Step into the spellbinding world of the Arcane Casebook series, where 1930s New York City pulses with magic, mystery, and noir charm! Dan Willis’ urban fantasy saga follows Alex Lockerby, a hard-boiled private detective and runewright, as he navigates a gritty, Depression-era metropolis teeming with sorcerers, mobsters, and magical plagues. Blending the sharp wit of Dashiell Hammett with a dazzling magical system, this series is a must-read for fans of detective fiction and fantasy alike.
Picture this: a smoky office, a fedora-wearing sleuth, and a city where runes power everything from streetcars to deadly spells. Arcane Casebook hooks you with its vivid world-building and intricate mysteries, all wrapped in a light, adventurous tone that makes every page a thrill.
How Arcane Casebook Began
Dan Willis, a seasoned fantasy author known for his work on the DragonLance series, crafted Arcane Casebook to fill a void left by a hiatus in Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files. Craving a magical detective fix, Willis set his series in an alternate 1930s New York, swapping Chicago’s modern grit for a noir-soaked, Great Depression backdrop. His love for pulp detective stories and classic fantasy shaped Alex Lockerby’s world, where magic is as commonplace as jazz and just as electrifying. The series kicked off with a free prequel novella, Dead Letter, in 2018, setting the stage for a sprawling saga that’s still growing.
The Heart of Arcane Casebook
The series begins with In Plain Sight (2018), where Alex investigates a magical plague unleashed in a Manhattan soup kitchen. Hounded by the FBI and a powerful sorceress, Sorsha Kincaid, he races to clear his name using his rune magic. Ghost of a Chance (2019) ups the ante with locked-room murders that test Alex’s faltering powers, while The Long Chain (2019) sees him hunting a missing Nobel Prize-winning chemist with no memory. Capital Murder (2021) throws Alex into a high-stakes conspiracy involving a senator’s death, weaving historical events into its magical tapestry.
Arcane Casebook shines through its unique magical system: runewrights like Alex craft arcane geometric drawings that ignite to cast spells, while rare sorcerers wield elemental forces like electricity or ice. This cost-based magic, where every spell has a price, grounds the series’ fantastical elements in a gritty reality. Themes of resilience, ingenuity, and moral ambiguity echo the Great Depression’s struggles, with Alex’s hand-to-mouth existence mirroring the era’s economic despair. The noir aesthetic—complete with femme fatales, shadowy cabals, and snappy dialogue—pairs seamlessly with urban fantasy’s sense of wonder, creating a world that feels both familiar and fantastical.
Why Arcane Casebook Resonates
Arcane Casebook has carved a niche among urban fantasy and noir fans, earning praise for its smart world-building and engaging characters. Readers on platforms like Goodreads laud its blend of historical accuracy and magical innovation, often comparing it favorably to the Dresden Files, though its 1930s setting gives it a distinct flavor. The series’ ability to weave real-world history—like the rise of Nazi influence in later books—into its mysteries adds depth, making it more than just a genre mashup. With 12 books planned (the latest, Gangster, set for 2025), Willis’ saga continues to captivate a growing fanbase.
- First Book Published: In Plain Sight, 2018
- Number of Books: 11 (as of 2024), with a 12th forthcoming
- Setting: Alternate 1930s New York City
- Author’s Other Works: DragonLance, Dragons of the Confederacy
Ready to crack open a magical mystery? Grab In Plain Sight and dive into Arcane Casebook’s enchanting blend of noir and urban fantasy!