I wanted to take a moment in this deep freeze of January to sing the praises of a fantasy/mystery series that I found late last year. I have been reading my way through them – fast at first, and then (when I realized I would catch up with the author’s output) slower. I use them as a palate cleanser in my reading diet, and a comforting go-to when I need something reliably entertaining. And while I see they have a decent number of rating on Amazon, I never hear anyone talking about these books. Maybe because they are self-published and in Kindle Unlimited. But if you are looking for a long series (11 books and counting!) to sink into on these long winter nights, you should give this series a try.
As a lover of genre blends, I’m always looking for a new take on an old combination. And with the Case Files I found a new twist on the Mystery/Fantasy blend. When it comes to genre blending, there is always the danger that by adding one genre to another you will create a book that appeals to readers of neither. But for my money, these books are catnip for anyone who loves classic urban fantasy books with interesting worldbuilding, plenty of action, and a kick-ass female detective. I’d also suggest them if you like portal fantasies where a character from our world is dropped into a fantasy landscape and has to adapt and find their way around. BUT, they are also something I might hand to someone looking for a clever historical mystery series with strong Sherlock Holmes vibes. Weird combo? Hell yeah! But I swear, it works!
The series starts with Magic and the Shinigami Detective. As I said, these books are portal fantasies, and in book one’s prologue we are cleverly dropped into the point of view of Jamie Edwards, a captive of a magic-wielding madwoman who has kidnapped and experimented upon people from various worlds, of whom Jamie is the sole surviving victim. But the witch, Belladonna, has miscalculated with Jamie. As she is a federal agent with her own skills and abilities and Belladonna’s experiments have enhanced her physically, Jamie is able to overpower Belladonna and kill her. She escapes the witch’s hidden lair, finds civilization, and gets the full realization that she is in an entirely different world – in some ways like our own, but at a Victorian level of technology. And with MAGIC.
The case files then start with a time jump and a point of view shift to Henri Davenforth, a magical inspector with the Kingston police force. He is called out on a case, meets Jamie, and the two are partnered up to solve their first case together. It’s a good one, involving a theft of a powerful artifact from the police evidence locker. I won’t go into detail on the case, but the two complement each other well. Each chapter is written as if it is a case file written (in the beginning) by Henri, detailing the case. It’s a very Dr. Watson thing to do, and when Jamie finds the casebooks, she begins adding her own handwritten commentary. The two build a strong friendship, and the dialogue and banter between them is top notch. I keep coming back to the series not only because Raconteur constructs her mysteries well, but to revisit Jamie and Henri.
The fun of the series for urban fantasy fans is that you do have some great magical world-building. The author does a terrific job of evoking a city that is reminiscent of London, but has plenty of character of its own. The magic systems are not revolutionary, but they are well explained and shown through both the action and some light explication as Jamie is still relatively new to this world and doesn’t have any magic herself. Jamie has some of the expected characteristics of an urban fantasy heroine – she’s strong, resourceful, observant, and sarcastic as hell. She might even be considered overpowered, as she is strong and faster than most due to Belladonna’s tampering, and has an immunity to most offensive magic. Her vulnerabilities are the fact that she cannot ever go home and is always learning new things about her adopted world. Henri is much more unexpected. He’s equally witty and sarcastic, but he’s also not typical fantasy hero material. His magic isn’t the strongest – he’s just very talented at using what he has to the best of his abilities. He’s also a little indolent, expending physical effort only when necessary and very, very fond of his creature comforts. I love him to bits.
For the historical mystery/Sherlock Holmes fans, the setting is wonderful. The Victorian-esque setting is really late-Victorian/Edwardian, as are Doyle’s stories. There are lots of carriages but the automobile is starting to become more common. The other levels of technology are interestingly muddled, as some things that would be done by technological invention are accomplished by magic instead, giving the series a fun steampunk vibe at times. There are plenty of things that Jamie misses from her world, and she finds ways to introduce some of them to her new world, albeit often with a magical assist. Part of the fun of the series are her efforts to replicate things like cell phones. The author is clearly knowledgeable about the mystery genre, and in every outing seems to enjoy playing with some of the classic mystery tropes, including clever heists, baffling burglaries, city-wide crime sprees, and locked room murders. The mysteries tend to be on the cozy-side of things, but are never, ever boring.
Finally, for the cat-lovers in the audience, there are some seriously cute magical felines. Yes, they talk. No it is not too twee.
So if you like urban fantasies but would like a unique historical take, I highly recommend the series. There are 11 books and counting:
- Magic and the Shinigami Detective
- Charms and Death and Explosions (oh my!)
- Magic Outside the Box
- Breaking and Entering 101
- Three Charms for Murder
- Grimoires and Where to Find Them
- Death Over the Garden Wall
- This Potion is da Bomb
- All in a Name
- A Matter of Secrets and Spies
- All Fun and Games
Purchase on Amazon or the author’s website.