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Arcane Casebook

by Dan Willis

12 books Started 2018 Latest 2025
Publication Reading Order

The Arcane Casebook is a Historical Fiction series by Dan Willis, made up of 12 books published between 2018 and 2025. It begins with In Plain Sight (2018), and is best read in publication order. The most recent entry is Gangster (2025), spanning 7 years of storytelling.

12books
7years active
2decades
~0.6yrs between books
2025latest release

Arcane Casebook series: frequently asked questions

What order should I read the Arcane Casebook series?

Start with In Plain Sight (2018), the first book in the Arcane Casebook series by Dan Willis. Follow the books in publication order for the best reading experience.

How many books are in the Arcane Casebook series?

There are 12 books in the Arcane Casebook series by Dan Willis, published between 2018 and 2025.

What is the first book in the Arcane Casebook series?

The first book in the Arcane Casebook series is In Plain Sight, published in 2018 by Dan Willis.

What is the latest book in the Arcane Casebook series?

The most recent book in the Arcane Casebook series is Gangster (2025) by Dan Willis.

Dan Willis is an American writer best known for his historical fiction and nonfiction works. Born in 1957, Willis grew up in the Midwest and received his degree in history from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His notable works include the "Matthew Shardlake" series of historical mysteries set in Tudor England, beginning with "The Devil's Knot" (2003). The series has received critical acclaim for its compelling characters, meticulous research, and vivid depiction of the period. Willis's other books include the standalone historical novel "A Short History of Nearly Everything" (2008) and the nonfiction work "The Four Angry Men" (2019). Willis has won numerous awards, including the Ellis Peters Historical Dagger Award for "Doomed Queen Anne" (2017). His works have been praised for their well-crafted storytelling, historical accuracy, and ability to captivate readers. Willis continues to write and reside in the United States.

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About the Arcane Casebook series

Dan Willis's Arcane Casebook series is a hugely enjoyable blend of hardboiled detective fiction and magic, set in an alternate 1930s New York where sorcery is real and regulated. Alex Lockerby is a "runewright" — a magic-using private investigator who scribes spells onto paper — working cases that mix Depression-era noir with the supernatural.

The series nails the period atmosphere: speakeasies, dames in distress, crooked politics and gangsters, all reimagined with a clever, rule-based magic system. Alex is a likeable, dogged gumshoe, and the mysteries are satisfyingly twisty.

The cases build a larger arc, so reading in order from "In Plain Sight" is the most rewarding way through the series.