More cohesive plot-wise than the first one, and the dry humor is still great, the characters still feel like actual real people, and the portrayal of London and its history is still spot on (occasionally verging on info dumping, but I can deal with that since it's not excessive). If the purpose is to have only one main case from now on, I think it will work better in terms of keeping track of the personal lives of the characters and how the magical world is progressing.

Although jazz isn't really for me and I know nothing about it, I actually preferred the case revolving around it (and the nightlife in Soho) more than the river gods in the first book, and I absolutely loved the secondary plot in its Dr. Moreau-esqueness. I can hear the faint murmur of an excellent villain in the distance.

Someone definitely needs to reign Peter in soon, though, before he completely mucks something up because of his inexperience and tendency to get distracted.