What Order Should I Read the Rivers of London?

By Anna Duncan

If you’re a fan of urban fantasy and crime thrillers, then you’ve probably heard of the Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch. This series follows the adventures of Detective Constable Peter Grant as he navigates the magical underworld of London.

With seven books and several novellas in the series, it can be overwhelming to figure out what order to read them in. In this article, we’ll break down the best order to read the Rivers of London series.

Publication Order

The simplest way to read the Rivers of London series is in publication order. This is the order in which the books were released and is often a good way to experience a series for the first time. The publication order for this series is as follows:

  • Rivers of London (2011)
  • Moon Over Soho (2011)
  • Whispers Under Ground (2012)
  • Broken Homes (2013)
  • Foxglove Summer (2014)
  • The Hanging Tree (2016)
  • Lies Sleeping (2018)

The Novellas

In addition to the main novels, there are also several novellas that take place in between them. These novellas are not necessary to understand the main plot but they do provide additional context and character development. The best time to read these novellas is after finishing their respective novels.

  • Midnight Riot aka Rivers of London (2010) – takes place before book one
  • Ghost Story (2014) – takes place between books four and five
  • The Furthest Station (2017) – takes place between books five and six

Chronological Order

Another option for reading the Rivers of London series is in chronological order. This means starting with the prequel novella and following the events in order of when they occur in the series’ timeline. While this order can provide a different perspective on the series, it can also be confusing since events from one book may be referenced in a later book that was published earlier.

The chronological order for this series is as follows:

  • Midnight Riot aka Rivers of London (2010)
  • Moon Over Soho (2011)
  • Whispers Under Ground (2012)
  • The Hanging Tree (2016)
  • Broken Homes (2013)
  • Foxglove Summer (2014)
  • The Furthest Station (2017)
  • Lies Sleeping (2018)

Conclusion

Ultimately, the best way to read the Rivers of London series comes down to personal preference. If you want to experience the story as it was originally released, then publication order is your best bet. However, if you’re interested in exploring the series’ timeline in a different way, then chronological order may be more appealing.

Regardless of which order you choose, one thing is certain – you’re in for a wild ride through the magical streets of London with Peter Grant and his friends. So grab your copy of Rivers of London and get ready to join the Folly!