The Invisible Library
8 primary works
Book 1
One spy. One dangerous book. One deadly mission. Discover the first book in this gripping fantasy mystery series – The Invisible Library is the astounding debut from bestselling author Genevieve Cogman.
Perfect for fans of Mr Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan, Jasper Fforde's The Eyre Affair or Ben Aaronovitch's Rivers of London.
'I absolutely loved this' – N.K. Jemisin, author of The Fifth Season
Irene is a professional spy for the mysterious Library, whose staff are sent to different realities to harvest dangerous and mystical fiction.
Irene has been posted to an alternative steampunk London along with her enigmatic new assistant, Kai. Their mission: to retrieve a dangerous edition of Grimms' Fairy Tales. But it has already been stolen.
In London's underground, the laws of nature have been bent – supernatural creatures and unpredictable magic stalk the land. The city is home to vampires, werewolves – factions that are all prepared to fight to the death for this book.
Irene must face a web of deadly danger, deception and secret societies. Her new assistant is hiding secrets of his own. Yet failure is not an option – the nature of reality itself is at stake . . .
Continue the journey with the adventurous second title in the Invisible Library series, The Masked City.
Praise for the series:
'I absolutely loved this' – N. K. Jemisin, author of The Fifth Season
'Irene is a great heroine: fiery, resourceful and no one's fool' – The Guardian
'Cogman keeps upping the ante on this delightful series!' – Charles Stross, author of the Merchant Princes series
Book 2
Librarian-spy Irene's assistant has been kidnapped by the Fae – a fairy faction who will stop at nothing to cause utter chaos. The Masked City is the second entry in the Invisible Library series from Genevieve Cogman.
Irene is working undercover when disaster strikes. Her assistant, Kai, is snatched away by the dangerous Fae faction, unveiling his secret identity. Kai is a dragon prince – with this act of aggression, the Fae are determined to trigger a war that will hurl all dimensions into havoc.
With the stakes higher than ever before, Irene must navigate a treacherous path into the heart of enemy territory – a dark, alternate Venice under the grim control of the Fae. To prevent the Fae from triggering armageddon, she must find and rescue Kai. She will be forced to blackmail, fight and make an unlikely alliance – or face death . . .
This book also includes a extra, bonus section – with fascinating insights into the library's intricate spy network.
Continue this enthralling journey with The Burning Page, the third book in the series that takes the adventure to new, fiery heights.
Praise for the series:
'I absolutely loved this' – N. K. Jemisin, author of The Fifth Season
'Irene is a great heroine: fiery, resourceful and no one's fool' – The Guardian
'Cogman keeps upping the ante on this delightful series!' – Charles Stross, author of the Merchant Princes series
Book 3
In an alternate St. Petersburg, librarian-spy Irene faces unimaginable dangers – as her arch-nemesis returns. The Burning Page is the third instalment in the Invisible Library series from bestselling author Genevieve Cogman.
Librarian-spy Irene is on probation – and absconding from a mission doesn't look good. But when her escape route home goes up in flames, what's a spy to do?
It turns out, Irene's home, the trans-dimensional library, is under siege. Across dozens of worlds, its once-reliable Gates back to the library are malfunctioning. Irene's nemesis, Alberich, is responsible – with plans to annihilate the library itself.
To face the threat, Irene and assistant Kai are posted to St Petersburg. Here, Irene stumbles upon an incredibly dangerous – yet alluring – opportunity. It's a chance to save the library. Saving herself would be a bonus . . .
Brace yourself for an action-filled ride with stolen books, covert operatives, and clandestine societies!
Irene's adventures continue in The Lost Plot, the next captivating entry in The Invisible Library series.
Praise for the series:
'I absolutely loved this' – N. K. Jemisin, author of The Fifth Season
'Irene is a great heroine: fiery, resourceful and no one's fool' – The Guardian
'Cogman keeps upping the ante on this delightful series!' – Charles Stross, author of the Merchant Princes series
Book 4
Enter a world of dragon politics and missing librarians – in 1920s New York City. Immerse yourself in The Lost Plot, the fourth gripping instalment in the Invisible Library series from Genevieve Cogman.
A covert mission. A royal demand. And a race against time.
In a 1920s-style America, Prohibition is in force, fedoras and flapper dresses are in fashion – and intrepid librarians Irene and Kai find themselves caught in a fierce dragon duel.
A demanding queen has ordered her heirs to find a rare book, and it seems a young librarian has become tangled in the conflict. If Irene and Kai can't extricate him, there could be grave political fallout for the library. This could even trigger war.
Irene and Kai's quest: to outsmart gangsters, evade security, rescue the librarian and retrieve the book. If they can't, it could have dire consequences for Irene's job. And, incidentally, for her life . . .
Continue the literary magic with The Mortal Word, the next step in this enchanting historical fantasy.
Praise for the series:
'I absolutely loved this' – N. K. Jemisin, author of The Fifth Season
'Irene is a great heroine: fiery, resourceful and no one's fool' – The Guardian
'Cogman keeps upping the ante on this delightful series!' – Charles Stross, author of the Merchant Princes series
Book 5
In 1890s Paris, a librarian and a detective must track down a killer – before the city goes up in flames. The Mortal Word is the enthralling fifth instalment in the Invisible Library series from Genevieve Cogman.
A corrupt countess. A spy in danger. And an assassin.
Peace talks are always tricky – especially when a key diplomat gets stabbed. This murder rudely interrupts a top-secret summit between the warring dragons and Fae, so Librarian-spy Irene is summoned to investigate. With her detective friend Vale, she must track down the killer – as peace hangs by a thread.
Accusations fly thick and fast. Irene soon finds herself in the seedy depths of the Parisian underworld on the trail of a notoriously warlike Fae, the Blood Countess. However, the evidence against the Countess is only circumstantial. Could the assassin – or assassins – be closer than anyone suspects?
Continue the witty and wonderful series with The Secret Chapter.
Praise for the series:
'I absolutely loved this' – N. K. Jemisin, author of The Fifth Season
'Irene is a great heroine: fiery, resourceful and no one's fool' – The Guardian
'Cogman keeps upping the ante on this delightful series!' – Charles Stross, author of the Merchant Princes series
Book 6
The trans-dimensional library teeters on the brink of catastrophe – and only one book can save it. The Secret Chapter is the sixth instalment in the Invisible Library series from Genevieve Cogman.
As Irene tries to manage a fraught truce between the warring Fae and dragon factions – not to mention her overbearing parents – she’s given a new mission. The world where she grew up is in danger, and only one book can save it. A book owned by a secretive Fae antiques dealer named Mr Nemo.
In 21st century Vienna, a painting holds an extraordinary secret from the past – and Mr Nemo wants it. To acquire the book and save the library, Irene and her assistant Kai must team up with an unlikely band of scheming dragons, Fae gamblers and outright thieves. Together, they must pull off an amazing art heist – and trade the painting for that book.
But some will kill to protect this painting. If Irene wants to save her world from disaster, it isn't going to be easy . . .
The spectacularly bookish fantasy continues in The Dark Archive.
Praise for the series:
'I absolutely loved this' – N. K. Jemisin, author of The Fifth Season
'Irene is a great heroine: fiery, resourceful and no one's fool' – The Guardian
'Cogman keeps upping the ante on this delightful series!' – Charles Stross, author of the Merchant Princes series
Book 7
A mysterious archive. A powerful enemy. And a cunning plan. The Dark Archive is the seventh book in the Invisible Library series by Genevieve Cogman.
Danger is part of the day job for a librarian-spy. So Irene’s hoping for a relaxing weekend break in Guernsey, on the tail of a rare book. That's when her jaunt takes a dire turn.
Irene is almost assassinated, Kai is poisoned and Vale barely escapes with his life. Then the attacks continue in London – targeting those connected with the Fae-dragon peace treaty. Irene knows she must stop the plot before the treaty fails. Or someone dies.
But when Irene and friends are trapped underground, in a secret archive, things don’t look so good. Then an old enemy demands vengeance, and a shocking secret is revealed. Can Irene really seize victory from chaos?
The fantastical journey continues in The Untold Story, the eighth book in the Invisible Library series.
Praise for the series:
'I absolutely loved this' – N. K. Jemisin, author of The Fifth Season
'Irene is a great heroine: fiery, resourceful and no one's fool' – The Guardian
'Cogman keeps upping the ante on this delightful series!' – Charles Stross, author of the Merchant Princes series
Book 8
Return to the Invisible Library for Irene's most perilous mission yet! The Untold Story is the climactic eighth book in Genevieve Cogman's exhilarating series.
For librarian-spy Irene, this could be her last mission. She has been sent on a terrifying, dangerous task – one which must be kept secret at all costs. To eliminate Alberich.
But even more troubling news emerges. Entire worlds are disappearing, and the Library itself may have something to do with it.
To uncover the truth of these vanishing worlds, Irene and her friends must descend into the unplumbed depths of the Library. What they find will change everything . . .
The Untold Story is the unputdownable eighth book in the Invisible Library series of fantasy novels by Genevieve Cogman.
Genevieve is also the author of Scarlet, a Sunday Times bestselling novel. Set during the French revolution, it is a spellbinding tale of magic, vampires and chaos, written with her trademark wit and pace.
Praise for the series:
'I absolutely loved this' – N. K. Jemisin, author of The Fifth Season
'Irene is a great heroine: fiery, resourceful and no one's fool' – The Guardian
'Cogman keeps upping the ante on this delightful series!' – Charles Stross, author of the Merchant Princes series