RIVERS OF LONDON: DETECTIVE STORIES #1 (P)REVIEW

The pleasingly ridiculous Rivers of London continues with Detective Stories, a series set after the events of The Hanging Tree and Black Mould. It’s out now and will be of great interest fans of quirky comics. Set in London where some detectives happen to be wizards, Rivers of London has always featured high levels of dry humour in grim situations. You can see from the covers the various homages to CSI: Miami, Law & Order, The Wire and Luther.

Rivers of London: Detective Stories features self-contained stories of Detective Peter Grant. If you’re not familiar with the previous events it’s a great place to start, and previous fans will be happy to see the high standards of humour and story are maintained. In this episode, a goat has been set on fire in some sort of ritual sacrifice. There’s no accelerant present, so the only logical conclusion is the use of magic (obviously) and we’re soon on the trail of high-priced lawyers, bizarrely decorated houses and some very ambitious spells.

One of the things I like about Rivers of London, besides the humour, the great stories and excellent artwork, is the way it accurately captures the mix of London’s tradition, modern buildings and everyday life (assuming you gloss over the magic). It’s a special skill to make something so outrageous that feels so real.