This is the first of a new UF series, called Rivers of London in the UK, and Midnight Riot in the US (why the name change, I have no idea). 
 Police Constable Peter Grant meets a ghost one night, who gives him some information on a murder. This not only saves Peter from the horror of being assigned to the Case Progression Unit (the paperwork department) within London's Metropolitan Police; it also opens up a whole new career avenue working within a secret branch of the Met, and learning magic from England's last wizard. 
 After reading the first few pages, I knew I was going to enjoy the tone of the book, with its frequent witty one liners and snarky comments. The book is unusual in UF in that it features a male protagonist, and it's also pretty light on romance. I really liked the London backdrop to the story, being familiar with a lot of the landmarks and whatnot. So many UF stories are set in the US, and it was a very pleasant change to have a home-grown story. 
 I devoured the first couple of hundred pages, then I felt the story seemed to meander a little (like the Thames tributaries that get mentioned so frequently throughout the story), and I felt myself becoming a little disengaged. Overall though, I would say this is an excellent debut novel, and I will check out the sequel. I'd rate it about Three and a Half stars, but I'll round it up to Four, because first novels often aren't the best in a series, and deserve the benefit of the doubt.