Advertisement
Books

Stone & Sky by Ben Aaronovitch review – weird happenings in the Granite City

The 10th book in the hugely popular Rivers of London takes some of the characters to Aberdeen

Ben Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London books have been massively successful, blending police procedural elements with urban fantasy to great effect. While the books have obviously focused on London, this latest missive, Stone & Sky, takes many of the series’ recurring characters to Aberdeen for some typically funny and weird adventures.

The story is told through the eyes of copper Peter Grant and his cousin and ghost hunter Abigail Kamara, and focuses on some weird happenings in the Granite City. 

First there’s a mutilated sheep, then the murder of a man who seemingly has gills, a supernatural seagull and talking foxes. Saying much more would flirt with those spoilers again, but the great appeal of Aaronovitch’s series is the sense of fun he writes with, and the perceptive way he deals with his large cast of characters.

This book can definitely be seen as widening the appeal and deepening the stories of the series as a whole, but it’s also a fun romp around the Scottish north-east in its own right.

Stone & Sky by Ben Aaronavitch is out now (Orion, £20). You can buy it from the Big Issue shop on bookshop.org, which helps to support Big Issue and independent bookshops.

Do you have a story to tell or opinions to share about this? Get in touch and tell us more

Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty
Advertisement
Real stories. Real impact. Real change. No clickbait. Just trustworthy journalism that gets to the heart of big issues in the UK and beyond. Words drive real change. If this article gave you something to think about, help us keep doing this work. Support Big Issue's journalism from £5 a month.
Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty

How many kids, Keir?

Ask the PM to tell us how many kids he'll get out of poverty
Image of two parents holding two small children, facing away from the camera

Recommended for you

Read All
Relearning to Read by Ann Morgan review – eye-opening and revelatory
Books

Relearning to Read by Ann Morgan review – eye-opening and revelatory

100,000 Birthdays by Cynthia Rogerson review – as fun as it is profound
Books

100,000 Birthdays by Cynthia Rogerson review – as fun as it is profound

Top 5 books about migration and personal journeys, chosen by Gosia Buzzanca
Books

Top 5 books about migration and personal journeys, chosen by Gosia Buzzanca

Will There Ever Be Another You by Patricia Lockwood review – evoking our collective Covid brain fog
Books

Will There Ever Be Another You by Patricia Lockwood review – evoking our collective Covid brain fog

Most Popular

Read All
Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits
Renters: A mortgage lender's window advertising buy-to-let products
1.

Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal
Pound coins on a piece of paper with disability living allowancve
2.

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal

Cost of living payments: Where to get help in 2025 now the scheme is over
next dwp cost of living payment 2023
3.

Cost of living payments: Where to get help in 2025 now the scheme is over

Citroën Ami: the tiny electric vehicle driving change with The Big Issue
4.

Citroën Ami: the tiny electric vehicle driving change with The Big Issue