Published: January 31, 2017
Publisher: DAW Books
Series: Peter Grant #6
Genre: Fantasy, Mystery
Page: 292 (Paperback)
My Rating: 4 Stars
Synopsis:
The Sixth book in the the Rivers of London series featuring the young law officer Peter Grant—who must deal with both crime and magic.
Where the Marble Arch stands today in London was once the Tyburn gallows – or The Hanging Tree. The walk toward those gallows, along Oxford Street and past the Mayfair mansions, has a bloody and haunted history as the last trip of the condemned. Some things never change. Blood and ghosts have returned to those mansions of the super-rich. Peter Grant’s put on the job, as England’s last wizard and the Metropolitan Police’s reluctant investigator of all things supernatural…
I really have to stop waiting so long to write reviews for my non-review copy books because I start forgetting stuff. Which is why I’ve started keeping a little notebook full of scribbled notes while I read. It helps so much. You know, as long as you actually do it consistently. Which I didn’t for this one.
What I can tell you is that while I enjoyed this one, it wasn’t my favorite because right now Foxglove Summer holds that title. The Hanging Tree returns Peter to London, where he’s drawn into the scandals of the children of wealthy, powerful parents. One of said children is the daughter of Lady Tyburn, who has implicated herself in the overdose death of another girl at an empty flat that the group of teens broke into to party in. Ty has called in a favor and wants Peter to get her baby girl off the hook, but Peter is a good cop and won’t just sweep this under the rug. The convoluted investigation brings Peter in contact with someone who might just be the Faceless Man.
This story retains the humour, but the series overall is taking on a more serious tone as the circle closes on the Faceless Man and Lesley May keeps interfering in police business. This is a tale that’s evolving and maturing as Peter grows in his skill as a magician and it’s still one of my favorite series right now. I really just want to pick up one after another, but to avoid burning myself out I’m limiting myself to two books back to back before I change things up and read something else. This particular installment has some great magical showdowns and some rather sobering revelations. Unfortunately, because I suck at taking notes when I’m listening to audiobooks, I don’t have a ton of particulars for The Hanging Tree. If you’ve liked the books leading up to this, you’ll enjoy this one just as much. I can’t wait to see what happens next and it won’t be long until I return to this series.
Powder & Page 
Leave a comment