Where to Start with Catherine Egan
Catherine Egan has built a reputation for crafting fantasy and science-fiction stories with incredibly rich world-building, high-stakes moral dilemmas, and deeply relatable, flawed protagonists. Because her series belong to distinct genres and target different age groups, the best place to start depends on your personal taste:
- For fans of dark YA fantasy: Start with Julia Vanishes, the opening novel of the Witch's Child trilogy. It is Egan's breakout work, set in a Victorian-inspired gothic city, perfect for readers who enjoy morally complex characters, espionage, and outlawed magic.
- For fans of dystopian sci-fi: Start with The Factory. Published in 2025, this duology blends fast-paced mystery with mind-bending time dilation and corporate conspiracy.
- For fans of classic portals and sprites: Start with Sneaks, a highly engaging standalone middle-grade novel that balances school-life drama with interdimensional creature catching, or hunt down the hard-to-find Shade & Sorceress to experience her debut trilogy.
The Witch's Child Trilogy (YA Gothic Fantasy)
This young adult series is Catherine Egan's most famous and widely read work. Set in the damp, atmospheric Spira City, it features a world where magic is strictly outlawed and those accused of witchcraft are publicly drowned in the city canals. The narrative must be read in publication order, as it tells a continuous, high-stakes story of political conspiracy, survival, and moral evolution.
1. Julia Vanishes (2016)
We are introduced to sixteen-year-old Julia, a talented thieving spy with a unique magical trait: she can make herself "unseen." She doesn't turn invisible, but she can cause people to overlook her, slipping past guards and blending into shadows. Julia takes a job at a lodging house full of eccentric residents to spy on them for a shady employer. Instead, she uncovers a deadly plot that threatens the entire city and connects back to the execution of her own mother years prior.
2. Julia Defiant (2017)
Following the explosive events of the first book, Julia is on the run, hiding out with her close companions. The political situation in Spira City has degenerated into open warfare between rival factions. Julia is forced to take on dangerous work, including cooperating with a deadly mercenary named Casimir. In this sequel, the moral compromises Julia must make to protect the people she loves push her character into much darker territory.
3. Julia Unbound (2018)
The trilogy reaches its climax as the magic-banned city faces total collapse. Julia must confront the architect of the city's misery and decide who she can truly trust. With the lives of witches, ordinary citizens, and her friends hanging in the balance, Julia has to master her own growing magical abilities and figure out what she is willing to sacrifice for the future of Spira City.
The Factory Duology (Middle-Grade Sci-Fi)
Released in 2025, this duology marks a shift for Egan into high-concept science fiction and mystery. The books are direct sequels and must be read in order.
1. The Factory (January 2025)
Thirteen-year-old Asher Doyle joins a top-secret research facility known simply as "the Factory," which claims to be developing clean, renewable energy. Asher and his new friends, Faith, Vi, and Troy, soon discover that the facility is hiding dark secrets. The "experiment" they are participating in is far more dangerous than they were led to believe, leading to a desperate attempt to sabotage the facility.
2. The Experiment (October 2025)
Picking up immediately after Asher sets off a time bomb on the roof of the Factory, the story takes a mind-bending turn. While only a few moments have passed for Asher, he discovers that twenty years have gone by in the real world. Still physically thirteen, Asher must navigate a future where his childhood friend Vi has grown up to become the new director of the Factory. He is forced to confront the secrets of this new era and figure out how to stop the ongoing project.
The Last Days of Tian Di Trilogy (Middle-Grade Fantasy)
This was Catherine Egan's debut middle-grade fantasy trilogy, following the growth of Eliza Tok as she protects the boundaries between worlds. Critical Note: The trilogy was published by Coteau Books, a Canadian publisher that closed its doors in 2020. As a result, physical copies are currently out of print. Readers looking for these books will need to search used book websites, look at local libraries, or check regional digital catalog availability.
1. Shade & Sorceress (2012)
Twelve-year-old Eliza Tok lives a normal life until she discovers she is the "Shang Sorceress," tasked with protecting the gateways between the human world (Di Shang) and the magical world (Tian Xia), where fairies, witches, and sprites coexist. Despite having no active magical powers of her own, Eliza must step up when a dark sorceress threatens both realms.
2. The Unmaking (2013)
Now slightly older, Eliza continues to guard the crossings while dealing with the fallout of the first book's conflicts. Political tension rises between magical creatures and humans, and the return of the ancient, malicious Xia Sorceress Nia forces Eliza to test the limits of her wits and courage.
3. Bone, Fog, Ash & Star (2014)
The final book in the trilogy follows a sixteen-year-old Eliza as she faces her ultimate trial. With the magical barriers failing and both worlds on the verge of collapsing into each other, Eliza must make difficult sacrifices to permanently seal the rifts and protect her family.
Standalone Novel
Sneaks (2022)
A standalone middle-grade adventure that is perfect for readers looking for a self-contained story. The book follows Ben Harp, a sixth-grader who begins noticing objects moving on their own. He learns they are "Sneaks"—mischievous, interdimensional sprites that disguise themselves as everyday objects. Along with classmates Charlotte and Akemi, Ben is drawn into the Gateway Society, a secret group trying to prevent these entities from invading Earth. It is a fast-paced, humorous adventure that has been compared to Men in Black for younger readers.