Love 'A Discovery of Witches' on Netflix? Read the Books The Show Is Based On

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A recent addition to Netflix's vast streaming library is A Discovery of Witches, a show that originally aired from 2018 to 2022. The fantasy series, which stars Teresa Palmer as witch Diana Bishop and Matthew Goode as vampire Matthew Clairmont, is quickly becoming a fan favorite—leading many to discovery the All Souls book series by Deborah Harkness for the first time.

Harkness's novels were thriving in the "romantasy" (a portmanteau of romance and fantasy) genre before it ever blew up on TikTok. Yet, she doesn't define her All Souls stories as romantasy. "I understand this is a thing, but I’m not really a huge fan of genre distinctions. In my academic brain there are two basic categories: fiction and nonfiction. The rest, to paraphrase Queen Elizabeth I, is a mere dispute over trifles. Are my books 'romantasy'? I don’t think so, but readers might. I think I write fiction, full stop," she said.

Her A Discovery of Witches book, plus the four that follow, however, have that potent mix of fantasy, romance, and history that so many readers love—especially if you love witch books, or you're in the mood for a spooky autumnal read. So, if you're binge-watching A Discovery of Witches and curious to read the books that inspired the show, here's a guide to how to read the All Souls Trilogy (now series) in order:

A Discovery of Witches: A Novel (All Souls Trilogy, Book 1)

A Discovery of Witches, the first book in the All Souls Trilogy, serves as the basis for season one of the TV show. In the book, Diana, a historian who is the daughter of witches, discovers a long-lost book, Ashmole 782, in Oxford's Bodleian Library. Her discovery of the enchanted book draws attention to her, including that of vampire Matthew Clairmont, who works as a geneticist. Soon, however, Diana and Matthew become allies (and lovers) as they work against the Congregation, the centuries-old organization that governs vampires, witches, and daemons.

Shadow of Night: A Novel (All Souls Trilogy, Book 2)

Diana and Matthew try and escape the Congregation's threats by timewalking (time traveling) to Elizabethan London, where they search for Ashmole 782, navigating a world of spies and Matthew's old friends as Diana tries to learn magic from a powerful witch.

The Book of Life: A Novel (All Souls Trilogy, Book 3)

The third and final book in the original All Souls Trilogy is a dramatic conclusion to Diana and Matthew's story. When the couple timewalk back to the present, they reunite with their family and allies at Matthew’s ancestral home, Sept-Tours, as they prepare for a fight to bring down the Congregation's charter.

Time's Convert: A Novel

The fourth book in the All Souls trilogy shifts focus from Matthew and Diana to Marcus, Matthew's vampire son. Marcus was a Revolutionary War-era surgeon, and he's now living in Paris, where he falls for Phoebe Taylor, a young employee at Sotheby's. It's more of a standalone than a continuation of the series, as it really delves into Marcus's past, present, and future.

The Black Bird Oracle: A Novel (All Souls Series Book 5)

The most recent addition to the All Souls series is The Black Bird Oracle, which takes places seven years after the events of The Book of Life. In The Black Bird Oracle, Diana and Matthew's twins, Pip and Rebecca, are about to turn seven, and the Congregation has demanded they get their magic tested. Worried about their safety, Diana instead brings her family to the home of her great aunt, Gwyneth Proctor, whom she recently discovered existed. It's a compelling new chapter in Diana's story, and will hopefully lead to even more All Souls books.

"I wanted to return to magic and tidy up some of the loose ends and fill some of the plot holes I’d left in the previous books," Harkness said in an interview. "After the challenges of the pandemic, I thought it might be good to pay more attention to how people cope with the difficulties that confront them, too, and not just focus on the bright side."

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