Deadly Ever After is the latest graphic novel from the increasingly extensive Rivers of London series. I read it as the 4 comics but it will also be available in graphic novel form (which is what I’ll buy my mum for her to read). Sequence wise this is the latest chronological story in canon so may not work for a new reader but as it mostly focuses on 2 side characters it could actually work ok as an introduction to a London in which magic is real. A quick reminder that our stories mostly centre on Peter Grant – a police officer in the magic division of the Met (The Folly) – the rest of the Met and Peter’s family & friends)
This story focuses on Chelsea & Olympia – sister river goddesses (daughters of Mama Thames) – and their exploits after they accidentally break an enchantment and release a resentful Victorian artist from the world of fae who just wants to return to the world he knew. The story revolves around his illustrated book of fairy tales and how a group of 20-30 somethings hanging out in the woods where he was released become possessed to enact those tales (Sleeping Beauty, The Frog Prince, Little Red Riding Hood).
Chelsea & Olympia are rather air headed socialites in comparison to some of their sisters (Beverly Brook – Peter’s partner, and Lady Tyburn – political influencer) and are in way over their heads. At the same time they try to resolve the case on their own knowing they’ve messed up and being terrified of approaching Beverly or The Folly as Beverly has her own kids to look after and she’d be very disappointed in them.
As hopeless as they are they do still manage to deal with a lot of the case, ably supported by our crew of talking foxes (a recurring group of foxes who can talk and run quality surveillance operations). It does all go a bit wrong at the end but Beverly is there to save the day after all because no-one messes with her family.
It’s not my favourite graphic novel as whilst I get the desire to show the broader world and other characters the focus on Chelsea and Olympia made it a bit lightweight. I’ve appreciated work that focuses on other characters such as Guleed, Abigail, Nightingale or the rest of the Met and I’d also love a Lady Ty focused story it’s just these 2 characters can’t really cary anything substantial. It’s still a decent entry in the series, well drawn and quite fun but I’d probably say it’s a 3.5 out of 5.