Alma Katsu Books in Order

How to Read Alma Katsu's Books

Alma Katsu's novels fall into three distinct styles: gothic fantasy, historical supernatural horror, and contemporary spy thrillers. Because these styles do not overlap in plot, you can choose where to start based on your favorite genre.

For the best experience, we recommend these entry points:

• For Historical Horror Fans: Start with The Hunger. This chilling supernatural reimagining of the tragic Donner Party expedition is her most famous work and serves as a perfect introduction to her style.
• For Gothic Fantasy Fans: Start with The Taker. This is the first novel in her dark fantasy trilogy about immortality, obsession, and magic.
• For Espionage Thriller Fans: Start with Red Widow. Drawing on Katsu's three decades as an intelligence analyst for the CIA and NSA, this series provides a grounded, realistic look at modern intelligence tradecraft.

The Taker Trilogy Reading Order

The Taker Trilogy is a dark gothic series following Lanore McIlvrae, an immortal woman trapped by a centuries-old love, magic, and regret. You should read the core novels in publication order to follow the overarching storyline. Katsu also published two companion novellas that expand the backstory of key characters.

1. The Taker (2011) - The core novel that introduces Lanore and her dark past.
2. The Devil's Scribe (2012) - A companion novella set in 1846 Baltimore where Lanore encounters Edgar Allan Poe. (Best read between Books 1 and 2).
3. The Reckoning (2012) - The second core novel, focusing on the consequences of Lanore's past.
4. The Witch Sisters (2013) - A companion short story featuring the character Adair meeting two dangerous witches in the fens. (Best read between Books 2 and 3).
5. The Descent (2014) - The final novel that concludes the trilogy.

Lyndsey Duncan (Red Widow) Series

If you prefer gritty, authentic spy thrillers over the supernatural, this series is the perfect place to start. It follows CIA officer Lyndsey Duncan as she navigates internal betrayals and international conspiracies.

1. Red Widow (2021) - Lyndsey is tasked with exposing a mole within the CIA's Russia Division.
2. Red London (2023) - Lyndsey is sent to London to flip the wife of a Russian oligarch while dealing with MI6.

The Spy Who Vanished Series

This is a three-part espionage thriller published as a series of Amazon Original Stories. It follows Yuri Kozlov, a legendary Russian spy defecting to the United States during the war in Ukraine. They should be read in order:

1. The Vanishing Man (2024)
2. On Enemy Ground (2024)
3. Shaken, Not Stirred (2024)

Standalone Novels

Katsu's standalone books require no prior reading and can be enjoyed in any order. Most of these combine historical events with supernatural folklore or horror elements:

• The Hunger (2018) - A horror reimagining of the Donner Party's desperate journey.
• The Deep (2020) - A ghostly tale linking the tragic sinkings of the Titanic and its sister ship, the Britannic.
• The Fervor (2022) - Set in a Japanese-American internment camp during World War II, incorporating Japanese yokai folklore.
• Fiend (2025) - A contemporary horror novel exploring a wealthy family dynasty bound to a dark supernatural entity.
• Incarnate (2026) - A modern reimagining of The Picture of Dorian Gray set in the world of AI, deepfakes, and social media influencers.

Standalone Short Stories and Novellas

In addition to her novels, Katsu has written several standalone short pieces:

• The Wehrwolf (2022) - A historical horror story set in Germany during the final days of World War II, following a reluctant man recruited into a werewolf guerrilla resistance unit.
• Black Vault (2023) - A sci-fi spy thriller about a CIA officer investigating unexplained aerial phenomena (UAPs) and government conspiracies.

What to Know Before You Start

Alma Katsu's writing is heavily influenced by her real-life career as an intelligence analyst. This adds a layer of realism to her spy fiction, focusing on the psychological toll of espionage rather than action-movie tropes. In her historical horror novels, she does extensive research to ensure the settings and real-life historical figures feel authentic before introducing supernatural twists.