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Book of Night
Holly Black

Book of Night

Quick Answer

Start with "Book of Night" to begin the Book of Night. It is the essential series starter and provides the necessary foundation for the rest of the books.

Quick Verdict

✅ Safe to read now (Series Entry Point)

❓ Can I skip this book?
❌ No — Required

This book is essential to the core narrative and character development.

Verdict Insight: This is the essential series starter that introduces the Holly Black's core world and character arcs. It is required reading for all new fans.

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2022368 ppSeries Starter
<p><b>"A delicious, dark, adrenaline rush of a book. I'm already dying to see Charlie Hall's next con." - <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author, Alix E. Harrow<br></b><br><b>#1<i> New York Times</i> bestselling author Holly Black makes her stunning adult debut with <i>Book of Night</i>, a modern dark fantasy of betrayals, secret societies, and a dissolute thief of shadows, in the vein of Naomi Novik and Erin Morgenstern.</b><br><br>Charlie Hall has never found a lock she couldn’t pick, a book she couldn’t steal, or a bad decision she wouldn’t make.<br><br>She's spent half her life working for gloamists, magicians who manipulate shadows to peer into locked rooms, strangle people in their beds, or worse. Gloamists guard their secrets greedily, creating an underground economy of grimoires. And to rob their fellow magicians, they need Charlie Hall.<br><br>Now, she’s trying to distance herself from past mistakes, but getting out isn’t easy. Bartending at a dive, she’s still entirely too close to the corrupt underbelly of the Berkshires. Not to mention that her sister Posey is desperate for magic, and that Charlie's shadowless, and possibly soulless, boyfriend has been hiding things from her. When a terrible figure from her past returns, Charlie descends into a maelstrom of murder and lies.<br><br>Determined to survive, she’s up against a cast of doppelgangers, mercurial billionaires, gloamists, and the people she loves best in the world—all trying to steal a secret that will give them vast and terrible power.<br><br>At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.</p>

Series Order Complete! 🎉

You have reached the latest record for this series guide.

Complete Series Reading Order

Publication Order

Preserves character reveals and plot twists exactly as the author intended.

Chronological Order

May spoil surprises but improves timeline clarity for deep lore fans.

Order Confidence

high Confidence

Why this order?

Our team of curators analyzes publication history, author interviews, and internal narrative continuity to establish the definitive reading sequence. This ensures zero spoilers and maximum narrative impact.

Why This Order Is Confusing

Many reading lists for Book of Night conflict because early publishers often labeled short story collections as standalone novels, or rearranged internal chronologies for marketing. This guide follows original author intent and narrative continuity to settle the debate for good.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I skip reading Book of Night?

This book is essential to the core narrative and character development.

Can I read Book of Night before other books in the series?

Yes, Book of Night is the first book in the series and is the ideal starting point for new readers.

Is Book of Night required reading for the Book of Night?

Yes, it is a core installment in the series reading order and contains critical character development and plot progression.

What comes after Book of Night in the reading order?

Currently, Book of Night is the latest entry listed in our database for this series guide.