Which Fantasy Mystery Books Follow Investigators In Cursed Cities?

2026-07-14 05:33:10
26
Share
ABO Personality Quiz
Take a quick quiz to find out whether you‘re Alpha, Beta, or Omega.
Start Test
Write Answer
Ask Question

6 Answers

SamWard
SamWard
Helpful Reader Editor
For a manga take, check out 'Dorohedoro'. The Hole is a dystopian, filthy city where citizens are used as test subjects for sorcerers from a separate world. The curses are visceral and body-horror-esque. The 'investigators' are a band of amnesiacs and eccentrics trying to piece together their own identities and the source of the magic.

It's chaotic, grimy, and hilarious. The mystery is deeply personal and tied to the very nature of the two worlds. The art style makes the city feel like a character—oily, dangerous, and weirdly charming. Not a traditional mystery, but the core drive of 'figuring out the curse' is always there beneath the chaos and gore.
2026-07-15 11:05:06
1
Ivy
Ivy
Favorite read: 1001 Dark Tales
Honest Reviewer Assistant
Obligatory mention for 'The City We Became' by N. K. Jemisin. The city—New York—is literally under attack by an extradimensional entity that wants to sterilize its nascent soul. A group of avatars representing the boroughs must investigate and fight this 'curse' of non-existence.

It's less a single investigator and more a squad, but the investigative element involves uncovering the rules of this metaphysical attack and the city's own hidden history. It's a love letter and a battle cry for New York, with the 'curse' being an existential threat to its very identity. Wildly imaginative and packed with socio-political commentary.
2026-07-16 11:19:51
2
Story Finder Mechanic
Man, that's a killer niche! If you haven't read 'The City & the City' by China Miéville, stop everything. It's less about a traditional curse and more about a societal one—two cities occupying the same space, where citizens must 'unsee' the other. The investigator navigating that psychological labyrinth is pure genius. The mystery isn't just a whodunit; it's a 'how-does-this-reality-even-work.' It bends your perception of urban space into a knot.

It's a demanding read, but the payoff is a detective story that fundamentally reshapes how you think about borders, both physical and mental. The investigative procedure becomes a study in willful blindness and cognitive discipline. Absolutely unique in the genre.
2026-07-18 00:49:54
2
Bookworm Photographer
For a manga with incredible atmosphere, 'Jagan wa Gachirin ni Tobu' (Jagan Flies at the Cyclic Ring) is a hidden gem. A detective with a cursed eye that sees 'lines of death' solves cases in a sprawling, retro-futuristic city plagued by a mysterious fog and cyclical disasters. The city itself feels like a dying organism.

The art is moody and detailed, and the protagonist's curse is both his tool and his burden. The mysteries are episodic but feed into a larger conspiracy about the city's fate. It's a slow burn, but the fusion of noir aesthetics and supernatural decay is masterful. Sadly, not fully translated, but what's out there is worth it.
2026-07-18 06:25:30
1
SilverHub
SilverHub
Spoiler Watcher Data Analyst
I'm seeing a lot of grimdark and noir. Any recs where the cursed city has a glimmer of hope or whimsy? Not everything needs to be unrelentingly bleak. Sometimes the curse is weird and funny, not just soul-crushing.
2026-07-19 21:56:15
1
View All Answers
Scan code to download App

Related Books

Related Questions

Which fantasy mystery books feature detective mages solving crimes?

4 Answers2026-07-14 04:02:13
Okay, so picture a setting where magic is illegal and the only ones allowed to use it are state-sanctioned inquisitors hunting their own kind. That's the core of 'The Justice of Kings' by Richard Swan. The 'detective' is a traveling justice who is also a terrifyingly powerful magician, and the story is told from his clerk's perspective. It's less about a whodunit and more about the moral corrosion of absolute power, wrapped in a grim, politically tense mystery. It gets dark, fair warning.
Explore and read good novels for free
Free access to a vast number of good novels on GoodNovel app. Download the books you like and read anywhere & anytime.
Read books for free on the app
SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP
DMCA.com Protection Status