Books like 'Charms and Death and Explosions (oh my!)'
Readers who enjoyed Charms and Death and Explosions (oh my!) by Honor Raconteur also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
historical fantasy mystery urban fantasy action / adventure steampunk industrial-era magic crime law-enforcement
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The Empty Grave by Jonathan Stroud
26 ratingsFive months after the events in THE CREEPING SHADOW, we join Lockwood, Lucy, George, Holly, and their associate Quill Kipps on a perilous night mission: they have broken into the booby-trapped Fittes Mausoleum, where the body of the legendary psychic heroine Marissa Fittes lies. Or does it? This is just one of the many questions to be answered in Book 5 of the Lockwood & Co. series...Categorized as:
female-mc humor industrial-era law-enforcement magic paranormal steampunk action-adventure -
The Good, The Bad and The History by Jodi Taylor
16 ratingsSt Mary's is under investigation. Their director has been shot and Max is Number One Suspect. Can things get any worse? We all know the answer to that one.Max needs to get away - fast - and a Brilliant Idea soon leads her to a full-scale uprising in twentieth-century China. If she can come by a historical treasure or two in the process, even better. That is, if she makes it out alive... -
Forged in Blood II by Lindsay Buroker
19 ratingsAmaranthe Lokdon survives her reckless plan to destroy the enemy’s weapon-filled super aircraft only to learn that thousands of people perished when it crash landed. Half of her team is missing...or dead. Meanwhile, the fighting in the capital has escalated, the Imperial Barracks have been taken by a pretender, and a deadly new danger threatens the populace...Categorized as:
alpha-mc assassins female-mc humor industrial-era magic paranormal political-intrigue -
Deadly Games by Lindsay Buroker
20 ratingsWhen you’ve been accused of kidnapping an emperor, and every enforcer in the city wants your head, it’s hard to prove yourself an honorable person and even harder to earn an imperial pardon.That doesn’t keep Amaranthe Lokdon and her team of outlaws from trying... -
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Diplomats and Fugitives by Lindsay Buroker
15 ratingsEven though Basilard is the official Mangdorian ambassador to the Turgonian Republic, he still isn’t fully trusted by his pacifist people. After he was enslaved and forced to entertain spectators in pit fights that left him scarred and mute, his kin turned their backs on him, condemning him for choosing violence...Categorized as:
assassins humor industrial-era magic paranormal political-intrigue steampunk action-adventure -
Death Over the Garden Wall by Honor Raconteur
10 ratingsThree modus operandi to die. Four employees, six house guests, and not a single witness.Confusing clues and no helpful leads cloud the death of Countess Giada Barese, who washed up on shore two weeks after her mysterious disappearance. Henri and Jamie have no idea if her death is a homicide, suicide, or accidental death, for nothing adds up...Categorized as:
crime humor industrial-era law-enforcement magic paranormal steampunk action-adventure -
Beneath the Surface by Lindsay Buroker
17 ratingsAn alternative cover edition for this ASIN can be found here.All Sergeant Evrial Yara wanted was to protect the young emperor from those plotting to kill him. Joining forces with a group of notorious outlaws wasn’t part of the plan, especially not when one of them is determined to charm her out of her uniform at every turn... -
Forged in Blood I by Lindsay Buroker
19 ratingsThe emperor has been ousted from the throne, his bloodline in question, and war is descending on the capital. Forge, the nefarious business coalition that has been manipulating the political situation from the beginning, has the ultimate weapon at its disposal...Categorized as:
alpha-mc assassins female-mc humor industrial-era magic paranormal political-intrigue -
Blood and Betrayal by Lindsay Buroker
20 ratingsThe last thing Maldynado Montichelu—former aristocrat and current ladies' man—ever wanted was to be left in charge. After all, the team just blew up a train, crashed a dirigible, and kidnapped the emperor. It's kind of an important time.But, with Amaranthe captured by the nefarious Forge coalition, and Sicarius off to find her, the team is lacking in leaders... -
Conspiracy by Lindsay Buroker
20 ratingsWhen you’re an outlaw hoping for a pardon, and the emperor personally sends a note requesting that your team kidnap him, you make plans to comply…Even if it’ll involve infiltrating a train full of soldiers, bodyguards, and spies loyal to a nefarious business coalition that has numerous reasons to hate you... -
Dark Currents by Lindsay Buroker
20 ratingsIt's been three months since former enforcer Amaranthe Lokdon and the notorious assassin Sicarius thwarted kidnappers and saved the emperor's life. The problem? Nobody knows they were responsible for this good deed. Worse, they're being blamed for the entire scheme... -
Breaking and Entering 101 by Honor Raconteur
12 ratingsSince Jamie and Henri agreed to be Kingsmen consultants, they’d not had much call to actually consult. Which is a fortuitous thing, as Henri is up to his neck in labwork and interviews for a new Magical Examiner due to Sanderson’s departing. He is hardly in any position to add more tasks onto his shoulders.Which, naturally, means two disasters strike at once...Categorized as:
crime female-mc humor industrial-era law-enforcement low-fantasy magic magical-realism -
The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud
30 ratingsWhen the dead come back to haunt the living, Lockwood & Co. step in . . .For more than fifty years, the country has been affected by a horrifying epidemic of ghosts. A number of Psychic Investigations Agencies have sprung up to destroy the dangerous apparitions.Lucy Carlyle, a talented young agent, arrives in London hoping for a notable career...Categorized as:
crime humor industrial-era law-enforcement magic paranormal steampunk action-adventure -
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay by J.K. Rowling
41 ratingsJ.K. Rowling's screenwriting debut is captured in this exciting hardcover edition of the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them screenplay.When Magizoologist Newt Scamander arrives in New York, he intends his stay to be just a brief stopover...Categorized as:
humor low-fantasy magic magical-realism paranormal witches-wizards 21st-century action-adventure -
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Republic by Lindsay Buroker
17 ratingsAfter the notorious outlaws Amaranthe and Sicarius helped overthrow the corrupt faction controlling the empire and brought in a great war hero to lead the nation to prosperity, they finally earned their pardons--and some time off. A tropical vacation cruising around in a private submarine? Perfect. But their trip is interrupted by a summons from the new president: they're needed back at home...Categorized as:
alpha-mc assassins female-mc humor industrial-era magic paranormal political-intrigue -
The Scofflaw Magician by Honor Raconteur
10 ratingsSevana’s peaceful routine is abruptly destroyed when a Sa Kao army invades Nopper’s Woods, fully intending to declare war on the Fae that live there. Princess Amas of Sa Kao has gone missing, disappearing so completely that it’s believed she must have been spirited away, and Sa Kao blames the Fae...Categorized as:
alpha-mc female-mc humor magic paranormal witches-wizards action-adventure audiobook -
Claimed by Magic by Jasmine Walt
10 ratingsFenris and Mia's story continues in the second book of this Baine Chronicles spinoff trilogy...Now that Fenris and Mina have finally admitted their feelings for each other, for the first time, they both face something they’d thought impossible—settling down with someone who accepts and loves them for who they are... -
A Matter of Secrets and Spies by Honor Raconteur
10 ratingsHow many ways can a marriage proposal go wrong?One: the ring gets stolenTwo: a storm destroys the beachThree: a dead body, seriously?Four: A THEFT RING?!Come hell or highwater, he WILL propose before leaving this benighted island... -
In Plain Sight by Dan Willis
12 ratingsWhen a magical plague is released in a Depression-era New York soup kitchen, private detective Alex Lockerby finds himself in a desperate hunt to catch a madman before he can strike again.His investigations lead Alex to a famous thief, a daring heist, and the search for a mythic book of ancient magic, but none of that brings him any closer to finding the man responsible for the massacre... -
The Notorious Scarlett and Browne by Jonathan Stroud
12 ratingsThe now notorious outlaws Scarlett and Browne are back in their second death-defying adventure—and this time it’s not just their own lives on the line. . . .Albert and Scarlett are a formidable pair. With his ability to read minds, and her way with a weapon, no bank can keep them out and no jail can keep them in. But their notoriety may have spread a bit too far... -
The Convent's Secret by C.J. Archer
18 ratingsTo find the one man who can fix the magic in Matt’s watch, he and India are led to a convent where the nuns will do anything to keep their secrets private. Including murder? Matt and India must uncover the truth behind the disappearance of the mother superior and two babies given to her care many years ago. But sometimes, the truth is painful and its exposure can have deadly consequences...Categorized as:
crime industrial-era magic magical-realism paranormal steampunk witches-wizards action-adventure -
Eternally Yours by Cate Tiernan
18 ratingsAfter 450 years of living, Nastasya Crowe should have more of a handle on this whole immortal thing....After a deadly confrontation at the end of Darkness Falls, the second Immortal Beloved novel, Nastasya Crowe is, as she would put it, so over the drama. She fights back against the dark immortals with her own brand of kick-butt magick.. -
The Mortal Word by Genevieve Cogman
20 ratingsA corrupt countessA spy in dangerAnd an assassin at largeThe fifth title in Genevieve Cogman's witty and wonderful Invisible Library series, The Mortal Word is a rollicking literary adventure.Peace talks are always tricky, especially when a key diplomat gets stabbed. This rudely interrupts a top-secret summit between the warring dragons and Fae...Categorized as:
crime female-mc industrial-era law-enforcement magic magical-realism paranormal steampunk -
Cast in Silence by Michelle Sagara
20 ratingsDon't ask. Don't tell. Stay alive.A member of the elite Hawk force that protects the City of Elantra, Kaylin Neya has sacrificed much to earn the respect of the winged Aerians and immortal Barrani she works alongside. But the mean streets she escaped as a child aren't the ones she's vowed to give her life guarding...Categorized as:
assassins crime female-mc magic paranormal political-intrigue witches-wizards action-adventure -
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The Shadow of Water by Jacquelyn Benson
6 ratingsLily Albright can see the future, and it looks like hell. In an England on the brink of war, Lily is plagued by visions of the cataclysmic destruction of London. An ancient prophecy is coming to fruition, and it starts with the gruesome discovery of a corpse in the sewers.To save her city, Lily must untangle a web of conspiracy and violence... -
Saved by Magic by Jasmine Walt
8 ratingsFenris and Mina's story concludes in the final book of this Baine Chronicles spinoff trilogy!Alerted that Sunaya and Iannis's wedding may be the target of a Resistance plot, Mina and Fenris travel to Solantha despite the very real possibility that Fenris could be recognized and thrown into prison should any of his enemies spot him...Categorized as:
industrial-era law-enforcement magic paranormal steampunk witches-wizards action-adventure adult -
Prophecy of Magic by Dima Zales
8 ratingsFind my long-lost birth parents? Check.Kiss the man I've been crushing on for years? Check.Finally kick back and enjoy my happy ending? Yeah, no such luck.With literal demons out to kill me and my loved ones in trouble, I'm starting to wonder if I'll make it out of this one alive.. -
Spellmaker by Charlie N. Holmberg
24 ratingsDead wizards, stolen enchantments, and broken promises force a young spellbreaker out of the shadows in the next thrilling installment of the Spellbreaker series by the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Paper Magician.England, 1895. An unsolved series of magician murders and opus thefts isn’t a puzzle to Elsie Camden...Categorized as:
crime female-mc industrial-era magic magical-realism paranormal steampunk witches-wizards -
Fugitive by Magic by Jasmine Walt
10 ratingsWhat happened to Fenris after he fled Solantha? Find out in this epic new trilogy following the events of Scorched by Magic from the Baine Chronicles… Fenris is no stranger to picking up the pieces of his life and starting over...Categorized as:
industrial-era law-enforcement magic paranormal steampunk witches-wizards action-adventure book -
Angel Fire by Ella Summers
12 ratingsCadence Lightbringer, daughter of an archangel, has trained from birth to one day drink the Nectar of the gods and ascend to the angels’ ranks. She’s always been the perfect soldier. She’s always known exactly where her life is headed. Until she is assigned to a mission with Damiel Dragonsire, Master Interrogator of the Legion of Angels... -
Undertow by Jordan L. Hawk
12 ratingsNote: This novella takes place at the same time as events in Fallow (Whyborne & Griffin 8). Shy secretary Maggie Parkhurst knows there’s nothing special about her. She’s neither sorceress, nor fighter, nor scholar... -
Solstice Day Gifts by Lindsay Buroker
13 ratingsAfter a year full of adventure, intrigue, and tragedy, Sicarius agrees to spend Solstice Day on a tropical island with Amaranthe, resting and relaxing far away from the chaos of the new republic. But there are a couple of problems. First off, the island is riddled with old wanted posters of Sicarius, along with countless people who would like to collect the bounty. Second..Categorized as:
assassins humor industrial-era magic paranormal political-intrigue steampunk action-adventure -
Betrayed by Magic by Jasmine Walt
14 ratingsFor most women, being newly engaged to the love of your life is a time of celebration. But Sunaya’s happiness is overshadowed by loss. Her friends have not returned from their quest to bring back Noria, and though the Resistance has been beaten back, they are far from vanquished... -
Ice Cracker II: And Other Stories by Lindsay Buroker
16 ratingsShe's wanted for crimes against the throne. He's the empire’s most notorious assassin. With bounties on their heads, they’re not likely candidates for heroics, but they're on a quest for redemption. Unfortunately, they'll have to pursue and conquer great threats to earn the emperor's recognition.Three short fantasy stories set in the author's "Emperor's Edge" universe...Categorized as:
assassins industrial-era magic paranormal political-intrigue steampunk action-adventure anthologies -
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Shadows Over Innocence by Lindsay Buroker
16 ratingsNote: Despite chronology, it is recommended that The Emperor's Edge (book 1) be read first. This short story contains a spoiler for book 1.Sicarius, the emperor’s personal assassin, returns from a successful mission only to discover that the enemy is retaliating by sending an assassin of their own. The target? Five-year-old Prince Sespian...Categorized as:
assassins industrial-era magic paranormal political-intrigue steampunk action-adventure anthologies -
The Secret Chapter by Genevieve Cogman
18 ratingsA Librarian’s work is never done, and once Irene has a quick rest after their latest adventure, she is summoned to the Library. The world where she grew up is in danger of veering deep into chaos, and she needs to obtain a particular book to stop this from happening...Categorized as:
crime female-mc industrial-era magic magical-realism paranormal political-intrigue steampunk -
The Dark Archive by Genevieve Cogman
18 ratingsA professional spy for a mysterious Library which harvests fiction from different realities, Irene faces a series of assassination attempts that threaten to destroy her and everything she has worked for.Irene is teaching her new assistant the fundamentals of a Librarian's job, and finding that training a young Fae is more difficult than she expected... -
The Assassin's Curse by Lindsay Buroker
18 ratingsWhen outlaws Amaranthe and Sicarius chance upon spies stealing military prototypes, they immediately give chase. Well, immediately after Amaranthe talks Sicarius, former assassin and all-around non-altruistic type, into the mission... -
The Magician's Diary by C.J. Archer
18 ratingsPRAISE FOR C.J. ARCHER'S GLASS AND STEELE SERIES: "Part romance, part mystery, part magic; all of which a joy to read." - Dreamer J's Book Reviews "This story has everything I look for in a quality, entertaining piece of fiction. 1) A strong female lead, 2) a dark and mysterious male character (I admit, they are my weakness), 3) eloquent writing, and 4) lots of quirky humor and banter...Categorized as:
crime humor industrial-era magic magical-realism paranormal steampunk witches-wizards -
Cast in Fury by Michelle Sagara
20 ratingsWhen a minority race of telepaths is suspected of causing a near-devastating tidal wave, Private Kaylin Neya is summoned to Court—and into a PR nightmare. To ease racial tensions, the emperor has commissioned a play, and the playwright has his own ideas about who should be the focus...Categorized as:
alpha-mc crime female-mc law-enforcement magic paranormal witches-wizards action-adventure -
Hard Magic by Larry Correia
24 ratingsJake Sullivan is a licensed Private Eye—with a seriously hardboiled attitude. He also possesses raw magical talent and the ability to make objects in his vicinity light as a feather or as heavy as depleted uranium, all with a magical thought. It's no wonder the G-men turn to Jake when they need someone to go after a suspected killer who's been knocking off banks in a magic-enhanced crime spree...Categorized as:
crime humor industrial-era law-enforcement magic paranormal steampunk witches-wizards -
The Emperor's Edge by Lindsay Buroker
27 ratingsThe adventure starts here...Imperial law enforcer Amaranthe Lokdon is good at her job: she can deter thieves and pacify thugs, if not with a blade, then by toppling an eight-foot pile of coffee canisters onto their heads. But when ravaged bodies show up on the waterfront, an arson covers up human sacrifices, and a powerful business coalition plots to kill the emperor, she feels a tad overwhelmed... -
Forsaken by Magic by Jasmine Walt
6 ratingsA novella exploring the origins of Fenris, one of the most beloved characters from the Baine Chronicles. Lord Polar ar’Tollis has everything he wants. Wealth, power, respect, beautiful women eager to marry him—there is very little the Chief Mage of Nebara lacks in his life. Except, perhaps, compassion...Categorized as:
industrial-era law-enforcement magic paranormal steampunk action-adventure book fiction -
The Alchemist's Illusion by Gigi Pandian
10 ratingsA perilous painting and an artist who meets his end lead Zoe Faust on an audacious alchemical adventure Centuries-old alchemist Zoe Faust is tired of running from her past. She's finally got her life on track in Portland, Oregon, gardening and cooking in her fixer-upper house with her mischievous best friend, Dorian the gargoyle chef... -
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Stolen Magic by Stephanie Burgis
10 ratingsWhen Kat’s family travels to a grand country house on the Devon coast for her sister Angeline’s wedding, Kat is stalked by a dangerous magical enemy - and finds everything she thought she knew about her late mother called into question...Categorized as:
humor industrial-era magic paranormal witches-wizards action-adventure alternate-history book -
Whisper the Dead by Alyxandra Harvey
10 ratingsCousins Gretchen, Emma, and Penelope are all dealing with what it means to be a Lovegrove. For Gretchen, it means she often feels like her head is going to explode. As a Whisperer, Gretchen constantly hears the whispers of other witches' spells...Categorized as:
industrial-era magic paranormal steampunk witches-wizards action-adventure book fiction -
The Child Prince by Honor Raconteur
14 ratingsSevana Warran, reigning prodigy Artifactor, has absolutely no desire to selflessly serve her fellow man. Bellomi Dragonmanovich, Prince of Windamere, is a twenty-one year old cursed into the body of a perpetual eight year old. In order to regain his lost throne, prince and Artifactor know that breaking the curse won't be enough. It will take a coup and more than just a little magic... -
Chameleon Assassin by B.R. Kingsolver
14 ratingsLibby is a mutant, one of the top burglars and assassins in the world. For a price, she caters to executives’ secret desires. Eliminate your corporate rival? Deliver a priceless art masterpiece or necklace? Hack into another corporation’s network? Libby’s your girl.Climate change met nuclear war, and humanity lost. The corporations stepped in, stripping governments of power...Categorized as:
alpha-mc assassins crime female-mc magic paranormal political-intrigue witches-wizards -
The Prisoner's Key by C.J. Archer
16 ratingsIndia's study into the language of spells is interrupted by the arrest of her teacher for an unpaid debt. Before Matt can repay it for him, the powerful magician escapes from his prison cell. To make matters worse, the moneylender is murdered and the magician is implicated...Categorized as:
industrial-era magic magical-realism paranormal steampunk action-adventure audiobook book -
The Cheater's Game by C.J. Archer
16 ratingsThe arrival of Buffalo Bill's Wild West show in London brings trouble. When the sharpshooter who beats Willie at poker is murdered, Matt and India investigate. Willie is convinced the victim cheated, but no one knows how until India discovers his secret - he was a paper magician. When their list of suspects grows to include a member of the mysterious magic Collector's Club, they uncover a spy...
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