Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bloodsick | 2014 | Melissa F. Olson | Buy |
| 2 | Sell-By Date | 2014 | Melissa F. Olson | Buy |
| 3 | Dead Spots | 2012 | Melissa F. Olson | Buy |
| 4 | Trail of Dead | 2013 | Melissa F. Olson | Buy |
| 5 | Hunter’s Trail | 2014 | Melissa F. Olson | Buy |
| 6 | The Big Keep | 2014 | Melissa F. Olson | Buy |
| 7 | Nightshades | 2016 | Melissa F. Olson | Buy |
Scarlett Bernard is a null, and in the Old World that means she is both useful and in constant danger. When a vampire, werewolf, or witch steps within ten feet of her, their powers simply stop working. The three main supernatural factions in Los Angeles have agreed to keep the peace partly by employing Scarlett to sanitize crime scenes before human authorities can find evidence of the paranormal.
The series starts with two short prequel novellas (Bloodsick and Sell-By Date) before the main novels begin with Dead Spots. Over the course of the series, Scarlett’s relationships with her handler Jesse, the vampire Molly, and the bargest Shadow deepen considerably, and the books shift from self-contained mysteries toward a longer arc involving threats to the Old World as a whole. The later installments in particular raise the stakes for everyone Scarlett cares about.
Readers who enjoy this series can continue with the Disrupted Magic trilogy, which picks up Scarlett’s story several years later. The Old World Chronology page on this site shows how the Scarlett Bernard books fit alongside the Boundary Magic books and other connected entries in the wider universe.