Carrie Vaughn Books in Order

Where to Start with Carrie Vaughn

For most readers, the best starting point is Kitty and the Midnight Hour, the debut novel of Vaughn's signature urban fantasy series featuring Kitty Norville. It introduces Vaughn's trademark engaging, conversational tone and character-driven plotting.

However, if you prefer post-apocalyptic science fiction, start with Bannerless, a self-contained, award-winning mystery set in a collapsed future society. If you prefer historical fantasy with unique magic systems, begin with The Naturalist Society, which marks the start of a newer, separate fantasy universe.

The Kitty Norville Universe

The Kitty Norville series follows a werewolf radio DJ who hosts a late-night talk show for supernatural beings. The main series consists of 14 novels, ending in a definitive conclusion, but contains several important companion short story collections, novellas, and spin-off books. To follow the overarching narrative of Kitty's rise in the supernatural community, readers should follow the publication order of the main novels:

1. Kitty and the Midnight Hour (2005)
2. Kitty Goes to Washington (2006)
3. Kitty Takes a Holiday (2007)
4. Kitty and the Silver Bullet (2008)
5. Kitty and the Dead Man's Hand (2009)
6. Kitty Raises Hell (2009)
7. Kitty's House of Horrors (2009)
8. Kitty Goes to War (2010)
9. Kitty's Big Trouble (2011)
10. Kitty Steals the Show (2012)
11. Kitty Rocks the House (2013)
12. Kitty in the Underworld (2013)
13. Paranormal Bromance (2014) – A companion novella focusing on the vampire Sam.
14. Low Midnight (2014)
15. Kitty Saves the World (2015)

Short Story Collections & Spin-Offs

• Kitty's Greatest Hits (2011) – The first collection of short stories set in Kitty's universe, providing crucial backstory for several side characters.
• The Immortal Conquistador (2019) – A spin-off novel focusing on the vampire Rick, detailing his long backstory before meeting Kitty.
• Kitty's Mix-Tape (2020) – A second collection of short stories expanding the world and resolving lingering questions.

The Cormac and Amelia Cases

This spin-off series follows Cormac Bennett, a former supernatural bounty hunter, and Amelia, the spirit of a Victorian magician who shares his body. Although Cormac and Amelia's partnership is introduced during the events of the main Kitty Norville series (most notably in Low Midnight), their separate cases can be read as a standalone sequence:

1. Dark Divide (2019)
2. Badlands Witch (2019)
3. Fatal Storm (2021)
4. Charmed Waters (2021)
5. The Cormac and Amelia Case Files (2022) – This volume collects the first four novellas alongside a new bonus story.
6. Broken Roads (2024) – A standalone adventure where the duo helps capture an escaped demon across alternate dimensions.

The Bannerless Saga (Coast Road)

Set in a sustainable post-apocalyptic California Coast where reproduction requires a literal "banner" from the community, this duology blends mystery and societal science fiction. The series is closely tied to Vaughn's award-winning short story "Amaryllis" (originally published in 2010).

Chronological Order

• Where Would You Be Now? (2018) – A prequel novella detailing the onset of the societal collapse known as "The Fall."
• Bannerless (2017) – The primary novel introducing the investigator Enid as she looks into an unauthorized pregnancy.
• The Wild Dead (2018) – The sequel novel following Enid as she investigates a murder outside the borders of the Coast Road.

Publication Order

Many readers prefer starting with Bannerless to experience the world through Enid's eyes first, followed by The Wild Dead, and keeping the prequel Where Would You Be Now? as a supplementary read.

Other Series & Standalone Novels

Golden Age Series

A duology following Celia West, the non-powered daughter of the world's greatest superheroes, who works as a forensic accountant:

1. After the Golden Age (2011)
2. Dreams of the Golden Age (2014)

Voices of Dragons Series

A young adult fantasy duology set in a world where dragons and humans live in a tense, divided peace:

1. Voices of Dragons (2009)
2. Refuge of Dragons (2017)

Robin Hood Novellas

A historical fantasy duology following the children of Robin Hood and Maid Marian:

1. The Ghosts of Sherwood (2020)
2. The Heirs of Locksley (2020)

Standalone Novels

• Discord's Apple (2010) – A modern fantasy exploring ancient mythological treasures locked away in a basement.
• Steel (2011) – A young adult time-travel tale about a competitive fencer shipwrecked in the 18th century.
• Martians Abroad (2017) – A young adult science fiction novel paying homage to classic space adventure stories.
• Questland (2021) – A sci-fi action thriller about a literature professor hired to guide a team through a high-tech fantasy theme park gone wrong.
• The Naturalist Society (2024) – A historical fantasy kick-starting a new series centered on the magical science of Arcane Taxonomy in the 1880s.