A cheeky wee re-read here. My 'to-be-read' pile is giving me a seriously disapproving look but I felt the need for some comfort reading. Re-reading favourites is definitely in that category.
Started and finished in the same night but to be fair, this is a book I have read a few times so that is to be expected.
When I think to review this book (and the series) the phrase that comes to mind is 'sense of place'. This is a story that is as much about a place (in its modern, mutlicultural incarnation) as it is about the people in the story. Which is not to say the characters aren't good, they are a delight, I am just not sure they are the star of the show.
The other thread that springs to mind is 'matter of factness'. Magic is just accepted with a shrug because, well, bad stuff is happening and that needs dealt with first. When I think about it this is a very astute reading of how something like this would probably go these days.
Anyways, this remains a favourite book and the review score reflects that. If you haven't started in on this series and you enjoy any of crime fiction, urban fantasy, fantasy or just a good story then you should be thinking about starting this.