Cecilia Dominic writes urban fantasy, paranormal mystery, romance, and steampunk, often combining supernatural problems with science, psychology, or detective fiction.
Most of her series are independent. There are two important exceptions.
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The Fae Files spins directly out of the Lycanthropy Files, with Reine moving from a supporting role in Blood’s Shadow into her own six-book series.
The Inspector Davidson Mysteries spin out of the Aether Psychics steampunk setting.
Those connections make publication order useful, but not always mandatory. Dominic often writes individual books so their immediate mysteries can stand on their own even when recurring characters and world history reward sequential reading.
The Two Shared-World Routes
If you want the cleanest continuity, use these combined paths.
Lycanthropy Files to Fae Files
- The Wolf’s Shadow
- Long Shadows
- Blood’s Shadow
- A Million Shadows
- The Shadow Project
- Shadows of the Heart
- The Shadowed Path
- Shadows of the Sky
- Shadows of the Past
- Risen Shadows
The first three novels establish the Lycanthropy Files world. A Million Shadows is an optional novella usually treated as Book 3.5.
Reine, who becomes the protagonist of the Fae Files, appears in Blood’s Shadow. You can still begin the Fae Files with The Shadow Project, but reading the parent series first gives her history more context.
Aether Psychics to Inspector Davidson
- Noble Secrets, optional prequel
- Eros Element
- Clockwork Phantom
- Aether Spirit
- Aether Rising
- The Art of Piracy
- Mission: Nutcracker
For first-time readers, I would place Noble Secrets after at least Eros Element despite its prequel status. The four main Aether Psychics novels provide the stronger introduction to the setting.
Lycanthropy Files Books in Order
The main sequence is:
- The Wolf’s Shadow
- Long Shadows
- Blood’s Shadow
- A Million Shadows
The first three are novels. A Million Shadows is a novella.
The Wolf’s Shadow
Book 1. Start here.
This novel was originally published in 2013 as The Mountain’s Shadow.
Later editions use the title:
The Wolf’s Shadow
They are the same underlying novel.
Do not buy both expecting two different Lycanthropy Files stories.
The novel follows scientist Joanie Fisher, whose research into Chronic Lycanthropy Syndrome becomes considerably more complicated when she discovers that actual werewolves exist.
It establishes the scientific and supernatural framework that later books expand.
Long Shadows
Book 2.
The second novel changes its central protagonist but remains in the same continuity.
Lonna Marconi is both a social worker and private investigator who has her own complicated relationship with lycanthropy.
Dominic has written the Lycanthropy Files novels so their individual mysteries can be followed separately, but recurring worldbuilding makes The Wolf’s Shadow the preferred first book.
Blood’s Shadow
Book 3.
This installment centers more heavily on Gabriel McCord and the Lycanthrope Council.
It also becomes especially important to the wider Dominic bibliography because Reine appears here before receiving her own series.
Readers planning to continue into the Fae Files should not skip Blood’s Shadow.
A Million Shadows
Optional novella, commonly treated as Book 3.5.
The story centers on Kyra Ellison.
Dominic herself has described it as essentially Book 3.5 and has recommended placing it around Blood’s Shadow.
A practical order is:
- Blood’s Shadow
- A Million Shadows
- Begin the Fae Files
The novella is useful expansion rather than a fourth full-length Lycanthropy Files novel.
The Mountain’s Shadow and The Wolf’s Shadow
This title change deserves its own warning because older and newer catalogs frequently separate the two.
Original title:
- The Mountain’s Shadow (2013)
Current title:
- The Wolf’s Shadow
Same book.
The protagonist, Joanie Fisher, and the underlying Lycanthropy Files story are unchanged in the sense relevant to reading order.
Count it once as Book 1.
Fae Files Books in Order
The complete Fae Files sequence is:
- The Shadow Project (2020)
- Shadows of the Heart (2020)
- The Shadowed Path (2021)
- Shadows of the Sky (2021)
- Shadows of the Past (2022)
- Risen Shadows (2023)
Included, completed six-book series.
Unlike the Lycanthropy Files, which shifts among principal characters, the Fae Files follows Reine in first person across a continuing arc.
Sequential reading matters more here.
The Shadow Project
Reine is an exiled Fae princess living on Earth.
A bargain with her mother offers a possible route back into Faerie, but the conditions bring her into a conspiracy involving scientists, supernatural attacks, and forces within the Fae world.
This is Fae Files Book 1.
Readers who have completed Blood’s Shadow will recognize Reine, but Dominic explicitly designed the spin-off so readers can begin here.
Shadows of the Heart
Book 2 continues Reine’s attempt to satisfy the conditions surrounding her return to Faerie.
Relationship and family developments from The Shadow Project carry forward, so this should not replace Book 1 as a starting point.
The Shadowed Path
Book 3 moves Reine more deeply into Faerie and the political dangers surrounding her family.
By this point the series is strongly serialized.
Read the first two books first.
Shadows of the Sky
Book 4 continues the consequences of Reine’s choices and the expanding conflict around Faerie.
Shadows of the Past
Book 5 moves into hidden history and unresolved consequences from earlier books.
The title is not a prequel. It remains the fifth installment.
Risen Shadows
Book 6 is the series finale.
Dominic’s current site explicitly identifies it as the sixth and final Fae Files book.
For the complete Reine story:
- The Shadow Project
- Shadows of the Heart
- The Shadowed Path
- Shadows of the Sky
- Shadows of the Past
- Risen Shadows
Should You Read the Lycanthropy Files Before the Fae Files?
It is recommended, but not required.
The strongest combined route is:
- The Wolf’s Shadow
- Long Shadows
- Blood’s Shadow
- A Million Shadows
- Fae Files Books 1 through 6
The advantage is character context. Reine already exists in the Lycanthropy Files universe before The Shadow Project gives her center stage.
If you only want Reine’s story, start with The Shadow Project. Dominic specifically presents the Fae Files as a spin-off that does not require the parent series first.
Aether Psychics Books in Order
The complete main Aether Psychics sequence is:
- Eros Element
- Clockwork Phantom
- Aether Spirit
- Aether Rising
There is also a prequel novella:
- Noble Secrets
Included, completed steampunk series.
The books combine steampunk technology, psychic abilities, mystery, historical settings, and romance.
Different couples move into the foreground, but Edward’s aether research and the broader group of characters connect the sequence.
Noble Secrets
Optional prequel novella.
Noble Secrets takes place before the main novels.
Chronologically, it can be read first:
- Noble Secrets
- Eros Element
- Clockwork Phantom
- Aether Spirit
- Aether Rising
For a new reader, I recommend:
- Eros Element
- Noble Secrets
- Clockwork Phantom
- Aether Spirit
- Aether Rising
Starting with the first full novel gives the setting and aether concept a more substantial introduction.
Eros Element
Aether Psychics Book 1.
This is the main-series starting point.
The novel establishes the unusual Eros Element and the network of characters whose scientific, psychic, romantic, and political problems continue through the series.
Clockwork Phantom
Aether Psychics Book 2.
Older editions were titled:
Light Fantastique
Current editions use:
Clockwork Phantom
These are the same second novel, not Books 2 and 3.
The story uses theatrical and Phantom of the Opera influenced elements while continuing the wider Aether Psychics setting.
Aether Spirit
Aether Psychics Book 3.
The third full-length novel follows another central relationship while developing the consequences and possibilities of the Eros Element.
It is designed to provide its own romance and immediate conflict but belongs firmly after the first two novels for an all-series read.
Aether Rising
Aether Psychics Book 4 and finale.
Dominic identified this as the fourth and final main novel.
The series therefore closes as:
- Eros Element
- Clockwork Phantom
- Aether Spirit
- Aether Rising
Add Noble Secrets as optional prequel material.
Light Fantastique and Clockwork Phantom
Another duplicate-title warning:
- Light Fantastique
- Clockwork Phantom
Same novel.
Light Fantastique was the original title. Dominic later retitled it Clockwork Phantom.
It remains Aether Psychics Book 2.
Some third-party bibliographies incorrectly list both and make the series appear to contain five main novels. Dominic’s own series page lists four main books.
Inspector Davidson Mysteries in Order
The Inspector Davidson line is a spin-off of the Aether Psychics world.
Read:
- The Art of Piracy (2019)
- Mission: Nutcracker (2019)
Included, Aether Psychics spin-off.
These are shorter steampunk mysteries rather than additional numbered Aether Psychics novels.
The Art of Piracy
This novella-length mystery introduces the spin-off line.
It features Veronica Lillet Kindred and Inspector Davidson within the steampunk world already associated with Aether Psychics.
Mission: Nutcracker
Read after The Art of Piracy.
It continues the Inspector Davidson mystery branch.
When Should You Read Inspector Davidson?
After Aether Rising is the simplest placement.
The full steampunk route then becomes:
- Eros Element
- Noble Secrets
- Clockwork Phantom
- Aether Spirit
- Aether Rising
- The Art of Piracy
- Mission: Nutcracker
That keeps the parent series intact before entering the spin-off.
Dream Weavers and Truth Seekers Books in Order
The official sequence is best understood as:
- Perchance to Dream, prequel short story
- Truth Seeker, introductory novella
- Tangled Dreams
- Web of Truth
There is some inconsistent numbering in retailer databases because the shorter works have been treated differently.
Dominic’s own material is more useful here. She identifies Perchance to Dream as the prequel, describes Truth Seeker as the novella that kicks off the main series, and states that Web of Truth picks up after Tangled Dreams while also following developments from Truth Seeker.
Perchance to Dream
Optional prequel short story.
This introduces the Collective Unconscious concept through Emma and supernatural dream encounters.
Chronologically it belongs first.
New readers can include it first without creating a spoiler problem.
Truth Seeker
Introductory novella.
The story follows Maggie, an immortal supernatural detective, and Philippe.
Dominic has described this novella as the work that kicks off the main series.
It also becomes relevant again in Web of Truth.
For a complete reading, do not leave it until the end simply because some retailer metadata numbers it oddly.
Tangled Dreams
Main novel.
The story follows Audrey and Damien as the barrier between dreams and waking reality begins to break down.
The Collective Unconscious, gods, nightmare creatures, and other supernatural forces drive the larger series mythology.
Web of Truth
Read after both Truth Seeker and Tangled Dreams.
The book picks up after Tangled Dreams, while Morgan le Fay’s story also intersects with characters and events introduced in Truth Seeker.
The safest complete sequence is therefore:
- Perchance to Dream
- Truth Seeker
- Tangled Dreams
- Web of Truth
Why Do Some Lists Put Dream Weavers in a Different Order?
Retail and bibliography sites do not agree on how to number the novellas.
One common list gives:
- Tangled Dreams
- Web of Truth
- Truth Seeker
That is not the most useful continuity order.
Dominic’s own explanations make the relationship clearer: Truth Seeker introduces material that Web of Truth later revisits, and Web of Truth also follows the events of Tangled Dreams.
For readers rather than database sorting, the integrated order above is safer.
Fire Dancer Books in Order
The Fire Dancer sequence contains:
- Always a Bridesmaid (2016)
- Unlucky in Love (2019)
Connected two-book series.
The books combine contemporary paranormal romance, witchcraft, curses, demons, and romantic complications.
Always a Bridesmaid
Start here.
The story introduces Tiffany Chiffon, a witch whose business centers on brides and wedding celebrations until a supernatural problem arrives with one of her clients.
Unlucky in Love
This is the follow-up.
Read it after Always a Bridesmaid for the intended character progression.
Perfect Books in Order
The published Perfect Books line contains:
- A Perfect Man (2015)
Standalone published entry.
It is contemporary romance rather than part of Dominic’s paranormal or steampunk worlds.
Current bibliographic records still show only this published Perfect Books title.
Treat it as a standalone unless another installment is formally released.
Cecilia Dominic Standalone Books
One title frequently separated from the series in older bibliographies is:
- Light Fantastique
However, this is not truly a separate standalone in the current bibliography.
It was retitled Clockwork Phantom and belongs to Aether Psychics as Book 2.
That leaves relatively little full-length fiction outside Dominic’s named series.
Her bibliography is primarily series-based.
Cecilia Dominic Books by Continuity
The easiest way to avoid mixing worlds is to separate them like this.
Lycanthropy Universe
Interconnected.
- The Lycanthropy Files
- The Fae Files
Read Lycanthropy first for maximum context.
Aether Psychics Universe
Interconnected.
- Aether Psychics
- Inspector Davidson Mysteries
Read Aether Psychics first.
Dream Weavers and Truth Seekers
Separate continuity.
The Collective Unconscious and its supernatural mythology stand apart from the Lycanthropy and Aether worlds unless a stronger connection is explicitly established.
Fire Dancer
Separate continuity.
Perfect Books
Separate contemporary romance line.
Recommended Cecilia Dominic Reading Order
Rather than mix unrelated books by publication year, finish each world.
First: The Lycanthropy Universe
- The Wolf’s Shadow
- Long Shadows
- Blood’s Shadow
- A Million Shadows
- The Shadow Project
- Shadows of the Heart
- The Shadowed Path
- Shadows of the Sky
- Shadows of the Past
- Risen Shadows
This provides the longest connected urban fantasy route.
Second: The Steampunk World
- Eros Element
- Noble Secrets
- Clockwork Phantom
- Aether Spirit
- Aether Rising
- The Art of Piracy
- Mission: Nutcracker
Third: Dream Weavers and Truth Seekers
- Perchance to Dream
- Truth Seeker
- Tangled Dreams
- Web of Truth
Fourth: The Smaller Series
- Always a Bridesmaid
- Unlucky in Love
- A Perfect Man
This is not a universal fictional chronology. It is a reader-oriented route designed to keep connected characters together.
Where Should a New Reader Start?
Dominic’s bibliography offers several reasonable entry points.
For Urban Fantasy
Start with:
- The Wolf’s Shadow
It opens the continuity that eventually leads to the Fae Files.
For a Longer Completed Urban Fantasy Series
Start with:
- The Shadow Project
The six-book Fae Files is complete and can be entered without reading Lycanthropy first.
For Steampunk
Start with:
- Eros Element
For Dream-Based Urban Fantasy
Start with:
- Truth Seeker
Add Perchance to Dream first if you want the prequel short.
For Paranormal Romance
Start with:
- Always a Bridesmaid
Should You Read Cecilia Dominic in Publication Order?
There is little advantage in doing so across the whole bibliography.
A strict career chronology jumps from werewolves to contemporary romance, then steampunk, then dream-based urban fantasy, then back into steampunk spin-offs and finally into the Fae Files.
None of those jumps improve continuity.
Series grouping is much cleaner.
Within each connected world, publication order is generally dependable, with two small exceptions:
- Prequel novellas such as Noble Secrets can be moved according to preference.
- Dream Weavers needs special handling because novella numbering varies among databases.
Chronological Order
There is no author-wide chronological order because Dominic’s principal series occupy separate fictional settings.
Chronology only has value within the connected worlds.
Aether Psychics
Noble Secrets occurs before the main four novels.
A chronological route is:
- Noble Secrets
- Eros Element
- Clockwork Phantom
- Aether Spirit
- Aether Rising
For a first reading, Eros Element before the prequel remains a reasonable alternative.
Dream Weavers and Truth Seekers
The clearest continuity route is:
- Perchance to Dream
- Truth Seeker
- Tangled Dreams
- Web of Truth
Lycanthropy and Fae
The broad progression is straightforward:
- Lycanthropy Files
- Fae Files
Reine’s appearance in Blood’s Shadow establishes why the spin-off belongs afterward.
Omnibuses and Box Sets
Dominic’s series have appeared in box-set editions.
The most important rule is not to count a box set as an additional story.
For example, the Lycanthropy Files Box Set collects previously published material.
Owning a box set can therefore replace the need to buy its included individual books, but it does not extend the series.
Always check the contents of a specific edition before purchasing duplicates.
Retitled Books Checklist
Two title changes are particularly important.
Lycanthropy Files Book 1
Old title:
The Mountain’s Shadow
Current title:
The Wolf’s Shadow
One novel.
Aether Psychics Book 2
Old title:
Light Fantastique
Current title:
Clockwork Phantom
One novel.
Any bibliography that counts all four titles as four separate stories is inflating Dominic’s output.
Latest Cecilia Dominic Book
As of August 9, 2026, the latest full-length book I could reliably confirm is:
- Risen Shadows (2023)
It is Fae Files Book 6.
The book completes Reine’s series.
No later 2024, 2025, or 2026 Cecilia Dominic novel with a firm publication record could be reliably confirmed.
Is Another Cecilia Dominic Book Announced?
I could not verify a new novel with a firm title and publication date beyond Risen Shadows.
Dominic’s current site continues to present Risen Shadows as the sixth and final Fae Files installment rather than showing a seventh book.
For a reference reading order, unconfirmed future projects should remain outside the numbered lists.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Cecilia Dominic’s first novel?
Her debut novel was The Mountain’s Shadow, originally published in 2013.
It is now available as The Wolf’s Shadow.
Is The Wolf’s Shadow the same as The Mountain’s Shadow?
Yes.
They are different titles for Lycanthropy Files Book 1.
What order should I read the Lycanthropy Files?
Read:
- The Wolf’s Shadow
- Long Shadows
- Blood’s Shadow
- A Million Shadows
The last title is a novella commonly treated as Book 3.5.
Does the Fae Files connect to the Lycanthropy Files?
Yes.
The Fae Files is a spin-off, and its protagonist Reine previously appears in Blood’s Shadow.
Do I have to read Lycanthropy before The Shadow Project?
No.
Dominic explicitly presents the Fae Files as readable without the parent series.
Reading Lycanthropy first simply provides extra character history.
How many Fae Files books are there?
Six:
- The Shadow Project
- Shadows of the Heart
- The Shadowed Path
- Shadows of the Sky
- Shadows of the Past
- Risen Shadows
The series is complete.
What order should I read Aether Psychics?
For the four main novels:
- Eros Element
- Clockwork Phantom
- Aether Spirit
- Aether Rising
Noble Secrets is an optional prequel novella.
Is Light Fantastique another Aether Psychics novel?
No.
It is the former title of Clockwork Phantom.
Is Inspector Davidson connected to Aether Psychics?
Yes.
The Inspector Davidson Mysteries are a spin-off of the Aether Psychics setting.
What order should I read Inspector Davidson?
- The Art of Piracy
- Mission: Nutcracker
What is the Dream Weavers and Truth Seekers order?
For continuity:
- Perchance to Dream
- Truth Seeker
- Tangled Dreams
- Web of Truth
The first is a prequel short story and Truth Seeker is an introductory novella.
Why do other sites list the Dream Weavers books differently?
Databases have numbered the novellas inconsistently.
Dominic’s own descriptions show that Truth Seeker introduces characters and events that are relevant again in Web of Truth, while Web of Truth follows Tangled Dreams.
What order is Fire Dancer?
- Always a Bridesmaid
- Unlucky in Love
What is Cecilia Dominic’s latest book?
The latest confirmed novel is Risen Shadows, published in 2023.
It is the final Fae Files book.
Conclusion
Cecilia Dominic’s reading order is mostly straightforward once two spin-off relationships and two renamed books are recognized.
For the largest connected urban fantasy route, begin with The Lycanthropy Files: The Wolf’s Shadow, Long Shadows, Blood’s Shadow, and the optional A Million Shadows. Then move into all six Fae Files books from The Shadow Project through Risen Shadows.
For steampunk, begin with Eros Element and finish the four Aether Psychics novels before moving into the Inspector Davidson Mysteries. Remember that Clockwork Phantom was previously titled Light Fantastique.
The Dream Weavers and Truth Seekers, Fire Dancer, and Perfect Books lines sit separately and can be entered without reading either of those shared worlds.
If one starting point is needed, The Wolf’s Shadow gives the broadest route because it begins the continuity that eventually leads into Dominic’s completed six-book Fae Files series.
Frank is the editor of BookSeries.blog, focusing on publication order, chronological timelines, and spoiler-free reading guides for book series and fictional universes.