Wicked Witches of the Midwest Fantasy Books in Order

Where to Start the Winchester Witch Fantasies

Amanda M. Lee's sprawling Wicked Witches of the Midwest universe is a delightful blend of small-town cozy mysteries and magical family antics. Within this massive world, the Fantasy subseries occupies a special, surreal niche. Unlike the core mystery novels, which focus on solving local crimes in Hemlock Cove, Michigan, the six Fantasy books are dreamlike, character-driven adventures where the Winchester family confronts warped realities, pop-culture parodies, and magical mishaps.

When it comes to reading these books, readers generally follow one of two paths:

• The Standalone Fantasy Marathon: You can read the six Fantasy books consecutively as their own self-contained story arc. This route is perfect if you want to skip the mystery elements and focus strictly on the family's most bizarre, magical exploits.
• The Master Chronological Timeline (Recommended): Because these fantasy novels occur at specific points in the lives of the Winchester cousins—Bay, Thistle, and Clove—reading them interspersed with the main mystery novels provides the best context for character relationships, romantic developments, and overarching town lore.

Publication Order of the Fantasy Subseries

If you choose to read the fantasy arc on its own, it consists of six books published between 2015 and 2018. Each book takes a classic storytelling trope and turns it upside down using the Winchesters' signature brand of sarcasm and spells.

1. Witchy Tales (2015)

The fantasy spin-off kicks off with the Winchester cousins getting sucked into a literal book of fairy tales. Thanks to Aunt Tillie's chaotic magical influence, Bay, Thistle, and Clove must navigate twisted, snarky versions of classic stories like Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood to find their way back home.

2. A Witch in Time (2016)

When an accident leaves Aunt Tillie unconscious in the hospital, Bay and Landon fall asleep by her bedside and find themselves pulled directly into her mind. Together, they must travel through nearly 80 years of Tillie's memories—including her childhood, marriages, and tragic losses—to convince the stubborn matriarch to wake up and return to the present.

3. Make a Witch (2017)

Set around Thanksgiving, the peaceful atmosphere of Hemlock Cove is disrupted when a donated wishing well begins granting wishes. Naturally, the magical outcomes are completely warped, forcing the Winchester family to scramble to reverse the chaotic magic before the holiday is ruined.

4. A Witchmas Carol (2017)

When Aunt Tillie learns that her great-nieces are planning to spend Christmas Day apart, breaking long-standing family traditions, she decides to teach them a lesson. This holiday-themed fantasy forces the cousins to confront their priorities and the true meaning of family solidarity under threat of Tillie's festive hexes.

5. All My Witches (2017)

Frustrated that her nieces mock her obsession with daytime soap operas, Aunt Tillie casts a spell that traps the family inside a soap opera world of her own design. The Winchesters find themselves navigating a melodramatic reality filled with crime bosses, secret underground facilities, over-dramatic hospital staff, and multiple versions of Aunt Tillie's own "evil twin."

6. Close Encounters of the Witchy Kind (2018)

The final book in the fantasy arc introduces a science-fiction twist. When an unidentified craft crashes in Potter's Field, the federal government swoops in to investigate. Armed with Aunt Tillie's highly questionable understanding of pop-culture sci-fi, the Winchester family must take on government agents to uncover the truth behind the crash.

The Master Timeline: Chronological Integration

For the most rewarding experience, read the Fantasy novels alongside the main Wicked Witches of the Midwest mysteries and short stories. This ensures you do not encounter spoilers regarding character relationships or family secrets. The integrated chronological reading order is as follows:

1. Any Witch Way You Can (Mystery Book 1)
2. Every Witch Way But Wicked (Mystery Book 2)
3. Witching You Were Here (Mystery Book 3)
4. Witching on a Star (Mystery Book 4)
5. Something to Witch About (Mystery Book 5)
6. Careful What You Witch For (Short Story)
7. Wicked Brew (Short Story)
8. Witch Me Luck (Mystery Book 6)
9. Witchy Tales (Fantasy Book 1)
10. On a Witch and a Prayer (Short Story)
11. Life's a Witch (Mystery Book 7)
12. Charms & Witchdemeanors (Mystery Book 8)
13. Witchdependence Day (Short Story)
14. A Witch in Time (Fantasy Book 2)
15. The Trouble With Witches (Mystery Book 9)
16. Four-leaf Clover (Short Story)
17. Thistle While You Work (Short Story)
18. Murder Most Witchy (Mystery Book 10)
19. Landon Calling (Short Story)
20. Make a Witch (Fantasy Book 3)
21. A Witch Before Dying (Mystery Book 11)
22. A Witchmas Carol (Fantasy Book 4)
23. All My Witches (Fantasy Book 5)
24. A Breath of Witchy Air (Mystery Book 12)
25. Close Encounters of the Witchy Kind (Fantasy Book 6)

What to Know Before You Start

Before diving into Hemlock Cove, keep these helpful details in mind to set your expectations:

• Focus on Character Growth: According to Amanda M. Lee, the six Fantasy books are specifically designed to highlight internal character development and family dynamics rather than police procedural investigations. They run approximately 60,000 words each.
• The Narrator: The series is written in the first person, primarily following the perspective of Bay Winchester. Her snarky, sarcastic, yet deeply loyal voice defines the tone of the stories.
• Aunt Tillie's Inspiration: Aunt Tillie is the undisputed star of the series' comedy. Lee has revealed that Tillie's look was inspired by her own great-aunt, while her blunt, filter-free personality was drawn from her great-grandmother.
• The Crossover Universe: The Winchesters inhabit a shared universe. As you progress, you will notice references and crossovers with other Amanda M. Lee series, such as Spells Angels, Mystic Caravan Cozy Mystery, and Two Broomsticks Gas & Grill.