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Quick answer: If you loved October Daye, try Rosemary and Rue, A Local Habitation, Every Heart a Doorway, Storm Front, Moon Called and Kitty and the Midnight Hour. Each one is an urban fantasy with faerie courts, a tough heroine and mysteries in a hidden magical world.
Seanan McGuire's October Daye series begins with Rosemary and Rue (2009). Toby Daye is a changeling, half human and half fae, who lost fourteen years after being turned into a fish. Now a private investigator, she is pulled back into Faerie in San Francisco to solve the murder of a countess. The long-running series mixes mystery, folklore and found family. Readers love its world and its heroine. These books share its faeries and its mysteries.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Heat level | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rosemary and Rue | Seanan McGuire | Low | readers new to the series |
| A Local Habitation | Seanan McGuire | Low | readers who want book two |
| Every Heart a Doorway | Seanan McGuire | Low | readers who want a McGuire novella |
| Storm Front | Jim Butcher | Low | readers who like wizard detectives |
| Moon Called | Patricia Briggs | Low | readers who like urban fantasy heroines |
| Kitty and the Midnight Hour | Carrie Vaughn | Low | readers who like werewolf heroines |
| Rivers of London | Ben Aaronovitch | Low | readers who like magic police |
| Wicked Lovely | Melissa Marr | Low | readers who like faerie courts |
| The Iron King | Julie Kagawa | Low | readers who like YA faeries |
| Bitten | Kelley Armstrong | Medium | readers who like werewolves |
| Magic Bites | Ilona Andrews | Medium | readers who like magical Atlanta |
| The Cruel Prince | Holly Black | Low | readers who like faerie intrigue |
| Tithe | Holly Black | Low | readers who like dark faeries |
| War for the Oaks | Emma Bull | Low | readers who want a classic |
| Half a Soul | Olivia Atwater | Low | readers who like Regency faeries |
1. Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire
Toby investigates a faerie countess's murder.
Best for: readers new to the series.
2. A Local Habitation by Seanan McGuire
Toby investigates deaths at a tech company.
Best for: readers who want book two.
3. Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire
A school for children back from portal worlds.
Best for: readers who want a McGuire novella.
4. Storm Front by Jim Butcher
Harry Dresden solves supernatural crimes.
Best for: readers who like wizard detectives.
5. Moon Called by Patricia Briggs
A shapeshifter mechanic helps werewolves.
Best for: readers who like urban fantasy heroines.
6. Kitty and the Midnight Hour by Carrie Vaughn
A werewolf DJ hosts a radio show.
Best for: readers who like werewolf heroines.
7. Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch
A constable joins London's magic unit.
Best for: readers who like magic police.
8. Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr
A girl is pursued by the Summer King.
Best for: readers who like faerie courts.
9. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
A girl discovers she is a faerie princess.
Best for: readers who like YA faeries.
10. Bitten by Kelley Armstrong
The only female werewolf.
Best for: readers who like werewolves.
11. Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews
A mercenary investigates a murder.
Best for: readers who like magical Atlanta.
12. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
A mortal girl schemes at court.
Best for: readers who like faerie intrigue.
13. Tithe by Holly Black
A girl discovers she is a changeling.
Best for: readers who like dark faeries.
14. War for the Oaks by Emma Bull
A musician is drawn into a faerie war.
Best for: readers who want a classic.
15. Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater
A girl with half a soul meets a magician.
Best for: readers who like Regency faeries.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with October Daye: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the first three picks in the table: they are the closest match to October Daye. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most. If a pick is part of a longer series, read the first book before you commit, and check the age or content notes in the table before passing a book to a younger reader.
How to Choose
Start with Rosemary and Rue and continue in order. For more urban fantasy, Storm Front, Moon Called and Magic Bites are classics. If you love faerie courts, War for the Oaks and Tithe are perfect. Every Heart a Doorway shows McGuire's other side.
Related: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black: Summary and Key Takeaways
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the October Daye series about?
A changeling private investigator solves mysteries in the faerie courts of San Francisco.
How many books are there?
More than fifteen novels, plus short stories.
Do I need to read them in order?
Yes. The plot builds across the series.
Is it spicy?
No. It has romance, but it is mostly mild.
Who is Tybalt?
The King of Cats and Toby's love interest.
Where is it set?
In the San Francisco Bay Area.
What should I read next?
Rivers of London or Moon Called.