Dan Willis Books In Order

Publication Order of Arcane Casebook Books

Publication Order of The Arcane Irregulars Books

Publication Order of Dragons of the Confederacy Books

Publication Order of Dragonlance: The Anvil of Time Books

Publication Order of Dragonlance: The New Adventures Books

Publication Order of Dragonlance: The New Adventures: Trinistyr Books

Publication Order of The Shattered West Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

Dan Willis
Dan Willis is a fantasy and young adults’ author who started writing from a young age. Born in D.C. and raised in rural Maryland, Willis fell in love with the written word from a young age. After school, he worked for many years in the video and board game industries before delving full-time into writing. The award-winning author is best known for writing the DragonLance series, among other notable publications. The author is currently working on the Arcane Casebook series, a 1930’s detective story with a fantasy twist, and the Dragons of the Confederacy series. Willis lives in Utah with his family.

In Plain Sight
In Plain Sight comes first in the Arcane Casebook series. The series stars Alex Lockerby, a private detective who also serves as a part-time consultant with the NYPD. Alex is on the job when he gets a call from the police. There is a burnt body at their hands, and they need Alex’s help in finding the culprits. Alex launches his investigation, but all leads point to a famous thief. If only there was a way for Alex to prove that the thief was responsible for the massacre. Things get thick when Alex turns into a suspect. He has to find the killer fast; otherwise, the murder will be placed on his shoulders.

There is another side to Alex Lockerby. The talented detective is also a runewright. In his world, this kind of magic is used to write runes that are basically arcane geometric drawings agitated and used to perform magic. This puts him at an advantage since he can perform magic and unravel mysteries that may be hard for the normal eye. However, in his world are also sorcerers who are more powerful than him. While they are rare, sorcery is permanent, so their effects are more devastating. They are also evil and strive to serve their interest at the cost of humanity. Alex is happy to use his magic to help orphans, widows, and right the wrongs of these sorcerers.

This well-written urban fantasy story set in the 1930’s takes you on such an adventure. The author has done the descriptions so well the city and characters come to life. Technology then was not as advanced, so it is easy to understand what a hard time the police had in solving a simple crime. Fortunately, there is magic in this fantasy world, even though only a select few can only perform this. The author manages to connect three plotlines and even add a femme fatale to this story. This makes the plot engaging. Follow Alex as he tries to resolve a murder within four days with nothing but a book of spells and one pack of matches.

In Plain Sight is an engaging story with lovable characters, a solid plot, and just the right dose of magic. There is a rivalry between sorceries, a murder, and enough people in need of a miracle. Somehow, Alex manages to do all that is expected of him, albeit with some difficulty. It is amazing that in the end, good triumphs over evil. The action here keeps moving, so it is going to be hard down. If you want an action-packed yet light-hearted story you can enjoy in a sitting or two, this book is perfect.

Ghosts of a Chance
Ghosts of a Chance comes second in the Arcane Casebook series. In this book, there is a bizarre string of murders in New York. The police are having a hard time getting any leads, and with no suspects on their list, they turn to the only man who can offer some hope, Alex. Private Detective Alex is always to help with such cases. However, he will need all the tricks in his books in this one. How does he catch a murderer who walks through walls and kills without leaving a trace? It doesn’t help that his magic has not been working well, given the last book’s events.

Alex has been trying without any luck to track a few truckloads of stolen goods. Some of those stolen items belong to New York’s Sorcerer Andrew Barton. Despite his efforts, he hasn’t been able to recover any of these stolen items. There is also a strange cabal stalking Alex and his client and a missing person that he needs to find. The cabal has strange powers never seen before. However, with the Ghost killer still on the loose, Alex has no choice but to take action. Just like in the first book, Alex will be dealing with three cases. Two of these are high profile and need his immediate action.

For a while, Alex seems to be struggling. Money is tight, and his magic is still acting up, following all the energy he used up in the first book. At some point, Alex’s friend Danny will come to him for help. This helps as Danny’s case turns out to be connected to the missing person one. Fortunately, Alex is able to recover his abilities and solve the cases in his hands. It is refreshing watching Alex work to overcome one challenge after another. You cannot help but root for him and hope that he will continue to be so dedicated to helping others.

Ghosts of a Chance is an urban fantasy story that you are going to have a hard time putting down. It is a 30s detective story characterized by a solid plot, consistent pace, and flawless narration. There are some interesting new characters to meet, and the old ones continue to evolve with each challenge. It is hard to predict who the ghost killer is until you get to the last chapter. The author maintains the suspense to the end, and you will be shocked when you learn who is responsible. While this comes second in this series, you can still enjoy it as a standalone. There is no cliffhanger, so you can be that you will not have to deal with a book hangover after reading it.