A secret police force manages London's hidden magical underworld
In short: In Ben Aaronovitch's Rivers of London, magic isn't just a myth—it is a bureaucratic reality. Beneath the surface of modern life, an official apprentice wizard and his team navigate a world where ancient spirits, fairies, and ghosts coexist with ordinary humans who remain blissfully unaware.
The series centers on Peter Grant, a Metropolitan Police officer who holds the distinction of being the first official apprentice wizard in sixty years. Collaborating with Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale, he assists the final authorised English Wizard who leads 'the Folly'. Together with a diverse team—including an ex-para fire investigator, a world-renowned cryptopathologist, and various police detectives—they handle crimes involving supernatural elements.
The setting is grounded in real history and geography, blending down-to-earth police procedurals with urban fantasy. The narrative explores the existence of entities like 'Mama Thames' (the goddess of the river) and her various children, such as Beverley Brook and Oxley. Even historical figures are woven into this tapestry; for instance, the series acknowledges Isaac Newton as a major wizard in its broader lore.
The universe is expansive enough to include characters with magically extended lifetimes, like Varvara Sidorovna Tamonina, a Russian 'Night Witch' from World War II. The world-building is so dense that it has inspired its own wiki, Follypedia, and various media including graphic novels published by Titan Comics and a role-playing game released by Chaosium in 2023.
While the series began in 2011, it has achieved significant commercial success, selling over five million copies worldwide. Despite its popularity and multiple television adaptation announcements—most recently involving Sky Studios in 2024—the author notes that the books maintain a complex internal chronology where some stories may contain intentional anachronisms or vague dates.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Rivers of London (book series)
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