Rivers of London: Body Work, by Ben Aaronovitch

Ben Aaronovitch has many of the same strengths and weaknesses as Janet Evanovich: his Rivers of London mysteries rarely make much sense, but they don't need to. His fans read them for the characters, his distinctive sense of humor, and setting, not the cleverly-laid clues.

In addition to the seven books in the main series, Titan Press has produced several graphic novel tie-ins. The first volume, Body Work, was released in 2016. It features Peter Grant, a young London police officer who has been recruited to work for a very specialized branch of the Metropolitan Police: the Folly, which deals with supernatural crimes. Peter's latest case involves cars—specifically, a self-driving murderous automobile, the Most Haunted Car in England, and a hapless mechanic who stripped the wrong BMW for parts.

The artwork in Body Work is straightforward and effective, and the graphic novel format forces Aaronovitch to cut down on some of his trademark meandering. (Enough remains to entertain his fans, but it actually helps tighten up the various action sequences.) There is still plenty of humor, including a enjoyable collection of single-page, standalone jokes thrown in at the end of the story. I'm not sure how much newbies will get from this installment—the later graphic novels appear to include a guide to the characters, but this one doesn't—but if you're already a fan of this series, Body Work is totally worth the cover price.