Claire North Books in Order

How to Start Reading Claire North

Claire North is the celebrated pen name of Catherine Webb, who also writes under the name Kate Griffin. As Claire North, she has built a reputation for high-concept, intellectually challenging speculative fiction, time-bending narratives, and mythological retellings. While she has written a couple of highly defined series, the majority of her bibliography consists of standalone novels that share thematic ties rather than a shared universe. Because of this structure, readers have a lot of freedom in how they approach her catalog.

If you are new to her writing, we recommend starting with one of these three entry points based on your personal reading preferences:

• The Modern Masterpiece: Start with The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August (2014). This is her breakout novel and remains her most famous work. It is a brilliant, emotional, and logically rigorous exploration of a man who relives his life repeatedly, carrying all of his memories back to the day of his birth. It is the perfect introduction to her lyrical prose and high-concept pacing.
• The Mythological Journey: Start with Ithaca (2022) if you prefer historical fantasy and mythological retellings. This begins the Songs of Penelope trilogy, which reimagines the events of the Odyssey through the eyes of the women of Ithaca who are left behind.
• The High-Stakes Serial: Start with The Gameshouse (originally published as three novellas in 2015). It offers a shorter, faster-paced introduction to her style before you commit to one of her denser standalone novels.

The Songs of Penelope Trilogy

Unlike her standalone works, the Songs of Penelope is a structured historical fantasy trilogy that must be read in chronological publication order. The trilogy reimagines the aftermath of the Trojan War, focusing on Penelope's political cunning and the silent struggle of the women of Ithaca as they await Odysseus's return. The narration is uniquely delivered by Hera, the queen of the gods, which adds a grand, mythical, yet deeply human perspective to the struggle.

The correct reading order for this trilogy is:

1. Ithaca (2022)
2. House of Odysseus (2023)
3. The Last Song of Penelope (2024)

The Gameshouse Series

The Gameshouse centers on a mysterious, ancient institution where players gamble not for money, but for empires, memories, and lives. Originally released in 2015 as three digital-only novellas, the story spans centuries and geographical settings, tracking the rise of players within this secret hierarchy. In 2019, these novellas were compiled and published together in a single omnibus physical volume. While you can read them as individual novellas, reading them as a single collected volume is highly recommended.

The reading order for the novellas is:

1. The Serpent (2015) – Set in 17th-century Venice, introducing the rules of the Gameshouse.
2. The Thief (2015) – Set in 1930s Thailand, raising the stakes and demonstrating how games can control whole nations.
3. The Master (2015) – A modern-day, global-scale game that determines the ultimate fate of the Gameshouse itself.

Standalone Novels in Publication Order

For readers who want to explore North’s standalone speculative fiction, following the publication order is an excellent way to see her style evolve. These books are completely self-contained, meaning you can jump in anywhere. However, they frequently share themes of identity, memory, the mechanics of power, and human connection.

• The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August (2014): The acclaimed story of Harry August, a "mnemonist" or Ouroboran who relives his life over and over. When a message from the future warns that the world is ending, Harry must find a way to save it across multiple lifetimes.
• Touch (2015): A thriller centering on Kepler, an ancient entity that survives by hopping from body to body with a single touch. When an assassin shoots his host, Kepler is thrust into a deadly game of survival while exploring the ethics of body ownership.
• The Sudden Appearance of Hope (2016): The story of Hope Arden, a woman who is completely forgotten by everyone she meets as soon as she is out of their sight. Hope uses this unique curse to become a world-class thief, but struggles with the profound isolation it brings. This book won the World Fantasy Award in 2017.
• The End of the Day (2017): A philosophical look at Death's harbinger, Charlie, who travels the world to visit people and places before they die, offering them a final moment of respect or warning.
• 84K (2018): A dystopian, Orwellian story set in a near-future Britain where the criminal justice system has been completely privatized, and every crime—including murder—has a literal price tag (an indemnity) that only the wealthy can afford.
• The Pursuit of William Abbey (2019): Set in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, this dark fantasy follows a doctor cursed with a shadow that follows him. The shadow forces him to see the truth of human hearts but brings death to anyone it touches.
• Sweet Harmony (2020): A standalone novella set in a near-future London where people use nanotech upgrades to maintain perfect health, beauty, and wealth, highlighting the tragic costs of commercialized perfection.
• Notes from the Burning Age (2021): A post-apocalyptic, eco-thriller focusing on the archives of a fallen civilization. A former priest, who can read the dangerous technologies of the "burning age," is drawn into a high-stakes conspiracy.
• Slow Gods (2025): An ambitious space opera set in a hyper-capitalist multi-planetary regime known as the "Shine." The story follows Mawukana na-Vdnaze, an arcpilot who survives a catastrophic death and rebirth in arcspace, gaining mysterious powers as a twin star system threatens civilizations with a supernova.

Alternate Personas: Kate Griffin and Catherine Webb

If you finish Claire North's books and want more of her storytelling, it is worth looking into her other writing identities. She has published extensively under two other names, offering different tones and genres:

As Kate Griffin

Under the Kate Griffin pseudonym, she writes adult urban fantasy. These books are set in a highly magical, grimy, and vibrant version of London. They feature fast-paced dialogue, magic systems based on city life (like using train tickets and graffiti), and dry British humor. There are two primary series here:

• The Matthew Swift Series: Follows an urban sorcerer who is resurrected with a spirit of light inside him. The order is: A Madness of Angels (2009), The Midnight Mayor (2010), The Neon Court (2011), and The Minority Council (2012).
• The Magicals Anonymous Series: A spin-off set in the same universe, focusing on a support group for people with unusual magical problems. The order is: Stray Souls (2012) and The Glass God (2013).

As Catherine Webb

This is her real name, under which she published several young adult fantasy novels early in her career. She wrote her first published book, Mirror Dreams, at the age of fourteen. Key works under her real name include:

• The Wizard Laenan Kite Series: Comprising Mirror Dreams (2002), Mirror Wakes (2003), and Mirrored Life (2004).
• The Horatio Lyle Series: A historical steampunk-style fantasy series featuring a gentleman inventor and a thief in Victorian London. The order is: The Extraordinary and Unusual Adventures of Horatio Lyle (2006), The Obsidian Dagger (2007), The Printing Press (2008), and The Dream Thief (2010).
• Standalone YA Novels: Including Waywalkers (2003) and Timekeepers (2004).

What to Know Before You Start

When diving into Claire North's books, keep a few helpful details in mind. First, her stories are highly conceptual and character-driven; they often prioritize philosophical questions and atmospheric worldbuilding over straightforward, action-heavy plots. The prose is beautiful and often non-linear, mirroring the fractured memories or perceptions of her protagonists. Furthermore, none of her standalone books connect to one another, so you do not need to worry about missing crossovers or shared-universe cameos between books like Harry August and Touch. They are completely independent stories that showcase the vast range of one of modern speculative fiction's most inventive voices.