There exists a particular ache — we know it well — that settles upon you when the last page of an October Daye adventure has been turned and there is, for the moment, no more. Toby Daye has led us through the tangled courts of Faerie, solved murders most foul, and bled for every secret she uncovered. Now we stand at the edge of that world, longing for another.
We have been there ourselves, dear reader, and we have spent considerable time wandering the shelves in search of stories that scratch that very itch. What follows is our carefully curated collection — books that share October Daye’s finest qualities, be they fae politics, supernatural detective work, or the delicious tension of magic hidden just beneath the modern world.
For Those Who Crave Fae Courts and Faerie Politics
The heart of October Daye beats strongest in its fae courts — the scheming, the oaths, the ancient rivalries dressed in modern clothing. If that is what you hunger for, these shall serve you handsomely.
1. The Cruel Prince (Folk of the Air Series) by Holly Black
Here is a tale of a mortal girl stolen into Faerie and raised among those who despise her very humanity. Jude cannot weave glamour or speak binding oaths, yet she possesses something the fae do not — the ability to lie. In courts where every word must be true, that gift becomes a weapon sharper than any enchanted blade. Holly Black writes fae politics with the sophistication of a master chess player, and every volume raises the stakes magnificently.
2. Between Two Thorns (The Split Worlds Series) by Emma Newman
Emma Newman has conjured something wonderfully strange — a society of fae-touched families frozen in perpetual Victorian grandeur, existing in a realm called the Nether, wedged between our mundane world and the prison of the Fae themselves. Catherine wishes only to escape her arranged marriage and live among ordinary folk, but the old families are not so easily refused. The drawing-room manners conceal dangers as sharp as any dagger, and the fae politics here are exquisitely layered.
3. Tithe (The Modern Faerie Tales) by Holly Black
Before she wrote The Cruel Prince, Holly Black gave us something darker and stranger still. Kaye is a teenager entangled in a war between faerie courts, set against the gritty backdrop of New Jersey rather than some distant enchanted realm. The fae here are beautiful and terrible in equal measure, and the Unseelie and Seelie politics crackle with genuine menace. This trilogy — Tithe, Valiant, and Ironside — remains essential reading for anyone who prefers their faeries with teeth.
4. Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
A delightfully different approach to the Folk — here we find a prickly Cambridge professor who studies faeries with academic rigour, venturing to an icy Scandinavian village to complete her encyclopaedia. But the Hidden Ones are not merely subjects for scholarly footnotes, and when people begin vanishing into the otherworld, Emily must trade her pen for something more perilous. It is cozy and sharp-witted and deeply enchanting, with a romance that unfolds like a mystery unto itself.
For Those Who Love Supernatural Detective Work
Toby Daye is, at her core, a detective — she solves murders, follows clues, and gets knocked about rather more than is strictly fair. These series share that investigative spirit.
5. The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher
If one were to distil October Daye’s detective qualities and set them loose in Chicago with rather more explosions, one would arrive at Harry Dresden — wizard, private investigator, and the only such professional listed in the phone book. Dresden navigates a world of vampires, fae, and fallen angels with dry wit and a staff that doubles nicely as a weapon. The series begins briskly and grows into something truly epic. Start with Storm Front and do be patient — the rewards compound magnificently.
6. Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch
Peter Grant is a young London constable who discovers, quite by accident, that he can perceive ghosts — and that the Metropolitan Police maintain a secret department for such matters. His mentor, Thomas Nightingale, is the last officially sanctioned wizard in England, and together they investigate crimes involving river gods, vengeful spirits, and magic woven into the very bricks of London. The city itself becomes a character, and Aaronovitch writes with a dry wit that is enormously satisfying.
7. Grave Witch (The Alex Craft Series) by Kalayna Price
Alex Craft raises shades — echoes of the dead who carry memories but no emotions — and consults for the police when murders turn magical. When a shade attacks her during an investigation and someone attempts her life shortly after, Alex finds herself entangled in dark magic and dangerous court intrigue. The fae politics deepen beautifully as the series progresses, and Alex’s complicated relationship with Death himself (quite personified, we assure you) adds a layer of wonder that October Daye readers shall appreciate.
8. Alex Verus Series by Benedict Jacka
Alex Verus possesses a subtle and magnificent gift — he sees the future, not in grand prophecies, but in the immediate branching of possibility. Running a magic shop in Camden, London, Alex survives not by raw power but by outwitting mages who could destroy him in an instant. The magical politics here — the tension between Light and Dark councils — are drawn with intelligence and moral complexity. Jim Butcher himself praised this series, and we understand entirely why.
For Those Who Want Strong Heroines in Supernatural Worlds
Toby Daye is fierce, stubborn, and perpetually bloodied but unbowed. These heroines share her iron spine.
9. The Kate Daniels Series by Ilona Andrews
In an Atlanta where magic and technology rise and fall in unpredictable waves, Kate Daniels works as a mercenary with a sharp tongue and a sharper sword. The world-building here is breathtaking — shapeshifter packs, necromancers who pilot vampire bodies like puppets, and ancient powers stirring beneath the surface. Kate herself is magnificent: secretive, loyal, and possessed of a dry humor that rivals Toby’s own. Begin with Magic Bites and prepare to be thoroughly consumed.
10. The Mercy Thompson Series by Patricia Briggs
Mercedes Thompson is a coyote shapeshifter and mechanic who was raised by werewolves but never quite belonged to the pack. Mercy’s world includes not only werewolves but fae, vampires, and supernatural politics that grow richer with every volume. Patricia Briggs writes with warmth and intelligence, and Mercy’s position as an outsider navigating powerful factions will feel intimately familiar to anyone who has walked beside Toby Daye. Start with Moon Called.
11. The Jane Yellowrock Series by Faith Hunter
Jane Yellowrock is a Cherokee skinwalker — she can shift into any creature whose bones she has studied — and she hunts rogue vampires in New Orleans. The vampire politics here are intricate and consequential, the action sequences pulse with energy, and Jane’s journey from solitary hunter to something far more complex is deeply rewarding. Faith Hunter weaves Native American heritage into the supernatural world with care and authenticity, and the New Orleans setting practically breathes off the page.
12. Night Huntress Series by Jeaniene Frost
Cat Crawfield is half-vampire, a fact she finds rather inconvenient given her occupation as a vampire hunter. When she crosses paths with Bones, a centuries-old bounty hunter, an uneasy partnership forms that will drag them both through the treacherous politics of the undead world. The romance burns bright, the action never relents, and the supernatural politics grow deliciously complex. Begin with Halfway to the Grave and hold on tightly.
For Those Who Love Hidden Magical Worlds Alongside Our Own
The great trick of October Daye is the way Faerie exists just beside San Francisco — glamoured, hidden, and perilously close. These books share that enchanting conceit.
13. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
Richard Mayhew performs a single act of kindness for an injured young woman on a London street, and for his trouble, he ceases to exist. Not dead — simply invisible to the world above, cast down into London Below, a shadow city of miracles and monsters lurking beneath the familiar streets. Gaiman writes with the assured hand of one who knows that the most extraordinary adventures begin with the simplest acts of decency. This is a masterwork of hidden worlds, and it shall haunt you beautifully.
14. The Hollows Series by Kim Harrison
In an alternate Cincinnati where supernatural creatures live openly alongside humans, Rachel Morgan — witch, bounty hunter, and perpetual trouble magnet — quits her government job and promptly has a death contract placed upon her. With a vampire roommate and a pixie bodyguard, Rachel sets up shop in a decommissioned church and begins unravelling magical conspiracies. Kim Harrison builds her world with tremendous care, and the series only deepens in richness. Begin with Dead Witch Walking.
15. Written in Red (The Others Series) by Anne Bishop
Anne Bishop inverts the expected order most brilliantly — in her world, the Others are the apex predators, and humanity survives only at their sufferance. Meg Corbyn, a blood prophet who sees visions when her skin is cut, escapes captivity and finds refuge among shape-shifters and vampires who are genuinely, fundamentally alien. The slow building of trust between Meg and her protectors is deeply moving, and the world-building is unlike anything else in the genre.
16. The Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne
Atticus O’Sullivan has been alive for twenty-one centuries, which is rather a long time to keep a secret. The last living Druid hides in modern Arizona, running a bookshop and trying to avoid the attention of Celtic gods who want him dead over a stolen sword. Every mythology in this world is true — Norse, Greek, Hindu — and they all have opinions about Atticus. Kevin Hearne writes with infectious good humor, and the adventures are wonderfully imaginative. Begin with Hounded.
17. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Karou is an art student in Prague with blue hair and a secret — she was raised by chimaera, strange and wonderful creatures who collect teeth and trade in wishes. When an angelic soldier appears bearing fire and war, Karou’s two worlds collide in ways she never imagined. Laini Taylor writes with a lush beauty that makes every sentence feel like a small enchantment. The mythology here is stunningly original, and the story spans far more than a single lifetime.
18. A Dark and Hollow Star by Ashley Shuttleworth
Four fae protagonists in modern Toronto investigate a string of murders that threaten to expose the faerie world to humankind. The fae courts here are rendered with vivid detail — the politics, the hierarchies, the ancient grudges simmering beneath polished surfaces. Ashley Shuttleworth weaves together multiple mythologies with confidence, and the mystery at the heart of the story will keep you guessing most satisfyingly. A splendid choice for those who want their fae politics served with a modern sensibility.
Where to Begin
If you have just finished October Daye and the ache is fresh, we suggest choosing your entry point by what you loved most:
- The fae politics? Start with The Cruel Prince or Between Two Thorns
- The detective work? Start with The Dresden Files or Rivers of London
- Toby herself? Start with Kate Daniels or Mercy Thompson
- The hidden world? Start with Neverwhere or Written in Red
Every book on this list has been chosen because it shares something essential with Seanan McGuire’s magnificent series — that rare ability to make us believe, truly believe, that the extraordinary is hiding just around the next corner, waiting only for someone brave enough to look.
We do hope you find your next great adventure among them. After all, every new story begins the moment you turn the first page.
