The “Rivers of London“ series by Ben Aaronovitch is incredibly imaginative - it’s a universe based on ours, but with powerful, magical beings who draw their strength from the rivers under and around London. 

In Stone and Sky, the action moves to Scotland. The central characters, Peter and Abigail, investigate mysterious deaths and reports of missing persons. Without giving anything away, this is a very enjoyable read. It would help to read the earlier books in the series (simply because they are so inventive), but I think this could be read as a stand-alone.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I have read every book in the „Rivers of London“ series and I have loved them all so I was overjoyed to get the opportunity to read and review this book!
Nightingale is called to Scotland to investigate dead sheeps and Peter and Beverly and their family follow along for a vacation. It is not long before they encounter various magical creatures, both friend and foe and of course what started as a vacation turns into another gripping adventure for our friends from the Folly.
I have been waiting for this book to come out and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Aaronovitch is a master in combining magical elements with the real world and his dry humour is completely up my alley. In this book the POV changes between Peter and Abigail but all the chapters convene in a great and compelling story.
Another excellent book in the „Rivers of London“ world and one that has me already looking forward to (hopefully) many more books in the series!

Told by Peter and Abigail in alternating POVs, Stone and Sky finds the members of the Folly (and their families) off to Scotland as they investigate magical and/or mythical creatures' appearances: some dead while others caused death. Peter joins with an officer of the Scottish Police to investigate the deaths and a missing person report. Abigail goes in search of the creatures and why they are suddenly appearing. Their two separate investigations merge as they use their special abilities to figure out what is going on and how the incidents are related. This novel is rather different from previous Rivers of London novels in several ways: Location, Abigail's growing abilities, and Beverley's special skill-set. An enjoyable read. Looking forward to the further adventures of the Folly and its members.

The latest in the Rivers of London series takes Peter Grant and his family to Scotland for a relaxing holiday except as always when the Folly is involved things get a little more complicated.

As always with the Rivers of London series the characters are loveable, my only downside would be I would love to see more Nightingale. Abigails chapters bring a different and fresh outlook at magic and you can feel the teenage snark in each comment towards other characters.

The pacing of the book is great as it keeps you hooked with a relatively quick paced novel. Lots of nerdy references and a good dose of Scottish culture with a magical touch. Cant wait for more from this world.

Thank you netgalley & DAW for the ARC

An amazing Scottish adventure with Peter and Abigail! Though I wish the chapter headings had marked whether it was from Peter or Abigail’s POV since it was difficult to tell without the foxes.

Finally, an entertaining return to form by Ben Aaronovitch. Its been a fair few books since I had as much fun as this reading ab instalment in the series.

When a sheep gets mutilated on the Scottish countryside in an extremely strange way, it seems like the perfect excuse for Peter to pack up Bev and the kids and go on a family vacation. Needless to say, what starts as a basic case becomes much more complex when a mysterious body drops, and evidence of other strange creatures begins to appear.

This book was really good. Like, actually fun to read. I've read and appreciated the recent instalments in this series, but I don't think I've actually enjoyed reading one of these this much since at least 3 or 4 books ago. Let's dive into it.

First thing I loved about it is that this is as much Abigail's book as it is Peter's. They each become embroiled in mysteries that they investigate almost exclusively, Peter aided by the local fuzz while Abigail has Nightingale backing up her plays and dealing with a lot of the ancillary stuff while very much letting her take charge. It was fun to read these two adventures play out, the way they each navigate their mysteries, the unique relationships and internal monologue as we go. What I've always loved about Peter's stories are how very police procedural they are, proper British with a splash of that Jamaican/African manner of speech, whereas with Abigail we get more of that wildcard PI style sleuthing we more expect in these types of UF books and her inner monologue runs much more in the slang direction.

And then we have the mystery itself, a slow burn that runs in two completely different directions that don't make much sense until things slowly get revealed over the course of the novel. It was easy to guess the dark twist at the end of this book related to what was happening with a certain group, but to nevertheless see it unfold was still messed up. But just as exciting, there are teases and hints here that begin to lay the stage for a larger story arc, which is great; one of the reasons I think I've just not enjoyed the recent installments as much is because they've been very standalone, self contained stories that just felt like the wheels getting spun for no reason. I hope things only continue to pick up from here.

I think thats pretty much all I have to say about this book. Its a fun self contained adventure that also seems to tease at larger things in store. It continues the progress of time with the way certain characters have moved from the forefront to the side and vice versa, helping to keep the series lively and fresh in an interesting way. If Ben Aaronovitch keeps up his recent pattern, then its a good thing I enjoyed this one because next year we'll get an unrelated novella and then I can look forward to the main story continuing in 2027.

NOTE: YouTube link goes public on 21st June 2025 @ 3 PM EST.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance reader's copy of the book. I really enjoyed this book. It's an excellent entry in the series and just continues to expand the world that has been introduced in the previous nine books. I love Peter and Beverly with their twins and Abigail with Nightingale off doing their thing. I also enjoyed the splitting of the story with Peter and Abigail narration alternating. Solid 4.5 stars. Can't wait for the next entry in the series.

When some interesting remains are found in Scotland, Peter Grant finds himself going up for some gentle investigating while trying to enjoy a family holiday. And the entire gang join him, Bev, the twins, Peter’s Mum and Dad, Abigail and even Nightingale and Dr Walid join in. And where Abigail goes, foxes go too.

It’s a slightly busy and complicated start, the reader is not helped by the first person narrative switching between Peter and Abigail. But once you tune in and the story kicks up a gear, it’s good Scottish fun!

There are bad things going down and some mythical creatures are causing danger and mayhem. A scientist has vanished and Peter helps the local cops while trying to find the link between all the weird things going on. Not much of a holiday sadly.
Meanwhile Abigail makes a new friend and makes her own investigation using the local fox community, and everything seems to be linked to the sea and something mysterious going on in the water.
The last novella (The Masquerades of Spring) was a massive disappointment but this puts the series properly back on track. Slightly slow first half but the second half is the fun you would expect and provides the quirky mix of character, location and history.

Thank you to NetGalley and DAW Books for the ARC!

A family trip to Scotland quickly turns into a new case for Peter and the Folly crew, with almost everyone being called in at one point or another to lend a hand.

This book felt like a breath of fresh air, and though I enjoyed the last two in the series, the introduction of a second POV to alternate between feels like exactly what I've been waiting for. Abigail and Peter have just enough similarities to make a great team (and to always end up in walking into trouble), but are different enough that they approach problems in new ways. While the book had some loose threads that played much larger parts of the story than was absolutely necessary, jumping back and forth between the two wizards was a delight, and watching Nightingale settle further into his mentor role and step back as a more active player is immensely satisfying.

The Uneven Gaze: Queer Representation, Magical Manipulation, and Authorial Distance in Ben Aaronovitch’s Stone & Sky
I’ve been a fan of Ben Aaronovitch’s “Rivers of London” series since my good friend Matt first loaned me books 1-5 of the series many years ago. I thoroughly enjoyed the sense of humor, the urban fantasy worldbuilding and its commitment to diversity. I have been looking forward to the latest installment in the series – which includes graphic novels and novellas.

Unfortunately, plot and character seem to fall short in “Stone & Sky,” and I found more than a few distracting representational and structural issues that reduced my overall enjoyment. More than previous installments in this series, this one (combined with my recent reading of the “Springtime Masquerade” and the two most recent graphic novels) illuminated questions about authenticity, authorial gaze, and the limits of metaphor in fantasy fiction.

From uneven portrayals of queer relationships to the infantilization of magical beings, from the overuse of white male cultural references to the stylized rendering of dialect and slang, Stone & Sky reveals cracks in the series’ inclusive veneer. What emerges is a pattern of selective authenticity—where some identities are explored with depth and care, while others are flattened, exoticized, or reduced to narrative shorthand.

Queer characters have been present throughout the series—Thomas Nightingale, the emotionally reserved wizard, and Augustus “Gussie” Berrycloth-Young, a flamboyant figure in The Masquerades of Spring. Yet their romantic or sexual lives are treated with restraint, stylization, or humor. Nightingale’s queerness is acknowledged but rarely explored with emotional intimacy. Gussie is rendered as a campy, comedic figure whose attraction to men is more implied than deeply felt.

In contrast, Stone & Sky devotes significant narrative space to Abigail Kamara’s emotional and romantic attraction to Ione, a new female character. Abigail’s feelings are described with vivid emotional texture—her longing, her confusion, her desire. This disparity raises a critical question: why is a teenage girl’s same-sex attraction rendered with such depth, while adult queer male relationships remain emotionally muted?

Abigail is portrayed as a teenager in Stone & Sky, though her exact age is never explicitly stated. Based on the series’ internal timeline, she was born in 2000, which would make her 24 or 25 if the book is set in 2024–2025. However, the tone of the narrative—and the way her emotional development is framed—suggests she is still in her late teens.

The narrative lingers on Abigail’s feelings for Ione in a way that feels less like a teenager discovering her identity and more like an adult imagining what that discovery might feel like. The emotional intensity, combined with the sensual framing, risks crossing into voyeurism -- especially given that the author, a white man in his 60s, is writing from the perspective of a teenage girl.

Writing across lines of identity—age, gender, race, sexuality—is not inherently problematic. But it requires care, humility, and a deep understanding of the lived experiences being portrayed. When a teenage girl’s romantic feelings are described with more emotional and sensual detail than any adult relationship in the series, it raises questions about authorial intent.

Is this Abigail’s authentic voice, or is it Aaronovitch’s projection of what a teenage girl might feel? The line between empathy and appropriation is thin, and in Stone & Sky, it feels increasingly blurred. The result is a portrayal that risks centering the author’s imagination more than the character’s truth. Back to Abigail’s voice in a moment.

Complicating matters further is the fact that Ione is not just a girl—she’s a siren, a magical being capable of manipulating human emotion through song. This raises a fundamental question: is Abigail’s attraction to Ione genuine, or is it the result of magical influence?

If Ione’s presence or voice can enchant anyone, then Abigail’s feelings may not be uniquely queer—or even uniquely hers. They could be induced, universal, or illusory. The narrative does not clearly interrogate this possibility, instead presenting Abigail’s emotional / hormonal / pheromonal experience as unquestionably real. This ambiguity undermines the authenticity of the queer representation the book seems to offer. If the attraction is magically induced, then it’s not a story about queer identity—it’s a story about manipulation and consent. Is Abigail truly consenting if she’s under the influence of glamour? Ione is presented as being at least 18 and heading off to uni – which further complicates the consent issue.

The Rivers of London universe is populated with magical beings—faeries, selkies, talking foxes, river gods—who often serve as metaphors for marginalized or misunderstood communities. While this can be a powerful narrative device, it also risks reinforcing stereotypes through fantasy proxies.

The fae are portrayed as beautiful and emotionally distant; the foxes as tribal and cunning; the rivers as territorial and often exoticized. These portrayals can feel like stand-ins for real-world racial, ethnic, or social groups—especially when their behaviors are framed through suspicion or danger. As Borowska-Szerszun (2021) notes, Aaronovitch’s work attempts to challenge the “habits of Whiteness” in fantasy fiction but also reveals the “friction and negotiation” involved in representing difference.

When magical beings are used to explore social issues without naming them directly, it creates a safe distance for the author but also a lack of accountability in how those metaphors land.

Characterization of voice, intelligence and other traits is another very noticeable part of “Rivers of London.” I remember the first time that I read D.H. Lawrence and couldn’t understand the dialect representation of the “lower class” manner of speaking. Aaronovitch frequently and unevenly represents Jamaican patois, Scottish, Irish and Caribbean English phonetically as “dialect,” while “standard” British or American English is not, implying a linguistic norm and effectively othering some of the characters. Using this technique can reinforce caricatures or reduce characters to their accents. It also creates a power imbalance in representation – regional or ethnic pronunciations are marked as “different” or “exotic” while others are normalized.

For example, more than in previous books in the series, Abigail’s dialogue is peppered with contemporary London slang, including terms like “bare,” “peng,” and “peak,” which are common in Multicultural London English (MLE). This is consistent with her earlier portrayals as a sharp, streetwise teen from South London who is very smart, picks up Latin and is training to be a wizard. However, in this novel, the use of slang feels exaggerated—almost performative—and stands in contrast to the way other young characters speak. Ione and her cousin Duncan, despite being close in age to Abigail, speak in a more neutral, almost formal tone (aside from occasional “Scottish as dialect” representations).

This inconsistency raises questions about why Abigail’s voice is so heavily stylized. Is it meant to emphasize her “urban” identity? If so, it risks reducing her to a stereotype—especially when other characters of similar age and background are not written with the same linguistic markers. It also reinforces a sense of “othering” within the narrative: Abigail becomes the “voice of the streets,” while others are allowed to speak more generically.

Rather shockingly – there are assertions made about the communication abilities or styles of other species / characters in the book. The selkies—mythical seal-people—are depicted as unable to speak English. Instead, they “bark,” and their communication is described in animalistic terms. This portrayal strips them of linguistic agency and positions them as less-than-human, even though they are sentient beings with their own culture, and clearly intelligent enough to be pursued and enslaved/indentured to work on deep marine oil projects.

This is compounded by a moment in which Beverley Brook, a river goddess and Peter’s wife, mentions attempts to communicate with bottle-nose whales—and dismisses them as “kind of stupid.” While this may be intended as a humorous aside, it reinforces a troubling pattern: magical or non-human beings are often portrayed as primitive, unintelligent, or linguistically inferior, especially when they don’t conform to human (and specifically English-speaking) norms.

The portrayal of the talking foxes adds another layer to this critique. These creatures are shown to be technologically advanced—they have specially adapted tools to access the internet, maintain networks with humans for medical care and transportation, and operate with a high degree of autonomy. Yet Peter remarks, “if someone taught them to be spies then their teachers left some major gaps in their vocabulary.” This line, while humorous, undermines the foxes’ intelligence and agency.

Moreover, the foxes’ speech is rendered in a simplified, stylized dialect. They use phrases like “big diggy thing” instead of “boring machine,” which may initially seem charming or whimsical. But this linguistic reduction can also be read as a form of intentional infantilization—a way of making their intelligence appear quaint or incomplete. It’s possible Aaronovitch intended this as a commentary on how the foxes perceive human language, or even as a subversive joke about humans needing things “dumbed down.” But without clear narrative framing, it risks reinforcing the very stereotypes it might be trying to critique.

In effect, the foxes are presented as a paradox: technologically sophisticated, yet linguistically and culturally “othered.” Their dialect becomes a marker of difference, and their intelligence is constantly undercut by the way they are spoken about—and made to speak. This mirrors broader patterns in literature where dialect is used to signal inferiority or exoticism, especially when applied unevenly across characters.

This kind of framing echoes real-world colonial and racial narratives, where language and intelligence have historically been used as tools of dehumanization and domination. When magical beings are denied language—or mocked for their perceived lack of intelligence—it reinforces a hierarchy in which human (and often white, Western) characters are the default standard of intellect and civility.

In a series that otherwise tries to explore multiculturalism and magical diversity, this kind of portrayal feels regressive. It undermines the richness of the magical world by reducing some of its inhabitants to caricatures or comic relief.

Finally, let’s address a few of the larger, overarching tropes including the “Immortal White Wizard.” Thomas Nightingale, born in 1900, is over 120 years old in the Rivers of London timeline. Yet due to magical intervention, he appears to be in his early 40s—an ageless, elegant figure at the peak of his physical and magical power. He is consistently portrayed as the most powerful practitioner, the calm center of magical authority, and the one who saves the day when things spiral out of control.

In contrast, Peter Grant—young, Black, and the series’ protagonist—is often associated with chaos, improvisation, and collateral damage. His investigations are messy, his magic unpredictable, and his victories often come at a cost. While this may reflect a more modern, fallible hero archetype, it also reinforces a troubling dynamic: the older white man as the eternal, infallible guardian, and the younger man of color as the well-meaning but unstable apprentice.

This dynamic is further complicated by the fact that Nightingale’s age is magically concealed, allowing him to retain the visual and narrative authority of a man in his prime, while Peter is constantly reminded of his limitations—by others and by the narrative itself. For example, someone mentions that they “pulled a Peter” in the story. Ouch.

Why does the old white man get to be timeless, powerful, and composed, while the younger Black protagonist is framed as volatile and reactive? This imbalance echoes a long tradition in fantasy literature where wisdom, power, and control are embodied in white, male, often aristocratic figures, while characters of color are positioned as learners, disruptors, or comic relief.

I also saw that the canon namechecking to be rather overbearing and too “insider-y” to be enjoyable. Throughout Stone & Sky, Aaronovitch peppers the narrative with references to iconic figures and franchises—almost all of them white and male:
• Star Trek (Gene Roddenberry)
• Saruman (J.R.R. Tolkien)
• John Connor (Terminator)
• Darth Vader (Star Wars)
• Peter Capaldi (Doctor Who)
• The Lord of the Rings (“One does not simply…”)
• Neil Gaiman, referenced via the phrase “Neil Gaiman black”

These references are often used for humor or shorthand, but cumulatively, they reinforce a very narrow cultural canon—one that centers white male creators and their visions of fantasy, science fiction, and heroism.

This is especially jarring given the book’s attempt to foreground a young Black British girl as a protagonist. Why is Abigail—who is otherwise written with a distinct voice and cultural identity—constantly filtered through the lens of white male geek culture? Why not reference Octavia Butler, N.K. Jemisin, Marjorie Liu, or even Afrofuturist icons like Sun Ra or Janelle Monáe?

Even the reference to “Neil Gaiman black” is problematic— not only because it reduces a complex aesthetic to a single figure, but also because Gaiman himself has faced recent criticism for his public behavior and comments. In a book that already struggles with authenticity in voice and representation, this kind of namechecking feels less like homage and more like cultural defaulting—a reliance on the familiar, rather than an effort to expand the canon or reflect the diversity of its characters.

A quick visit to any online forum or fan site will reveal that many longtime readers have noted that the series has become increasingly formulaic. Each book introduces a magical disturbance, a new creature or system, and a procedural investigation that resolves with a mix of magic and logic. In Stone & Sky, this formula is stretched even thinner. The early chapters focus heavily on a family camping trip, with little narrative urgency or magical intrigue.

While this may be an attempt to deepen character relationships or explore quieter moments, it contributes to a sense of narrative drift. The stakes feel lower, the pacing more meandering, and the once-vibrant magical world increasingly routine. There’s simply too much padding in this book.

One recurring distraction in Stone & Sky is the level of detail devoted to what characters are wearing and how they look—often with commentary that feels judgmental, class-coded, or simply unnecessary. For example, a character named Mason is described in terms that go beyond observation and veer into critique:

“He was a short white man in his early thirties, brown hair, curls on top and short at the sides that didn't really suit a square face with a prominent nose and thin lips. At least his head matched the rest of him - broad shoulders, short legs, but a much better suit than I would have risked wearing to work. Dark brown wool, bought off the shelf, I reckoned, but then tailored. Despite the weather, he wore a lambswool pullover over his shirt.”

Peter is mixed-race, younger and from a working-class background -- why would he be even care if someone’s suit was bought “off the rack” and then tailored? I understand he wouldn’t want to risk wearing expensive clothing to work since he often ends up in situations where his clothing is damaged – but why would that matter in a passing evaluation of another person in a different role?

Descriptions like this don’t just paint a picture—they evaluate the character’s appearance, often through the narrator’s subjective lens and many of these observations come across as mean-spirited or superficial, especially when repeated across multiple characters. These moments rarely advance the plot or deepen character insight. Instead, they feel like narrative padding—a way to fill space rather than build momentum.

This kind of detail might have worked better in a graphic novel, where visual storytelling could convey these elements more efficiently and with more nuance. Given the success of the Rivers of London graphic novels, it’s easy to imagine Stone & Sky functioning more effectively in that format—especially given its visual settings, magical creatures, and dual perspectives.

Final Thoughts: Stone & Sky attempts to expand the emotional and magical scope of the Rivers of London universe, but in doing so, it exposes several representational and structural weaknesses. Queer male characters are emotionally sidelined; a queer teen girl’s feelings are spotlighted with intensity that may not be her own. Magical beings are used as metaphors for social difference, but often in ways that reinforce rather than challenge stereotypes. Linguistic choices—from stylized slang to infantilizing dialect—further complicate the portrayal of identity and intelligence.


The series’ once-fresh formula is beginning to show its seams, and its cultural references remain narrowly focused on white male creators. Even as it strives for diversity, Stone & Sky often defaults to familiar tropes and voices—leaving its most radical possibilities unexplored.

Aaronovitch’s work has always aimed to be inclusive. But inclusion without critical self-awareness can lead to distortion. If Stone & Sky is meant to be a story of queer awakening, magical discovery, and emotional growth, it needs to ask harder questions—about power, about authenticity, and about who gets to tell whose story.

References
Borowska-Szerszun, S. (2021). Ethnic and cultural diversity in Ben Aaronovitch’s urban fantasy cycle Rivers of London. Journal of Contemporary Literature, 12(3), 45–62. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/335318094
Follypedia. (2023). Abigail Kamara. Retrieved from https://follypedia.fandom.com/wiki/Abigail_Kamara
Follypedia. (2023). Thomas Nightingale. Retrieved from https://follypedia.fandom.com/wiki/Thomas_Nightingale

Thank you NetGalley and DAW for the ARC - I am an absolute Rivers of London fanatic and this was a pleasant birthday surprise.
First off, I LOVED that we got to see more from Abigail's perspective. I recently read What Abigail Did Last Summer and was totally ready for more witty, intelligent commentary (and FOXES!).
Don't worry, Peter, Bev and the Nightingale are still a vital part of the story. Aaronovitch does a spectacular job of wounding two (at first) seemingly unrelated plot lines together, keeping me engaged with all sorts of interesting and funny new characters like Blinschell and Ione as well as familar names.
Speaking of Ione, I am a sucker for mermaids and wow 🫣 spoilers are on guys, Abi and Ione are so cute!!
Reading the technical notes and acknowledgments, I am always so impressed with the amount of research and effort Aaronovitch puts into these books. You can definitely tell, with all the specifics about both the local landscape and the oil industry.
Overall, this was a deeply satisfying read for Rivers of London fans. Another great installment in this series, featuring the characteristic witty and nerdy humor and references and a satisfying conclusion. There are a multitude of jumping points for the next book to build on as the gang heads back to London, with Abigail planning to return to visit Ione.

The latest instalment in the Rivers of London series.
I would recommend looking for previous stories to help with character identification.
Detective Sergeant Peter Grant and family are taking a holiday from London travelling up to Scotland.
There are all the usual characters that make this series so entertaining. Peters cousin Abigail takes centre stage with Peter as the story is told from both POV’s.
When a body is found magic a plenty is overwhelming.
Magical creatures and local folklore make this excursion to Scotland well worth this new journey.
You will be well entertained not wanting the journey to end.

I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest unedited feedback.

This installment of the Rivers of London features the team of Abigail, Peter, Nightingale, and Dr. Walid in Scotland, along with Beverly, the kids, and Peter's mom and dad trying to make it into a holiday. At least half of the chapters are from Abigail's voice, the others are Peter's. They go up to Scotland to investigate the appearance of an improbable panther and run into some new other-worldly people living among us. And there are lots of foxes. Aaronovitch is a champ at invoking a world filled with magic all around us, if we just open our eyes to see it.

While I appreciated a lot of this book, it did not create the engagement that I usually have with this series and its characters. The alternating voice interrupted the flow. And there was a LOT of language that I didn't understand. Acronyms, slang, British terms, every page. "Prang," "ned," "mandem," "gyaldm," "ting," "Love Island," "NPAS," "Wagwan," "scrotes," "gaff in SW20." I usually like the British slang in Rivers of London, it gives it character, but piling it on, especially in the chapters coming from a teenaged girl was a little "cringe."

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy.

Another delight from BA as the Rivers of London series continues, this time a family holiday in Scotland is the backdrop for supernatural murders.
Peter, Nightingale and Abigail face some very strange and vicious seagulls, mysterious foxes, secret experimental scientists and, of course, the local genii. Loving the developing relationships amongst the team and the inclusion of Scottish mythology. Lots of fantastic winks and nods to Lovecraft and my fave Star Trek characters - The Ferengi. Brilliant, Brilliant, Brilliant!

I thought the book before this was the last in this series and I am thrilled it was not! The magic and the hidden parts of the world the author draws you into is just incredible. I like that is rooted slightly in the myths around the areas the books are based in. I love the characters! You want these characters as your friend f to at least have an in depth conversation with. I will always pick up a book from this author.

Full disclosure: I have done some editing for the Rivers of London RPG, but have no further association with Ben Aaronovitch; the only effect it has in this case is me spider-man pointing when I caught a reference to something from one of the RPG sourcebooks!

I haven't read most of the early Rivers of London books, but I went in assuming that I would be able to jump right into this one and was completely correct. Aaronovitch does a great job of gently introducing concepts, people, and creatures from earlier books quickly and effectively and completely naturally.

The mystery itself is a fun one: Peter, Beverley, Abigail and Indigo, and Nightingale have headed to Aberdeen when unnatural animals have begun to appear -- and when a strange half-fish person suddenly turns up murdered. There are just enough twists and Scottish herrings (sorry) to keep you guessing as the threads slowly wind tighter to show how it's all connected.

It's sharply written and incredibly funny. More than once I found myself screencapping bits of the dry sharp humor to reread later.

I also super appreciated how queer it was -- I've read a few of the recent novellas and know this is a trend (at least in the later books! Hopefully the earlier as well) but it was nice to have casually gay, bi, nonbinary characters throughout, as well as a major sapphic relationship with one of the major female characters.

I'm really excited to read the next book already. Great work all around, I genuinely can't think of a thing that I would have wanted to see done differently.

Magical beasts, talking foxes, and utter chaos

Peter Grant is a Detective Sergeant with the London Metropolitan Police Special Investigation Unit, also known as the Falcon Squad. The Falcon Squad wizards investigate magical crimes and cryptid sightings.

Peter is on vacation in Aberdeen with his two-year-old twins and wife, Bev. Peter’s mom, dad, and his dad’s jazz band tag along. It seems that a wizard never catches a break, for soon after they arrive, the local police discover the body of a man with gills. Peter collaborates with Aberdeen’s Major Investigation Team on the case. He may need to seek help from his river goddess wife.

Meanwhile, Dr. Abdul Walid is visiting an old friend in Aberdeen to consult on a suspicious case involving a dead sheep. Nightingale, Abigail, and Indigo, her talking fox companion, decide to assist Abdul. The mysterious bite marks soon have them tracking a disappearing black panther. Magical beasts, talking foxes, and utter chaos ensue.

I love the Rivers of London series, and this installment features all the cast in a new location. It introduces new characters, including an intriguing young woman named Ione, whom Abigail meets. Indigo connects with the local fox spy intelligence unit to gather information. I confess that I love the talking foxes! They are sneaky, sassy, and sarcastic, fitting right in with the wit and humour of the series. Indigo has her own surprise at the end of the book. I can’t wait to find out what happens with the foxes next.

Readers who enjoy their urban fantasy with a side of snark, suspense, and magical creatures will love this.

Thanks to DAW and NetGalley for a digital ARC.

I can't help but love the Rivers of London books. Peter Grant is on the case. This time he's in Scotland. I always love a peek into this world Peter's a dad with toddlers, Beverly, his mother, his father, Nightingale, Abigail the foxes all add up to cute, fun and an interesting mystery. As a West Indian person I can't get into the beaches because cold water never matches my experience of a beach but that's my mental block to deal with. Peter takes off for Scotland because Nightingale goes to investigate a big cat sighting his wife and children, mom, dad everyone takes advantage of the work trip to get a vacation. There's a dead fish man, big cat, and his dad playing gigs. I always have a great time with these novels. I love getting the different perspectives from various characters and it's nice to check in with some of my favorite people.

I really enjoyed the change of location for this book. It was good to get a wider sense of the various magical beings that are part of the world building. I also appreciated the split narration between Peter and Abigail although I do find it difficult to understand Abigail's dialogue at times. Despite that though, she is a great character and it was good to hear more about her emotional life.

I did have one issue with the book though in that I couldn't really understand why Patterson had amended the device to blow up the well head. Logically I'm not sure that this made sense or that I understood his aim in doing so.

The Truly Other Summer Read

I have been a huge fan of Ben Aaronovitch's Rivers of London series for a long time, especially of the fantastically narrated audiobooks!

In Stone and Sky, Peter and the whole gang venture outside England, namely to Aberdeen for what they hope to be restful summer holidays with the twins, the parents, the foxes and the magical Met officers. In actuality, it turns out to be very much a working holiday, as a mysterious creature has been goring sheep and Dr Walid's old friend Dr Brian Robertson knows only an expert can help him determine what has been happening. Also, a man with gills robs a bisexual Frenchman's clothes and dies only shortly after. Not that any of there events could possibly be related..

I absolutely loved this read! While I really missed the narration and voice of the audiobooks, the dual POV is told so cleverly and with so much characters that I could hear it in my mind as I read. If you are not a native speaker, you might struggle a bit with the local dialect as written out in prose, but usually you'll get the gist. As always, Aaronovitch's characters are vivid, colourful and steeped in the local history and environment. He masterfully ties Aberdeenshire into his magical world and takes the reader on one hell of a trip to solve the mysterious goings on.

Since this is the tenth book in the series, some prior reading is definitely encouraged in order to be able to fully understand the allusions. I do think, however, that it is also okay to be read on its own - if you are willing to really buy the weird things that have been previously established.

Ben Aaronovitch not only ties Aberdeen's history, georgaphy and cultural landmaks (think grey houses and oil platforms) into the story, but also peppers the customary cultural references into the novel. They are a guaranteed laugh if you ask me!

While there is not always a lot happening in terms of active moments, the plot is moved forward consistently and tension remains high throughout with the jumps between Peter's and Abigail's POV chapters. The ending seems to slow down in terms of pace, only to then speed up again. It never loses its grip and I would class it as an absolute page turner of a novel!

Poor Peter. Maybe he should really go on holiday to Greece or Italy next time..