The Ideal Entry Point: Where to Start
For most readers, the best place to start with Elicia Hyder is The Soul Summoner, the first book in her bestselling urban fantasy series. This book introduces Sloan Jordan, a protagonist who can see human souls and summon people by name. It blends paranormal elements with a fast-paced serial killer mystery, making it the perfect showcase for Hyder's signature mix of humor, grit, and supernatural suspense.
However, if you prefer contemporary romance with a heavy dose of real-world drama, you should begin with the Journey Durant series, starting with the prequel novella To Be Her First. If you are looking for a lighthearted, humorous contemporary romance set in the roller derby world, the Music City Rollers series begins with Lights Out Lucy.
What to Know Before You Start
Elicia Hyder is an indie author whose books frequently feature strong, independent heroines, complex moral dilemmas, and loyal friendships. Her paranormal and urban fantasy series—namely the Soul Summoner and Saphera Nyx series—often weave police procedurals and investigative mysteries into their supernatural frameworks. Readers who enjoy Darynda Jones's Charley Davidson series or Shannon Mayer's urban fantasy novels will find themselves right at home.
Additionally, Hyder's setting of Nashville, Tennessee, frequently influences her writing. Her contemporary romance novels are grounded in southern settings, blending emotional intensity, humor, and a sense of place that reflects the author's own background.
The Soul Summoner Order: Recommended vs. Chronological
The Soul Summoner series is Elicia Hyder's flagship franchise. While the companion novellas are chronologically prequels set before the main story, reading them first is not recommended. The author advises reading them in a specific sequence interspersed between the main novels. This recommended reading order preserves the mystery, character introductions, and suspense of the main plotline.
The Author-Recommended Reading Sequence
- The Soul Summoner (Book 1 - 2015)
- The Siren (Book 2 - 2016)
- The Angel of Death (Book 3 - 2016)
- The Taken (Book 4 - 2017)
- The Mercenary: A Warren Parish Story (Companion Novella - 2018)
- The Sacrifice (Book 5 - 2018)
- The Regular Guy (Book 6 - 2018)
- The Soul Destroyer (Book 7 - 2019)
- The Guardian (Book 8 - 2019)
- The Archangel: An Azrael Story (Companion Novella - 2019)
- The Daughter of Zion (Book 9 - 2020)
The Detective: A Nathan McNamara Story (2015) is another companion novella. While it chronologically serves as a prequel, you can read it alongside the first three books or after finishing Book 4 to flesh out Nathan's backstory without spoiling early plot points.
Detailed Breakdown of Other Series
Saphera Nyx Series
The Saphera Nyx series is a paranormal thriller/urban fantasy saga. It centers on Saphera Nyx, a woman who inherits a dangerous family legacy—her mother can see spirits, and her father can project his soul outside his body. Following her father's suspicious death, Saphera must master her own emerging powers to defend her city against bloodthirsty enemies.
- Detached (Book 1 - 2020)
- Specter (Book 2 - 2021)
Music City Rollers Series
This series moves away from the supernatural into the high-octane world of women's roller derby and contemporary romance. The books follow different members of a Nashville roller derby team as they navigate romance, life struggles, and sports injuries.
- Lights Out Lucy (Book 1 - 2018)
- Britches Get Stitches (Book 2 - 2019)
Journey Durant Series
The Journey Durant novels focus on women's fiction and romantic suspense. Loosely based on the author's own life experiences, the story follows a reformed bad girl trying to escape her past in Georgia, only for old secrets and dangerous ex-partners to resurface.
- To Be Her First (Prequel Novella - 2015)
- The Bed She Made (Book 1 - 2015)