The Recurring Cast
Character guide · 10 books · 1987 to 2011 · Mostly set in London

Tom Holt

FantasyUrban fantasyComic fantasy

Tom Holt writes comic fantasy in which myths and magic collide with the office, the pub and the bank. His J. W. Wells & Co. books are set in a London firm of magicians that hires very ordinary people.

Best estimate, compiled from series guides, publisher descriptions and reviews where available, and from memory otherwise. Book level only, not chapter level. Minor includes cameos and brief references. Each book carries a confidence rating in its tooltip. Tom Holt also writes as K. J. Parker; those books are on their own page. Most of his comic novels are standalones, so their leads are charted per book.

Vote for Tom Holt as a favourite author, and for books and characters below. See the favourites

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Who appears in which book

Click a name to follow that character from book to book, or a book title to see its cast.

LLeadMMajor·MinorHas a note
The chart needs JavaScript. The reading order and character list below work without it.

Tom Holt books in order

Each series in publication order, with its lead characters. Where the story runs in a different order, switch to Story order. Crossover books are marked and listed under their main series. Use My books to track what you have read.

J. W. Wells & Co.

7 books · Set in LondonComic fantasyUrban fantasy
  1. 1The Portable Door2003With Paul CarpenterBuy on Amazon
  2. 2In Your Dreams2004With Paul CarpenterBuy on Amazon
  3. 3Earth, Air, Fire and Custard2005With Paul CarpenterBuy on Amazon
  4. 4You Don't Have to Be Evil to Work Here, But It Helps2006Buy on Amazon
  5. 5The Better Mousetrap2008Buy on Amazon
  6. 6May Contain Traces of Magic2009Buy on Amazon
  7. 7Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Sausages2011Buy on Amazon

Standalone

3 books · Set in various placesComic fantasy
  1. 1Expecting Someone Taller1987With Malcolm FisherBuy on Amazon
  2. 2Who's Afraid of Beowulf?1988With Hildy FrederiksenBuy on Amazon
  3. 3Flying Dutch1991Buy on Amazon

Characters

4 recurring and key characters, with the book each one first appears in.

J. W. Wells & Co.

Standalone leads