We confess ourselves delightfully haunted by Faith Hunter’s Jane Yellowrock—that magnificent Cherokee skinwalker who prowls the streets of New Orleans with her beast soul stirring beneath her skin. Should you find yourself bereft at having devoured every morsel of Jane’s adventures, fear not. We have wandered through the shadowed corners of urban fantasy and returned bearing twelve splendid series to fill the void.
The Soulwood Series by Faith Hunter
Before we send you off adventuring to other authors, we must first be certain that you know about this gem set in Jane’s own world. Nell Ingram escaped a religious cult only to discover she can channel ancient powers from the earth itself. Recruited into PsyLED (the Homeland Security division that polices paranormals), Nell joins a team that includes wereleopard agents like Rick LaFleur and Paka. As Nell investigates supernatural crimes, her own nature proves far stranger than she imagined.
Six books deliver the same richly detailed world Jane inhabits, with shapeshifters, vampires, and mysteries that blur the line between justice and vengeance.
The Kate Daniels Series by Ilona Andrews
Imagine Atlanta where magic and technology wage eternal war, rising and falling in unpredictable waves. Into this chaos strides Kate Daniels, a mercenary wielding a sharp sword and sharper tongue.
Written by a husband-and-wife team, this series delivers what readers have called “sinfully fun” adventures with vampires piloted like puppets and shapeshifters organized into powerful clans. Kate’s wry humor and the series’ magnificent worldbuilding earned it a spot on the New York Times bestseller list.
The Riley Jenson Guardian Series by Keri Arthur
Riley Jenson is something truly rare—a half-werewolf, half-vampire hybrid working for Melbourne’s Directorate of Other Races, an organization tasked with policing supernatural beings. More wolf than vampire, Riley is vulnerable to moon heat while wielding vampiric abilities that make her a formidable guardian.
Across nine novels, she hunts rogue supernaturals while navigating a complicated romantic life that embraces both her natures. This New York Times bestselling Australian series delivers action, sensuality, and a protagonist who embodies the best of two supernatural worlds.
The Shifters Series by Rachel Vincent
Faythe Sanders is a werecat—and as the only daughter of the South-Central Pride’s alpha, she’s expected to settle down and breed. Faythe has other plans. When she’s dragged back into Pride politics after a string of attacks, she discovers being an enforcer suits her far better than domesticity.
Across six novels, Rachel Vincent crafts a world where werecats look like black panthers and female shifters are dangerously rare. Part supernatural thriller, part commentary on gender expectations, this series follows Faythe as she fights to define her own role in a society that would cage her.
The Walker Papers Series by C.E. Murphy
Joanne Walker is a Seattle cop and mechanic whose life takes a dramatic turn when she’s thrust into the world of shamanic magic. Drawing on both Cherokee and Celtic heritage, Joanne awakens to powers she never wanted, including the ability to shapeshift—a talent that emerges dramatically at the worst possible moments.
In this nine-book series, she battles the Wild Hunt, zombies, and ancient evils while her coyote spirit guide offers cryptic wisdom. C.E. Murphy blends Native American and Celtic mythology into a compelling saga of reluctant heroism.
The Otherworld Series by Yasmine Galenorn
The D’Artigo sisters are half-human, half-Fae operatives working for the Otherworld Intelligence Agency in Seattle. Delilah shifts into a tabby cat whenever stressed, Menolly is a vampire still adjusting to undeath, and Camille wields unpredictable magic. When their mixed heritage causes their powers to short-circuit at the worst times, they must rely on each other to stop a demon lord’s invasion.
These twenty-one novels weave shapeshifter action, supernatural crime-solving, and sisterly bonds into an epic urban fantasy tapestry.
The Kitty Norville Series by Carrie Vaughn
What happens when a werewolf hosts a late-night radio advice show for the supernaturally disadvantaged? Chaos, naturally—and compelling storytelling.
Kitty Norville never meant to out herself or her kind, but her show “The Midnight Hour” becomes a phenomenon. Across fourteen novels, she battles abusive pack dynamics, serial killers, and nasty vampires. The Denver Post declared it “the only urban fantasy world where I want to read every book.”
The Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne
Atticus O’Sullivan owns a bookshop in Tempe, Arizona, and looks about twenty-one. He’s actually twenty-one centuries old—the last of the Druids, drawing power from the earth and wielding a legendary sword. As a druid, Atticus can shapeshift into a hound, stag, owl, or otter at will, and when gods from multiple pantheons come calling with ancient grudges, his peaceful existence crumbles spectacularly.
Nine novels pit this witty immortal against beings from every mythology imaginable, all while his Irish wolfhound provides entertaining commentary.
The Women of the Otherworld Series by Kelley Armstrong
Canadian author Kelley Armstrong crafted thirteen novels exploring a hidden supernatural world through rotating narrators—werewolves, witches, necromancers, and half-demons each getting their turn. Beginning with Elena Michaels, the only female werewolf in a North American pack, the series balances action, mystery, and romance.
This was adapted into the television series “Bitten,” proof of its enduring appeal.
The Anita Blake Series by Laurell K. Hamilton
Before Jane Yellowrock hunted vampires in New Orleans, Anita Blake established herself as the Executioner in St. Louis. A necromancer and vampire hunter in a world where vampires have legal rights, Anita walks the line between law enforcement and supernatural justice. Her formidable powers and no-nonsense attitude make her one of urban fantasy’s most iconic heroines.
This long-running series pioneered many urban fantasy conventions that later series—including Jane Yellowrock—would build upon.
The Mercy Thompson Series by Patricia Briggs
Mercedes Thompson—called Mercy by those who know her—is a coyote shapeshifter who mends Volkswagens by day and navigates a perilous world of werewolves and vampires by moonlight. Set in Washington’s Tri-Cities, this series enchants with its clever protagonist who survives not through brute power but through wit and determination.
Patricia Briggs avoids what she calls “power creep,” keeping Mercy wonderfully relatable even as ancient evils circle. Fourteen books deep and still going strong, this is a feast for those who loved Jane’s supernatural navigation—and if Mercy captures you, read on.
The Alpha and Omega Series by Patricia Briggs
Should Mercy Thompson’s world enchant you—and we rather suspect it shall—this companion series set
in the same universe offers a different doorway in. Anna Latham never knew werewolves existed until she survived a brutal attack and became one herself. But in the supernatural world, she’s something much rarer: an Omega wolf whose presence brings peace to even the most dominant wolves.
When Charles Cornick—the enforcer for the North American werewolves—crosses her path, Anna finds herself drawn into a world of pack politics and supernatural threats. This six-book series explores the healing power of found family while delivering supernatural threats that require both Anna’s unique gifts and Charles’s lethal skills.
Finding Your Next Obsession
Each series offers its own particular magic, yet all share DNA with Faith Hunter’s beloved creation: supernatural heroines of extraordinary capability navigating hidden worlds within modern cities. Whether you crave werewolf politics, werecat enforcers, or druidic shapeshifting, these twelve recommendations promise countless hours of adventure. We rather suspect you’ll find at least one new obsession among them.
