Solving the Impossible: The 10 Best Crime Fantasy Books

Step into the shadows where "Gritty Noir" meets "High Fantasy." Crime fantasy, often known as urban fantasy mystery, has exploded in popularity as readers seek the thrill of a police procedural enhanced by magical stakes. From "supernatural detectives" patrolling rain-slicked streets to "occult investigators" solving ritualistic murders, this genre offers a unique blend of logic and wonder.

Our list highlights the 10 best crime fantasy books that masterfully bridge the gap between hard-boiled mystery and imaginative world-building. We feature foundational series like Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files and Ben Aaronovitch's Rivers of London, alongside modern 2025 hits like Robert Jackson Bennett's The Tainted Cup and T. Kingfisher's Hemlock & Silver. Each selection is chosen for its "watertight plotting," inventive magic systems, and compelling protagonists who prove that even in a world of monsters, no one is above the law. Whether you crave "locked-room mysteries" in a wizard's tower or "forensic alchemy," these top 10 picks are your ultimate portal into a world of magical crime.

• #10-8
• #7-5
• #4-2
• The Winner (#1)

1. 10. Hemlock and Silver by T. Kingfisher

   

   T. Kingfisher's "Hemlock & Silver" is a delightful 2025 addition to the "Forensic Fantasy" subgenre. Set in the universe of the Temple of the White Rat, it follows an ageing perfumer and a cynical lawyer tasked with investigating a death that the city watch has dismissed as natural. The book is fantastic because it centres on "practical magic" - using scent profiles and biological chemistry as investigative tools. Kingfisher's trademark wit shines through her practical, middle-aged protagonists who solve crimes with common sense and tea. It is a refreshing, cozy-noir masterpiece that proves "minor" magic can solve the major crimes.

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2. 9. The Gutter Prayer by Gareth Hanrahan

   

   Gareth Hanrahan's "The Gutter Prayer" is a visceral, "Godpunk" explosion of crime fantasy. Set in Guerdon, a city fueled by alchemical industry and threatened by ancient deity-wars, it follows a trio of thieves caught in a conspiracy that could unmake reality. The book is fantastic because of its grotesque, imaginative world-building - featuring "Tallowmen" (wax-infused police) and "Stone-men" (victims of a mineral plague). Hanrahan subverts every "heist" trope with eldritch horror and high-stakes transformation. It is a dark, inventive masterpiece where the city's underbelly is as dangerous and alive as the gods themselves.

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3. 8. Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

   

   Leigh Bardugo's Ninth House is a hauntingly sophisticated entry into the "Dark Academia" branch of urban fantasy. Set within the ivy-covered walls of Yale University, it reveals a world where secret societies manipulate occult power to influence global politics and wealth. The story follows Alex Stern, a survivor who can see ghosts, as she polices these groups. Bardugo's brilliance lies in her atmospheric prose and the way she grounds arcane rituals in the cold reality of privilege and trauma. It is a visceral, intellectual, and often brutal exploration of power that feels chillingly possible behind closed doors.

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4. 7. The Witness for the Dead by Katherine Addison

   

   Katherine Addison's "The Witness for the Dead" is a haunting, quiet masterpiece of "clerical noir." It follows Thara Celehar, a prelate who can hear the final thoughts of the deceased, as he solves murders and resolves the estates of the forgotten in the city of Amalo. The book is fantastic because it treats "necromancy" as a weary, bureaucratic burden rather than a dark art. Addison excels at building a world where the "forensic" magic is grounded in empathy and rigid tradition. It is a sombre, deeply moving procedural that prioritises the dignity of the victim over flashy action.

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5. 6. City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett

   

   Robert Jackson Bennett's "The City of Stairs" is a masterful "Divine Noir" that redefines the genre. Set in Bulikov, a city where the gods were murdered and their reality-bending miracles have become dangerous "stairs" to nowhere, it follows diplomat-spy Shara Thivani. The book is fantastic because it treats magic as a forensic puzzle and a geopolitical scar. By blending a tense murder mystery with deep themes of colonialism and theology, Bennett creates a world that feels ancient yet startlingly original. It is a brilliant, brainy investigation into what happens when the "impossible" becomes a crime scene.

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6. 5. Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch

   

   Ben Aaronovitch's Rivers of London is a masterful blend of police procedural and occult mystery. It follows Peter Grant, a biracial London constable who becomes the first apprentice wizard in the Metropolitan Police in decades. The book's brilliance lies in its grounded approach to magic; Peter treats spellcasting like a scientific discipline, experimenting with how "vestigia" affects modern electronics. With its deep architectural history, dry British wit, and a cast of personified river deities, the story makes London feel like a living, breathing supernatural entity. It is a smart, refreshing, and incredibly immersive take on the genre.

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7. 4. The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

   

   Stuart Turton's "The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle" is a breathtaking evolution of the "locked-room" mystery. The protagonist, Aiden Bishop, must solve a murder while inhabiting the bodies of eight different guests during a recurring day at a decaying estate. It is a fantastic read because it treats time and identity as forensic puzzles. The "body-hopping" mechanic creates a complex layer of psychological and physical constraints, forcing the detective to piece together the truth from fragmented, often unreliable perspectives. It is a high-concept, atmospheric masterpiece that perfectly blends Agatha Christie's precision with a dark, supernatural loop.

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8. 3. Sweet Silver Blues by Glen Cook

   

   Glen Cook's "Sweet Silver Blues" is the essential "hard-boiled" blueprint for the crime fantasy genre. We follow Garrett, a cynical private investigator in the gritty, multi-species city of TunFaire. The book is fantastic because it treats fantasy tropes with the cold eye of a film noir detective. Elves are untrustworthy, magic is a dangerous underworld commodity, and the mystery is solved through gruelling legwork rather than convenient spells. Cook's world-building is seamless, blending the weary realism of a war veteran with the chaotic energy of a high-fantasy setting. It is the definitive "Wizard-Noir" classic.

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9. 2. The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett

   

   Robert Jackson Bennett's "The Tainted Cup" is a masterclass in high-fantasy forensic mystery. Set in an empire where bio-engineered plants and monstrous sea behemoths are daily threats, it features an eccentric, Holmesian investigator and her assistant with a magically enhanced memory. The book is fantastic because it treats "magic" as a rigorous forensic science rather than a vague plot device. The world-building is breathtakingly original, blending ecological horror with a tightly wound "locked-room" murder mystery. It is a brilliant, inventive, and deeply satisfying procedural that proves the crime genre is perfectly suited for the wildest fantasy settings.

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10. 1. Storm Front by Jim Butcher

    

    Jim Butcher's Storm Front is the ultimate blueprint for modern urban fantasy. It masterfully marries the "hard-boiled" detective noir aesthetic with high-stakes wizardry in the rainy streets of Chicago. Harry Dresden is the genre's perfect protagonist: a powerful yet perpetually broke wizard who solves magical crimes that the police cannot explain. The book shines because of its world-building, introducing a hidden supernatural underground that feels both gritty and plausible. With its fast pacing, snarky humour, and a magic system that carries real physical costs, it provides an addictive gateway into a massive, sprawling universe.

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