First published 2011
Peter Grant thought his biggest problems were avoiding desk duty and impressing a fellow officer. Then he tried interviewing a murder witness who happened to be dead. The ghost could talk, which caught the attention of Inspector Nightingale, London's last practicing wizard. Now Peter serves as both Detective Constable and magical apprentice, the first in fifty years. His new duties include handling vampire nests in the suburbs and mediating disputes between river deities. But something darker lurks in the city. A malevolent spirit transforms ordinary Londoners into twisted puppets, forcing them to enact scenes of violence and chaos. This ancient force of riot and rebellion has awakened, and Peter must master his newfound magical abilities quickly. The fate of London depends on whether he can restore order before the spirit's influence spreads further through the city he loves.
Genres: mystery, crime, fantasy, urban-fantasy
Vibes: atmospheric, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: London
Period: 21st-century
391 pages · ebook · Orion Publishing Group