Rivers of London

When something strange and inexplicable occurs in London, the Special Assessment Unit is called in to deal with it. Peter Grant is an officer of this branch and the star of Aaronovitch's Rivers of London novels, quite popular in the UK but less well-known stateside. This first comics adaptation introduces Grant and his impressively diverse supporting cast as they investigate a bizarre case of murder by car. Led to a junk dealer, Grant and his nonmagical partner, Sahra Guleed, find that the dealer has inadvertently sold off various pieces of a haunted car, which must be tracked down before they take their drivers on the worst kind of ride. The magic or falcon, as police slang would have it is pleasingly grounded here, creating a world of subtle intricacies rather than dazzling fireworks, and the supernatural is blended into the police procedural with satisfying realism. The characters are familiar but engaging enough, and the art does much to make each face distinctive and expressive as well as give the story its down-to-earth sturdiness.--Karp, Jesse Copyright 2016 Booklist

Rivers of London: Body Work is an extension of the universe created in Aaronovitch's "Rivers of London" urban fantasy police procedural series. Writer Cartmel (Doctor Who TV series) coauthors the story's transition to the comic format, with artists Sullivan (Doctor Who comics) and Guerrero (The Troop) providing the elegant illustrations. Supernatural forces are intrinsic to England, so naturally there is an entire branch of the Metropolitan Police to clean up the messes of that nature. Constable Peter Grant, Det. Constable Sahra Guleed, and DCI Thomas Nightingale make up the team tasked with investigating the lethal and spiritual possession of BMWs across the London metropolitan area. The special unit of the police otherwise known as the Folly or Falcon makes quick work of finding the source of an angry and tortured spirit accidentally released from the medieval depths of time. Tracing the hauntings to its origin is the group's responsibility, especially under the threat of more innocent deaths. Verdict Fans of police investigative dramas and sf will enjoy this story, which shares similar features with Antony Johnston and Justin Greenwood's The Fuse.-Teresa Potter-Reyes, Helen Hall Lib., League City, TX © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.