Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cauldron | 2019 | Gail Z. Martin | Buy |
| 2 | Black Sun | 2020 | Gail Z. Martin | Buy |
| 3 | Chicagoland | 2021 | Gail Z. Martin | Buy |
| 4 | Spellbound | 2022 | Gail Z. Martin | Buy |
| 5 | Times Change | 2025 | Gail Z. Martin | Buy |
The Joe Mack Shadow Council series is set in an alternate version of 1930s Pittsburgh, refashioned as “New Pittsburgh,” where supernatural beings operate alongside human organized crime. The city is controlled in part by a Shadow Council of powerful magical figures, and ordinary people like Joe Mack get caught between their schemes. Cauldron (2019) introduces the setting and the central conflicts, with Joe drawn into a dangerous world he barely understands.
Black Sun (2020), Chicagoland (2021), Spellbound (2022), and Times Change (2025) continue Joe’s story as he becomes more entangled with the Shadow Council and the supernatural forces at work in the city. The series blends the tone of classic noir fiction (corruption, back-room deals, morally gray characters) with urban fantasy elements like witchcraft, spectral threats, and ancient magic. The Depression-era setting gives the series a distinct feel compared to Martin’s medieval-inspired fantasy work.