London is practically made for urban fantasy.
It’s old, mysterious, and full of places that already feel a little magical: fog-covered streets, ancient cemeteries, winding alleys with names like Knockturn (sorry, Knockturn-adjacent). And beneath all that history? Layers upon layers of forgotten tunnels, ghost stories, royal secrets, and strange little shops you could swear weren’t there yesterday. No wonder so many fantasy authors pick London as their playground.
Urban fantasy thrives on contrast — the ordinary colliding with the extraordinary — and London, with its mashup of old-world charm and modern grit, delivers that in spades. It’s a city where you can turn a corner and find a haunted townhouse, a hidden market for magical artifacts, or even another version of the city entirely.
In this article, we’ll explore some of the most compelling urban fantasy novels set in London. From classics like Neverwhere to newer hits like A Darker Shade of Magic and Rivers of London, these stories don’t just use London as a backdrop — they transform it into something mythical, mysterious, and alive.
Let’s dive into the books that make London feel like a city built on magic.
Urban Fantasy in London: Magic on the Streets of the Old Smoke
If you’re in the mood to get lost in a magical version of London, whether it’s filled with ghosts, gods, or secret societies, these books belong on your shelf (or in your TBR pile). Some are whimsical, others are gritty, but all of them bring a new kind of magic to the city.
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
What it’s about:
When Richard Mayhew stops to help a mysterious injured girl named Door, his life takes a sharp left turn.
Suddenly, he becomes invisible to the real world and slips into “London Below” — a strange, hidden underworld full of forgotten places, talking rats, assassins in top hats, and angelic beings with murky motives.
Why it’s a London must-read:
Gaiman reimagines the city’s Tube map as a literal map of magic: Blackfriars are actual friars, Earl’s Court has a real earl, and Night’s Bridge is… not something you want to cross lightly.
It’s witty, eerie, and endlessly inventive. Neverwhere is often the gateway drug into urban fantasy for a reason.
Available on Amazon.com | Goodreads
YOU MIGHT LIKE: How Neverwhere Reimagines London Through Urban Fantasy
Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch
What it’s about:
Peter Grant is a rookie cop who thinks he’s headed for a boring desk job — until he interviews a murder witness who turns out to be a ghost.
Cue his recruitment into a secret magical division of the London police. Think spells, river gods, vampires, and lots of paperwork.
Why it’s a London must-read:
This is modern-day London layered with supernatural weirdness. The Thames and her tributaries are actual deities. The police chase magical crime across Soho, Camden, and Southbank.
And Peter, who’s British-Nigerian and endlessly sarcastic, makes a brilliant narrator. It’s part detective story, part magical deep-dive into London’s weird side — and it’s the start of a fantastic (and still growing) series.
Available on Amazon.com | Goodreads
YOU MIGHT LIKE: Mapping the Magic: Urban Fantasy and Hidden Power in Rivers of London
A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
What it’s about:
Four parallel Londons. Kell, a magician with the rare power to travel between them, accidentally smuggles forbidden magic into the wrong world.
Cue pirates, thieves, dark forces, and a badass aspiring pirate named Lila Bard.
Why it’s a London must-read:
This one plays with the idea of London as multiverse. There’s Red London (full of magic), Grey London (ours — dull and magicless), White London (power-hungry and dying), and the mysterious Black London (long sealed off).
It’s a big, swashbuckling fantasy adventure wrapped in royal intrigue and clever worldbuilding.
Available on Amazon.com | Goodreads
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
What it’s about:
Set during the Napoleonic Wars, two magicians — one reclusive and bookish, the other wild and intuitive — try to bring magic back to respectable British society.
But reviving old magic comes with unexpected consequences.
Why it’s a London must-read:
This is historical urban fantasy at its finest. Picture Jane Austen meets Tolkien, with footnotes. London is refined and buttoned-up, but magic seeps through in the form of enchanted statues, fairy trickery, and arcane societies.
The writing is sharp, dryly funny, and deeply immersive.
Available on Amazon.com | Goodreads
Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho
What it’s about:
Zacharias Wythe, England’s first Black Sorcerer Royal, is trying to fix the country’s dwindling magic supply while dodging racism and political scheming.
Along the way, he teams up with Prunella Gentleman — an orphaned woman with more magical talent than society is willing to accept.
Why it’s a London must-read:
Set in a magical version of Regency London, this book mixes dragons, fairy courts, and social satire.
It’s like Bridgerton, but with actual spells and a lot more commentary on race, class, and gender. Smart, funny, and refreshingly original.
Available on Amazon.com | Goodreads
Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
What it’s about:
In Victorian London, Tessa Gray discovers she’s not entirely human — and she’s not the only one hiding secrets.
Enter the Shadowhunters: demon-hunting warriors with impeccable fashion sense and even sharper weapons.
Why it’s a London must-read:
Think gaslight, corsets, and clockwork demons. Clare’s version of London is full of hidden institutes, secret societies, and supernatural politics.
If you like your fantasy with a side of angst and romance, this one’s for you — especially if you love a good love triangle.
Available on Amazon.com | Goodreads
The Watchmaker of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley
What it’s about:
Thaniel, a quiet civil servant, discovers a mysterious pocket watch that saves his life.
It leads him to Keita Mori, a reclusive Japanese watchmaker who might also be able to remember the future.
Why it’s a London must-read:
This book is softer and slower, but full of charm. Victorian London comes alive through magical gadgets, subtle time loops, and a steampunk octopus named Katsu.
It’s less action-heavy and more about atmosphere and connection — perfect for fans of whimsical historical fantasy.
Available on Amazon.com | Goodreads
The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon
What it’s about:
Paige Mahoney is a clairvoyant in a dystopian future London where having magical abilities is a crime.
When she’s caught and taken to a hidden prison, she discovers that something far worse — and much older — is pulling the strings.
Why it’s a London must-read:
It’s a genre-bending blend of sci-fi and fantasy with a gritty, dangerous London ruled by a surveillance state.
Camden Market becomes a hideout, Oxford Street a place to run from. It’s intense, imaginative, and perfect if you want something more futuristic.
Available on Amazon.com | Goodreads
The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud
What it’s about:
In a London plagued by deadly ghosts, only children can see and fight them.
Enter Lockwood & Co., a scrappy teen-run agency dealing with hauntings and uncovering creepy mysteries one ghost at a time.
Why it’s a London must-read:
Imagine ghost-busting in Notting Hill with no adults in sight. It’s funny, suspenseful, and genuinely spooky in places.
Stroud captures a version of London where every streetlamp and old building feels like it’s hiding a ghost — and maybe it is.
Available on Amazon.com | Goodreads
Un Lun Dun by China Miéville
What it’s about:
Zanna and Deeba are two schoolgirls from London who stumble into UnLondon — a bizarre, twisted mirror version of the city where broken umbrellas become warriors, giraffes are deadly predators, and lost things gain new life. Everyone thinks Zanna is the “Chosen One” destined to save this strange place… until the story takes a sharp and brilliant turn.
Why it’s a London must-read:
Miéville’s Un Lun Dun is a love letter to weirdness. It’s like Alice in Wonderland meets Neverwhere, but with a punk twist. UnLondon is packed with surreal puns, wordplay, and inventive creatures — from carnivorous smog to talking milk cartons. The real magic, though, is in how it flips fantasy tropes on their head and hands the spotlight to the “sidekick” who refuses to sit back and let the plot happen.
Written for younger readers but with plenty for adults to chew on, this one’s a must if you enjoy your London strange, subversive, and full of wonder.
Available on Amazon.com | Goodreads
YOU MIGHT LIKE: The Metaphorical City of Refuse: Un Lun Dun by China Mieville
Want more? These are just some of the best places to start. Whether you prefer your magic subtle or cinematic, London has a version of itself waiting for you — just turn the page.
For urban fantasy fans, London truly has it all in one city – history and innovation, grandeur and grit, and the sense that just maybe, if you catch the last Tube at midnight or wander down the wrong alley in Soho, you might stumble into an adventure beyond reality. The next time you crave a story where magic lurks right around the corner, these London-set fantasies are sure to cast a spell.
D.P. Martinez is a contemporary fantasy author specialising in urban fantasy and magical realism. He holds an M.A. in English Literature from the University of Greenwich, where he focused on Literary London. His research explored metaphorical representations of London in urban fantasy. He has written hundreds of articles and several books across both fiction and non-fiction.