Fantasy Detectives for Fans of The Tainted Cup

If you’re one of those who got entranced with The Tainted Cup from the very first page, you’ll definitely have a blast with its sequel, A Drop of Corruption that continues the adventures of the quirky detective Ana Dolabra and her assistant, Dinios Kol within the gorgeously detailed biopunk universe. But this time, they're investigating a murder plotted by an enemy who seems to always be several steps ahead of them. Can Ana and Din solve the impossible crime and defeat their enigmatic adversary? 

And if you’re still scratching that mystery itch, the third book in the author’s Shadow of the Leviathan series, A Trade of Blood, is slated to be released later this year.

Another novel that wonderfully blends both fantasy and mystery genres is Mike Resnick’s Stalking the Unicorn. The story begins on a New Year’s Eve with John Justin Mallory, our private detective protagonist being summoned by an elf to find a stolen unicorn. On the way, he encounters a variety of magical creatures including gnomes, leprechauns, harpies and even demons, as he discovers a hidden enchanted side to Manhattan. 

At its heart, Stalking the Unicorn is a hard-boiled detective story unfolding in a whimsy fantastical universe that promises the readers a very enjoyable time throughout. And if you liked this one, there are two more novels in the series, along with a charming short-story collection to keep you engaged. 

A dark academia high fantasy mystery novel, Antonia Hodgson’s The Raven Scholar is a stunning feat of the imagination. There’s a cut-throat tournament for the crown and political schemes are brewing, and in the middle of it all, Neema Kraa, our neurospicy protagonist has to solve a murder mystery in the worst week of her life. 

With an eclectic cast of memorable characters, sassy narration and a gripping storyline, The Raven Scholar is everything you’d want in an epic fantasy novel, delivered in some 600 pages. 

A masterfully crafted Gothic horror thriller, Hemlock Grove by Brian McGreevy has since then been adapted to a television series and a tie-in graphic novel.  Set in the fictional town of Hemlock Grove, carved by extreme class differences, the novel examines the town’s dark secrets via the interconnected storylines of the fascinating characters who may turn out to be werewolves, vampires, gypsies or even government agents. Combined with gorgeous prose, sneaky allusions and plenty of mysteries, Hemlock Grove is a gripping experience. 

Daniel Carter was a homicide detective until the hunt for a serial killer went dangerously wrong, and now he’s trying to make ends meet as a private detective. Then he suddenly inherits a mysterious bookshop and the bookseller happens to be none other than Emily Lovecraft, the last known descendent of the renowned cosmic horror writer. And then all sorts of people start dying, and Carter is unwittingly involved in solving a mystery where the facts seem stranger fiction and the Great Old Ones may have a part to play. 

If you can’t get enough of the Cthulhu mythos and enjoy murder mysteries served with a dash of romance, Carter and Lovecraft might be an ideal match. 

Like Carter and Lovecraft mentioned above, if you have a fondness for mystery novels that bring in actual historical people as characters, you’re likely to have a good time with Mark Frost’s The List of Seven, first published in 1993, where the main character is none other than Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the author of the Sherlock Holmes stories! 

The narrative follows Doyle as a writer, physician and occult investigator as he tries to unravel a conspiracy involving Satanists and his only clue is a list of seven names. Mixing supernatural shenanigans with steampunk settings and historical details, this occult murder mystery thriller is one hell of a roller coaster ride, and even has a sequel, The Six Messiahs. 

The acclaimed author of The Black Company series, Glen Cook has written another intriguing series, Garrett P.I., which as the name suggests, stars a tough-guy private investigator in the lead. It mixes elements of hard-boiled detective fiction within a fantasy landscape filled with all kinds of magical creatures, although the focus is more on the mystery and detective work than on the fantastical aspects. 

The first book, Sweet Silver Blues, is a noir-laced mystery with compelling characters and a tight plot that will definitely prompt you to binge-read the whole series!

Finally, Ben Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London follows Probationary Constable Peter Grant who dreams of joining the Metropolitan Police, as he gets embroiled in a puzzling murder mystery set in modern London. If you enjoy urban fantasy, British humor and suspense-ridden narratives, Rivers of London promises a good time with its fun characters, bizarre storyline and weird fantasy elements. It’s somewhat reminiscent of The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher but has its own uniquely refreshing voice.