Black London Books In Order

Publication Order of Black London Books

Black London Series
Largely writing urban fantasy novels with a dark twist to them, Caitlin Kittredge is an American writer with some serious imaginative flair. Creating comics and books for Young Adult readers, she knows her audience well, delivering atmospheric and moody chillers filled with ambiance and suspense. Producing work for a number of well known publishers, including Vertigo Comics and Image, she’s made a real impact in recent years, with a name that’s fast becoming synonymous with the genre. Drawing heavily from writers such as Raymond Chandler, H.P. Lovecraft, and Neil Gaiman to name just a few, her work is inspired, while being very much her own. Her ‘Black London’ series of novels is no exception to this, being an ambient fantasy collection of novels exemplifying some of the best she has to offer.

Starting out back in 2009, the series would feature a fantastical world, beginning with the novel ‘Street Magic.’ This would later be followed up that same year with ‘Demon Bound,’ and then ‘Bone Gods’ the following year in 2010. There was six books in total, with a few smaller spin-off novellas too, creating a rich and varied fantastical world filled with the supernatural.

Street Magic
First published through ‘St. Martin’s Paperbacks’ in 2009 on the 2nd of June, this would be the first book to come out in the ‘Black London’ series. Setting up the franchise, it establishes all the main elements needed for readers, paving the way for an action packed series. The follow-up, ‘Demon Bound,’ would come out that same year in 2009, while the rest would be released over the following years.

It’s a dark series with a moody and sombre atmosphere, as Kittredge works on creating a moody ambiance that envelops the reader. The world itself is extremely well realized, and clearly reflects the overall themes of the story, allowing them to come to the forefront. Featuring the supernatural underworld of London, it does a lot to really bring it to life, with the city almost becoming a character in its own right.

The characters introduced here are also very well established, as it brings the leading protagonists to the forefront of the story. It’s best to start here as the stories follow on from each other chronologically, although you can read ‘Down in the Ground Where Dead Men Go’ first. This is a shorter prequel story featured in the 2009 ‘Huntress’ collection alongside other writers, and it features Jack Winter.

At just sixteen years of age, Pete Caldecott is young when she first meets the powerful and handsome mage Jack Winter, but that’s when a spirit he summoned apparently killed him before her. Now working as a detective, she must investigate the case of a missing girl who has disappeared from the streets of London. That’s when she meets Jack once again after he informs her of the girl’s whereabouts, and he’s addicted to drugs, as he leads Pete back into the supernatural underworld on the case of the missing girl. Will they be able to find her before it’s too late? What happened to Jack all those years ago to see him turn out this way? Can they learn the truth behind the street magic?

As an introduction and opener to the series, this does a great job of putting everything into place, setting up all the different elements. Fans of both Kittredge as an author, and the urban fantasy genre as a whole, will find a lot to enjoy and invest themselves in here. It also paves the way for more exciting adventures to come, giving the reader plenty of action for what will be a thrilling series.

Demon Bound
Once again published through the ‘St. Martin’s Paperbacks’ publishing outlet, this would come out on the 18th of November in 2009. Released not long after the previous book, ‘Street Magic,’ it would follow on in a similar vein, while also taking plenty of twists and turns of its own. It would also pave the way for the next book, ‘Bone Gods,’ in 2010, and the fourth, ‘Devil’s Business,’ in 2011, with five being ‘Soul Trade’ in 2012, and the sixth, ‘Dark Days,’ in 2013.
From the characters themselves, with Pete Caldecott and Jack Winter coming to the forefront once more, to the supernatural world of London, Kittredge delivers yet again. Developing the relationships and romance, while sacrificing none of what made the original work so well, it expertly builds upon what came before. There’s a definite ethereal quality to the work that really manages to bring it to life, elevating the shadows and shades of darkness.

Previously Jack Winter lay dying within an inch of his life in graveyard just thirteen years prior, and he made a deal with a demon in exchange for his soul. Now it appears the demon wants what’s due, and has come to collect Jack’s soul, but Jack has now found Pete Caldecott; a woman he wants to live for. Pete doesn’t know about Jack’s past deal though, while meanwhile they must face a deadly foe that’s growing in the darkness, rising from the Old Gods to consume them all. Will they be able to fight it together? Can Jack find a way out of his past deal? What will happen now he finds himself demon bound?

This is a great action packed second instalment filled with plenty of excitement and romance, taking the story up a level. There’s gritty elements to it too, giving it a basis in reality that keeps it believable making it easy to relate to as a fantasy piece of fiction. From the characters to the world, it’s all brought to life here, making for a thoroughly entertaining and compelling novel.

The Black London Series
It’s a vast, expansive series with a lot to offer fans of the urban fantasy genre, delivering an exciting and rich immersive world. With the room to continue building upon it indefinitely too, it’s a classic collection of books with a cast of bright and colorful characters. Finding its audience, the readership of Black London continues to grow, as more and more readers discover the books every day.