Detective Inspector James Quill and his team are unique among London's crime squads. Each one of his team members has been touched by the ability to see the supernatural, a gift (or curse) that has already helped them solve one unusual case. Quill is thrilled the murder of a high ranking cabinet member appears to be one of their cases. The murders continue and now it's a race against the clock for Quill and his team to solve just who or what is behind these ghastly crimes.

THE SEVERED STREETS is the second book in the Shadow Police series. I would strongly recommend reading the first book prior to starting THE SEVERED STREETS. Jumping into the second book as I did without knowledge of the characters and how they developed their powers is more than a tad confusing. The plethora of characters along with the varied abilities and references to the first book make THE SEVERED STREETS a book more likely to be enjoyed in the context of the series rather than as a standalone.

THE SEVERED STREETS focuses on an already established team but the ties that keep them together are fragmenting a bit. I suspect that I would have enjoyed THE SEVERED STREETS more if I had read London Falling first. It was difficult to empathize with the characters already in turmoil, especially since the issues were often alluded to rather than explained for a new reader to the series.

I wanted to like THE SEVERED STREETS a lot more than I did. Paul Cornell incorporated all the elements I normally enjoy in a story- a strong paranormal world, a team of investigators, and an uneasy populace. THE SEVERED STREETS has an intriguing premise but I would highly suggest readers start with the first book, London Calling, to determine if Paul Cornell's world and characters are their cup of tea.