The Peculiar Crimes Unit is just about to re-open (after the explosion that occurred in Fowler's first PCU novel, FULL DARK HOUSE) when Benjamin Singh, an old friend of senior detective Arthur Bryant's, asks if he will look into his sister's death. He found her sitting in a chair in her basement, dressed, dry, but with her mouth full of river water. Bryant, his longtime partner John May, and the rest of the team have no sooner started asking questions in her tiny neighborhood when more odd deaths occur.

In the meantime, a young woman has moved into Ruth Singh's old home as London suffers through endless deluges of rain following an unusually hot summer. Why does she keep hearing water when she goes down in her basement, and why do wet spots keep appearing on the walls even though they are dry to the touch? Who is the street person who keeps peering into her window?

You will likely learn more than you might have wanted to know about the watercourses of London's rivers and of its sewage system in the course of this book; however, the mixture of mystery, neighborhood characters, and the eccentric Peculiar Crimes Unit (and its most peculiar member, Arthur Bryant) make the information not only painless, but downright absorbing. Bryant is in fine form in this second PCU outing, and the combination of puzzle and humor is delightful.

It's interesting to read a review of the 2nd book in the series, with respect to the first, and hear it described, essentially, as "every bit as good as the first, which was quite good." I have finally I believe read them all, in random order, ending with The Water Room, and I would report something very similar. I can't say much about the progression of Fowler's work, per se, but I can say that it is consistently excellent. Fowler certainly knows what he's doing. His writing is rich and well-balanced at every level, AND it is consistent from book to book, without ever being too predictable.

He HAS successfully mixed a light, humorous tone with the gravity of age, and of course the (peculiar) strangeness of his plots. Bryant is pretty decrepit, physically having some difficulty, and his mind is as disorderly as ever, sharp and even visionary though his memory has declined a bit. May is fairly strong, both physically and mentally, despite his years. Neither show any signs of quitting. Far from being alarmed that they might drop dead any moment, I delight that they are still so vital.

The old detectives are a novel twist, which gives this series a unique quality, which perhaps Baby Boomers can well appreciate. We will be entering those golden years soon, and we want to make the best of a bad situation, charge on to the best of our ability, and enjoy life fully. Bryant and May are perfect models for a Spirit of Winter, growing old gracefully.

I particularly liked Water Room in part because its plot depicts a dark and (again) decrepit London, with heavy winter rains, mud and mold above, dark secrets, and mysterious, dangerous tunnels beneath their feet. This novel involves the inhabitants of all the houses on the street, so the relationships can be quite tangled. As the story slowly reveals the truth, residence on this street begins to seem very hazardous, and even our protagonists lives are in danger.

I must say, one of my favorite reads!

Terrific, like the whole Bryant and May series, the odd couple of superb London detectives, with Bryant's exhaustive knowledge of every square inch of London, including underground, and its long history and tradition.

The Water Room is great fun. It's a warped throw back to the days of John Dickson Carr and others of the impossible crimes school. And there is a lot of off-the-wall information, including London's lost or buried rivers and streams. I highly recommed this book to anyone who likes a change of pace from Spenser. Slight warning: read the books in this series one or two at a time as over-dosing would ruin the fun. Enjoy them don't consume them.

As titled, this is the first of the series I have read, and I liked it well enough I expect to buy more later.What else to say??