I got this UK-edition softcover (released as Midnight Riot in the US) from the charity-sale bin in the Hannaford supermarket in Hudson NH, while donating some books of my own. Was glad to find another release copy. It's the first of the fantasy/police-procedural series "Rivers of London," in which a policeman with budding magical talent has to deal with varied supernatural beings - while juggling his responsibilities to the police force with the respect due to the various river gods and goddesses - humans who have become avatars of their respective waterways.

The book is great fun - though I admit I prefer the subsequent books, with the relationships and magic already established. Still, I was pleased to see how things began, with constable Peter Grant finding himself sidelined career-wise - until he gets some key information on a grisly murder from... a ghost. From there he finds himself introduced to the Folly, the "magical crimes" unit, whose current staff consists of Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale (and his unearthly housekeeper Molly). Peter winds up becoming apprenticed to Nightingale, and learns a lot more than he wanted to know about the different mystical beings that dwell in and around his city. When he finds himself facing down the goddess of the Thames, he knows he's on a very different path in life!

[There's a TV Tropes page on the series, with some entertaining tidbits.]

I left this book in this new-to-me Little Free Library; hope someone enjoys it!

[See other recent releases in NH here.]

*** Released for the 2023 Clean Start for the New Year challenge. ***