail) of London

I think the author paid almost as much attention to the world building of the "mundane" world as he did the fantastical side of things. Lots of details, and lots of human details. i loved the reality of the book. Unfortunately, books tend to be a bit white washed sometimes, and this book was not only filled with a diversity of character from different backgrounds, but the implications and consequences of those background were there. Leslie jokes with him about being able to move to America and act as a double for the president, Peter is briefly worried the police force is going to deploy him to work undercover in the drug squad that deals mainly with the black community. There's one scene on the train, when he's injured:

"I was sending out mixed signals; the suit and reassuring countenance of my face went one way, the fact that I’d obviously been in a fight recently and was mixed race went the other. It’s a myth that Londoners are oblivious to one another on the tube; we’re hyper aware of each other and are constantly revising our what-if scenarios and counterstrategies. What if that suavely handsome yet ethnic young man asks me for money, do I give or refuse; if he makes a joke, do I respond and if so, will it be a shy smile or a guffaw? If he’s hurt in a fight, does he need help? If I help him, will I find myself drawn into a threatening situation, or an adventure, or a wild interracial romance?"

Aaronovitch, Ben (2011-02-01). Midnight Riot (Peter Grant) (pp. 187-188). Random House Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

It doesn't pretend. It doesn't make an issue of his race, or the background of the other characters, but they're still living in the world we're living in, and still facing the incidental products of our collective history. It's great - I've honestly not read a book that manages to not ignore the issues of this world without making those issues their primary focus. Maybe I'm just not the well read. But I loved it.

The revelation of who was behind the murder's

This was quite neatly done, and made some of the coincidences in the book much less of a coincidence and more of a bad omen. Again, very nicely done.
Things I didn't like:

More what I wasn't so sure of in this case

Show don't tell - a little too far on the show side for me

After I finished this book, I looked up the author, and as far as I can tell, he started writing in TV. You can tell - for a book told from first person, there was a remarkable lack of internal thoughts regarding some things from Peter. For example, most of the main supporting character you meet. He has very little in the way on an opinion about them, and as such, they seem very two dimensional until Peter has interacted with them in a variety of capacities. Leslie, for example, seemed stock standard love interest. Their relationships as half friends, maybe something more, and her own uniqueness only became apparent after another chapter or so. Nightingale took even longer to get to know, because Peter only initially interacted with him an a working relationship. Thus, he seemed very... bland, until about halfway through the book.

I knew the character by the time I needed to know and care about them, but it took quite a while.

The lack of internal emotion from Peter

This was another this that comes from the show don't tell thing. I missed the internal emotional reactions that normally come with first person. Peter's voice is very good, but it missed this. For example, when someone close to him is shot, we know how he feels because he considers running and doesn't because he wants to protect the person injured. But that's all sort of infered. He could be terrified. But of what? This person dying, getting injured himself, keeping his city/family/Leslie safe? Worried that the backup won't get there in time? It's impossible to tell, because there's no internal emotional reaction to anything. It's all infered. And in a way, this is good, because it's new to me, and it forces me to be involved in the story, but on the other hand, I miss that level of internal connection with the character.

Talking Heads

Occasionally, when a conversation was shown, there was the back and forth of the conversation, and Peter's reaction to that conversation was only shown after it was done. It was a bit jarring, as I spent a fair bit of time in that conversation going "why isn't he more surprised/annoyed/terrified/confused by this." I felt a bit "in the dark" at times.

A scene or two that just seemed there for no good reason.

There were three scenes that just seemed to be there. Normally, that honestly wouldn't have bothered me, but given how well structured all the scenes and acts were, it was noticeable when things didn't seem to have a plot reason for existing. One of these was justified later, two of the others never really were. They were tiny little things, but because the rest of the book was so well done, it was jarringly noticeable..

Murder mystery, fantasy, history, with some wry humor, drama, technical police work, and even politics as told by a copper who's a native Londoner. Aaronovitch mixes dry wit and practicality in PC Peter Grant, weaving a story that is too good to put down. Can't wait to read the rest of the series!

I love this series. That being said, this second book in the series is a little off-putting. The story line is still great, the writing is fantastic, but the sexual content didn't really add anything and was quite unexpected after the first book. I'm not bothered by even extremely explicit content if it has a purpose, but this very mildly explicit content was just distracting. Completely worth reading, but I'm glad Aaronovitch went back to his previous style when he wrote his third in the series.

I quite liked the world building. Peter Grant is a distracting mix of cunning and innocence with an amazing talent of observational skills. He seems very alive as a character: very real. You won't regret reading this book, and if you've always wanted to travel to London, Ben Aaronovitch takes you unmistakably there. Truly brilliant writing.

Liked this book. Liked the main character as being a biracial. Liked Molly. The River babes were a little out in left field, but overall this was a good read. You can't beat a good book with ghosts and murder and a cop who is still getting his feet wet. Ending was a little weak as Nightingale slipped away from the story line.

I really like these books. Urban fantasy has a tendency to veer into the vampires-are-sexy-and-arch, the-hero-is-troubled-but-essentially-the-best-person-ever, and everyone-acts-like-the-supernatural-isn't-there-or-is-just-normal territory and it hurts it.

Aaronovitch writes the main character as a rational person motivated by the sorts of things normal rational people are motivated by. He reports the world through a lens of somewhat ironic British detachment, but I know plenty of people with that same perspective. The action is interesting and thrilling. The other characters are believable, and for the most part the supernatural world interacts with regular London in a way that doesn't require you to suspend too much of your disbelief unwillingly.

I enjoyed the first book of Ben Aaronovitch's Peter Grant series, and so had high hopes for "Moon Over Soho," book 2 of the series. It met my expectations and then some. Grant's skill as a magician has grow just in time to let him track down the "jazz vampires." He remains a humorous and daring police constable in the London Police Force. Happily his colleague, Leslie, grievously injured in book 1 is showing signs of recovery.

All in all, a terrific read and hopefully an indicator of more fun to come.

Pretty entertaining when they deal with the paranormal activities. However the writer tend to over described each place , each road, each setting in London. Really tedious, and verbose, as it was like describing the map of London Just move on with the plot,already

Police Constable Peter Grant, just past his two year probationary period with London's Metropolitan Police (Scotland Yard), finds himself not merely seconded but apprenticed to the Mets' one-man division responsible for supernatural crimes against the Queen's Peace... rather to his initial dismay, given that he didn't believe in ghosts or other supernatural beings.

Grant is biracial-- his mother immigrated to England from Sierra Leone-- and his background informs and influences his police work in ways that feel real. His difficult relationship with his father (or perhaps his relationship with his difficult father) also effects how the character sees the world-- even the newly-expanded world in which he now works.

For his world is indeed different. His new role as thief catcher and apprentice wizard brings him into contact with beings he's never heard of before, including not merely deities of the River Thames but lesser powers of the small tributary rivers that feed, or once fed, into the Thames. He must learn to deal with ghosts and with revenants. And he must learn to make magic himself.

All this might make a decent urban fantasy-- Aaronovitch's delightful style makes it a superior one. M Úi

Really enjoyed this book and I’m devouring the series. I also enjoy the way Ben is developing the characters. Wish I would have found this earlier, actually. One suggestion I would have is I like the original covers and titles better. But that’s just me, the books are great.

This is the first in the Peter Grant detective/paranormal series. Set in modern day London this young police constable suddenly finds out that magic is real. The books are about his awakening to and education of the fact that many of the crazy things that "go bump in the night" are real. But the stories are funny and witty and the paranormal aspect is not heavy handed. Excellent series. I'm gonna read them all!

I love this book. The book description is accurate but doesn't say enough about how well done the story is. The characters are engaging, the plot draws you in and the idea of the urban police wizard sort of bumbling into wizardry as a way to avoid paperwork is great (and plausible as anyone who has done the paperwork can attest). Peter is a fine character with a good mix of disbelief and curiosity and he's also nice which makes him easy to like. The supporting cast are well drawn and the urban crossover between the magical and the day to day world is amusing. I'm waiting for the next one.

This was a great read! The main character is strongly developed and very likable! I admire this author's humor and creativity because the book was immensly enjoyable to continue.
Great for fans of Harry Potter and Dr. Who!

I really, really enjoyed this book (as well as the rest of the series!) Aaronovitch can really turn a phrase and has a direct line to my funny bone as well as whatever squishy section of my brain that governs awesomeness.

There's a lot to love about this book. The characters are vivid and real, the magic is different and interesting. The writing is witty and quick, and I laughed out loud at the funny bits or caught myself grimacing as gruesome scenes were described. It's hard to write this review without adding bits and pieces (not even spoilers!) that I want the reader to find on his own, because I was so delighted reading it myself.

It's difficult not to draw comparrisons between this series and the Harry Dresden books - I suppose there are just not that much variety when it comes to books about crime-busting wizards... And I have to say, as much as I enjoyed the Dresden books, I'm loving PC Grant ever so much more.
For one, the incredibly detailed and plausible depictions of the workings of the British police force, and the meticulous describtions of the urban London, ground the story firmly in (percieved) reality. Which is no mean feat when the book is about a wizard apprentice fighting all manner of supernatural baddies. The realistic aspects of the writing just make the characters so much more relatable.
Which brings me to my next point. Peter Grant is almost infinitely more likeable that Mr Dresden. Whining is kept to a minimum, and nothing good comes to the character without hard work and putting in the hours. We get a picture of a man who works hard, makes mistakes, and learns from his mistakes. It just makes his limited magical ability seem like so much more of an achievement... Unlike some wizards, who just seem to know everything but still make pretty much the same mistake book after book, not pointing any fingers here.
Finally, I love how the book appears to have a huge "supporting cast" of described characters that are not plot devices. There are "normal" people in this book - other officers of the law, cab drivers, librarians, onlookers, the main character's parents, paramedics... I feel that there is a lot of, frankly, lazy writing out there, where the main character is an orphan (so no family needs to be written), and every other character is only there to further the storyline. Aaronovitch manages to avoid this, while still not having the characters too cluttered.

A review in Fantasy and Science Fiction tipped me off to this first book in Ben Aaronovitch's Peter Grant series. It is an excellent beginning, introducing us to Peter Grant, a newly-magic-capable constable on the London police force and his development in an obscure branch of the force, charged with managing magical events. Oh, he also solved a particularly nasty set of murders.

I am looking forward to reading the rest of this series and would highly recommend this book to others.

Delightful. I ordered this after is was featured on an i09 list and I saw how inexpensive it was for the Kindle version- I figured nothing to lose.

What a wonderful surprise- the book(s) are great fun and well written. I ended up ready the entire series, and you probably will too. Highly recommended.

Something is killing the musicians in London's Soho jazz scene. The deaths appear natural enough, but for those who know what to look for, there are signs of mystical foul-play. Peter Grant is perfect for the case. Not only is he a constable and apprentice to the only wizard on the London police force, but his father is a jazz legend in his own right.

"Moon Over Soho" is the second book featuring Peter Grant (the first was "Midnight Riot" as released in America). Whereas one could pick up with the second book, it does flow naturally out of the first and would be better understood and appreciated in context. Most of the groundwork for the premise is established in the first volume and it is only expanded upon in the second (a little history of magicians in England over the last century).

Though pretty good, "Moon Over Soho" is less successful than its predecessor. They read very similarly but this book no longer benefits from the novelty of the premise. The criticisms I had regarding the first volume still exist but are no longer offset by the freshness of the idea. Once again, the mystery and plotting are not as tightly woven as one would wish. Quite a bit is left hanging at the conclusion. Moreover, the story relied less on humor resulting in more of a standard urban fantasy mystery. Aaronovitch's descriptions of police procedure and London geography and architecture were more jarring this time as well. They weren't integrated as seamlessly as before.

Perhaps most disappointing, however, were the characters. Peter Grant is a delightful protagonist, but he was less "cheeky" this go round. He still displays biting wit and sarcasm, but less ubiquitously. He also seemed more aloof or emotionally distant or unavailable in this story. Perhaps there is a logical or pertinent reason for this, but it made him less empathetic just the same. I still quite like him, but he was different.

Happily, Grant's former (?) love interest, Leslie May, and his boss, Thomas Nightingale, are back. Unhappily, their roles are minor. They are both recouping from injuries sustained in the first volume and are relegated to the background. No new characters are really developed.

I still really like Aaronovitch's premise and protagonist. His writing is fluid and humorous. I'll definitely continue with the third volume, "Whispers Under Ground," when it's available. I just hope Peter Grant returns to earlier form and the plotting gets tighter.

Very good read . it was unique with plenty of action. It was refreshing to meet characters that were well developed and likeable. Knowing this was first in a series knew it was to entice one to reads book 2 which I plan to wish the ending no so abrupt. This did influence the rating . well written.

A very funny and exciting read. I'd classify this as a police procedural with supernatural bent. This is the first of its series... You really need to read this first, since book 2 jumps right in where book 1 leaves off. If you like The Dresden Files you will like this.

A delightful take on magic and policing, an unlikely combination that really worked for me. The main character, Peter Grant, is a young London constable that takes the discovery that magic exists in the modern world in perfect stride while continuing to do his best to keep the Queen's peace in both worlds. I'm looking forward to the rest of this series with great anticipation.

In this book you meet and get some background information on the main characters. The story is rather straight-forward, in that the police are trying to catch the bad guy. Although there are some twists and turns. The main actor, Peter Grant, starts his wizard/magic training and that provides some of the comic relief. Many references to Harry Potter and other factious fantasy heroes.
It was a good and very fast read.

Not to be taken seriously, but very entertaining. It's a fun read with enough danger, craziness and humor to keep it all going. The story went on a bit too long, going over the same ground at times, but I found the conclusion satisfying.

This is a great example of a police procedural urban fantasy that avoids falling into the played-out, overexposed world of sexy vampires and werewolves. The main character is a police constable who, at the beginning of the book, becomes an apprentice wizard. The book makes good use of London as a setting, the characters are interesting and likeable, the magical system is good so far, although not very well defined yet. It's the first of three books (so far), and I plan to read all three.

reminded me of "once &future king" crossbred with "harry potter." witty and sardonic. very good writing. descriptive with a plot that kept my attention. i am a new but steadfast fan of this series. one reason i liked the book was that even though the plot elements were occasionally grotesque and frequently strange the tone isn't morbid. sort of urban fantasy/noir with a streak of myth.

The book's construction and fantasy are wonderful. While it is urban fantasy it also very much feels like a crime novel at the same time. The narrator's voice is perfectly london copper and the ultimately happyish ending is a wonderful breath of fresh air.

With maybe a smidge of Terry Pratchett thrown in for good measure. Shakespeare is either rolling in his grave or having a good laugh. Snarky british humor, ghosts, manhunts, and a surprisingly competent young police officer. Great fun.

This is a mix of great police murder investigations, throwing in the paranormal and mythic figures of London. I loved it the mix works and you get involved with the Sorcerer, Inspector Nightingale and his new apprentice Peter Grant. There is action and murder mystery and introduction of characters who you meet, the book is wonderful. I enjoyed the plot and the mix of genre. I have read the next two books and enjoyed each.

Smart, sarcastic top-drawer dialogue; outstanding characters. This is a guilty-pleasure of a book. Thank you Mr. Aaronovitch for a totally enjoyable romp through the haunts of London. I will be buying the rest of this series.

Really a good urban fiction. Lots of good character development that continues from book to book. An interesting magic system that seems well thought out and with good progression of skills. Not as fast pased as a Dresden novel but maybe bit more introspection. Over all very good and which you like better is going to be your taste.

In the UK, where this series has been published in dead tree version, and on the store.co.uk, the first book of the series is called "Rivers of London". Unfortunately, there is no book by that name available on the store.com. For some reason, the first book, while only available on Kindle, has been retitled Midnight Riot. None of the books titles or descriptions have any indication of their chronological order (like [Peter Grant 1]).

Still, they are quite enjoyable, and worth a look for anyone that enjoys urban fantasy (like the Dresden Files or the Iron Druid series). This is the place to start as it is the first book of the series.

This series is really enthralling. It gives an entirely different view of London combined with a whole new pantheon of nature spirits. One could get just as lost in Ben Aaronovitch's London as you could in Jim Butcher's Chicago. To be fair, this is by no means a copy of any other authors work. This is a whole new view of magic and the world.
This is a series to watch.

I wasn't expecting a lot, but the synopsis sounded like it would be fun. It was a lot of fun; I hate having things spelled out to the nth degree and Mr Aaronovitch definitely did not do so. Clever writing, clever universe and thoroughly enjoyable exercise for my brain cells.

Really enjoyed this. A very good story, well written. Wish there was a 1/2 star option in the ratings - won't give it five as it didn't set my heart on fire but deserves more than 4!

Interesting and unexpected characters, enough sense of history to add depth without becoming a book about the history. Lead character is believable and likeable - needed a rest from fantasy/sci-fi books where the protagonist is the new best at everything.

Going straight from this review to buy the next book.

Thoroughly enjoying this quirky little series, a fresh look at a combination of story subjects, crime, thriller, fantasy etc.
Don't be put off by the bald "violence" and "explicit sexual content" checks. Unqualified remarks like that can give the whole wrong impression.
the whole is really very lighthearted, and entertaining reading in a very human way.

Perhaps not Terry Pratchett, but is a whole different thing in any case. Read some of the samples & make up your own mind.