As a longtime fan of the Rivers of London series, I was excited to dive into Stone and Sky, the latest installment from Ben Aaronovitch. This time, the story takes a detour north as our familiar cast heads to Scotland. Nightingale and Abdul travel to Aberdeenshire to investigate some mysterious attacks on livestock—incidents that don’t seem to involve your run-of-the-mill predators. Nightingale sees an opportunity for mentorship and invites his apprentice, Abigail, to join them. Meanwhile, Beverly, Peter’s river goddess wife, decides a Scottish holiday sounds perfect and ropes Peter and the twins into tagging along.

Things take a darker turn when Peter is called to consult on a local murder case. The body bears some very odd features, and from there, the situation escalates into a string of increasingly strange occurrences—including eldritch horrors like seagulls with teeth (yes, really). Peter uncovers a missing person case that seems tied to the bizarre goings-on, and eventually, his investigation overlaps with Nightingale and Abigail’s hunt for the unknown predator.

As always, Aaronovitch blends the magical with the mundane in a way that feels entirely natural. His dry humor and the engaging interplay between characters are very much present, which is always a highlight of the series. The way magic is embedded into the real world is so seamless that it never feels forced or out of place.

That said, this entry didn’t quite grip me the way previous books have. The pacing felt a little slow at the start, with a heavy focus on the architecture and layout of Aberdeen that dragged a bit for me. The introduction of a large cast of new characters also made it harder to keep track of who was who. This book also leans heavily on the reader’s familiarity with the series—newcomers might find themselves lost without the context from earlier books.

One change I appreciated was the greater focus on Abigail. The story alternates between her and Peter’s perspectives, and it was interesting to get deeper into her character. Still, I found myself missing more of Peter and Nightingale’s dynamic, especially in the action scenes.

Overall, Stone and Sky is a solid addition to the series, with plenty of trademark wit and magical intrigue. While it may not be my favorite of the bunch, fans of the series will still find much to enjoy—just be prepared for a slower start and a slightly more complex web of characters.

Many thanks to DAW publishers and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC. The views expressed are my own.