The Hollows Series: Dead Witch Walking

Dead Witch Walking introduces Rachel Morgan, a witch who works as a runner for Inderland Security in an alternate Cincinnati. After leaving her job to start her own agency, she finds herself marked for death by her former employer and must navigate both supernatural and human worlds to survive. The story takes place in a world where a virus wiped out a large portion of humanity, leading supernatural creatures to reveal themselves and integrate into society. Rachel teams up with a living vampire and a pixy as she builds her new business while trying to clear her name and stay alive. This first installment in The Hollows series establishes the complex relationships between different supernatural species and the tensions between magical and human communities. The narrative combines elements of urban fantasy, detective fiction, and supernatural adventure. The novel explores themes of loyalty, independence, and the costs of challenging established power structures. Through Rachel's journey, the story examines what it means to forge one's own path in a world defined by rigid hierarchies and ancient prejudices.

Readers highlight the strong world-building and complex supernatural politics in Dead Witch Walking. Many appreciate the detailed magic system and the unique take on vampires, witches, and other supernatural beings coexisting with humans. Fans praise Rachel Morgan's character development from an inexperienced witch to a more capable protagonist. The relationship dynamics and banter between Rachel and her vampire roommate Ivy receive frequent mention in positive reviews. Common criticisms include a slow start, with some readers noting the first 50-100 pages fail to grip them. Others find Rachel's decision-making frustrating and cite frequent cases of her rushing into danger without preparation. Ratings across platforms: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (138,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (1,800+ reviews) Barnes & Noble: 4.4/5 (500+ reviews) "The worldbuilding is fresh and different from standard urban fantasy," notes one Amazon reviewer, while a Goodreads review states "Rachel's recklessness made it hard to connect with her character."

Storm Front by Jim Butcher A wizard detective in Chicago solves supernatural crimes while navigating politics between various magical factions and dealing with his own dark past.

Moon Called by Patricia Briggs A shapeshifting mechanic serves as liaison between the human and supernatural worlds while solving murders and protecting her territory from supernatural threats.

Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire A half-fae private investigator operates in San Francisco's supernatural underworld, solving cases that bridge the mortal and fae realms.

Some Girls Bite by Chloe Neill A graduate student transforms into a vampire and must navigate Chicago's supernatural politics while solving murders that threaten the peace between humans and vampires.

Grave Witch by Kalayna Price A witch who can communicate with the dead works with law enforcement to solve supernatural crimes while managing the politics of multiple magical realms.

🌙 Author Kim Harrison wrote Dead Witch Walking after being inspired by the AIDS epidemic, using it as a model for her story's "Turn," where genetically modified tomatoes caused a pandemic that decimated human populations. 🧪 The series' main character, Rachel Morgan, was originally written as a male protagonist in Harrison's early drafts before she decided to change the character's gender. 🌿 Many of the herbs and plants mentioned in the book's spells are actual ingredients used in traditional folk medicine and witchcraft, with Harrison conducting extensive research on herbal lore. 🦇 The book's setting, "the Hollows," is based on Cincinnati, Ohio, with many real locations incorporated into the supernatural landscape. Harrison chose Cincinnati because it was both familiar to her and underused in urban fantasy. 📚 The series was originally published under Harrison's real name, Dawn Cook, but she created the pen name Kim Harrison to differentiate between her urban fantasy works and her traditional fantasy novels.