Thanks for your interest! Here are some short answers to the questions I’m asked about most, by readers, media, people in film and TV, and anyone trying to work out where to start. I’ve been writing for 20 years, so there’s a lot of life and stories! If you can’t find the answer here, please contact me here.
Where to start
Where should I start with your books?
It depends on what you like to read.
For fans of Dan Brown, try my ARKANE series which is archaeological adventure/religious conspiracy thriller. Stone of Fire is book 1 and there are 13 in the series. For crime thrillers with a supernatural twist, start with Desecration, which suits fans of John Connolly’s Charlie Parker series. For fans of Leigh Bardugo’s Shadow and Bone, try the Mapwalker trilogy.
For folk horror, try Blood Vintage. For a weekend read, try my stand-alone thriller, Death Valley, or my short story collection, The Buried and the Drowned.
Browse all books by genre and location here.
What order should I read the ARKANE series in?
Each book is a complete story so can be read as stand-alones, but the characters change over the series, so reading in order is ideal. The whole series lives on the ARKANE world page.
Do I need to read the Dark London or Mapwalker books in order?
Yes, for both. Dark London is a trilogy about body, mind and city, with a thread between Jamie Brooke and Blake Daniel that runs across all three books: Desecration, Delirium, Deviance. Mapwalker is one story in three parts, Map of Shadows, Map of Plagues and Map of the Impossible, and it is complete, with a proper ending.
Which books are standalones?
Blood Vintage, Catacomb, Death Valley and Bones of the Deep are all standalone novels. Pilgrimage is a travel memoir. There are also short stories and two collections.
Are the books connected? Is there a shared universe?
Lightly. Blake Daniel from Dark London appears alongside Morgan Sierra in the ARKANE novella Day of the Vikings. Beyond that, the worlds share themes rather than characters, so you can read any of them without homework.
How dark are the books? Is there gore or sex?
They are dark thrillers and horror, so expect violence, the supernatural, and some disturbing scenes, but atmosphere over splatter. Sex is mostly off the page. Every book page has a short content note so you can judge for yourself.
Is Stone of Fire still free?
No, that offer has ended. You can still get a free ebook when you join my email list.
Formats, buying and availability
Where can I buy the books?
Every book page has three buttons: buy direct from my own store at jfpennbooks.com (ebooks and audiobooks delivered by BookFunnel, plus signed paperbacks and bundles), Amazon, and a universal link for every other store.
Why are some ebooks only on Amazon?
Some titles are enrolled in Kindle Unlimited for a period, which means the ebook is exclusive to Amazon while it’s in the programme. Print and audio editions are always available everywhere. If a book page shows only an Amazon button for the ebook, that’s why.
Are there audiobooks? Who narrates them?
Most of my books and stories are available in audio on various platforms and in different voices. The ARKANE series is narrated by Veronica Giguere, and I narrate the short stories myself. You can buy audiobooks direct from my store, from Audible, Apple, Kobo, Chirp and other retailers, or borrow them from your library.
Can I get signed copies, hardbacks or large print?
I mainly do signed editions when I do Kickstarter campaigns for new books, but please contact me if you have a specific request and I will see what I can do.
Are the books available in other languages?
Some titles are available in German, French, Spanish and Italian. Search for J.F. Penn on your local Amazon or bookstore.
Can I read them in Kindle Unlimited or borrow from a library?
Some of my books and stories are in Kindle Unlimited and show an Amazon-only ebook button. Everything else is available for libraries to buy, so please ask your library to order the ebook or audiobook if they don’t have it.
Do you have a book club guide?
Not yet. If your book club is reading one of my novels, email me and I’ll happily answer questions or join you for a short video call if timing allows.
The research behind the stories
Are the places in the books real?
Mostly. Every book is set in real places I have visited, or inspired by those places, from the vaults beneath Edinburgh to the ghats of Varanasi, India and the salt flats of Death Valley. Each world page has a section on the real mysteries behind the story, and I write about the travel side at Books and Travel. The Research Library gathers the longer articles.
How much of the history is true?
The places, the relics, the folklore and the history are as accurate as I can make them, and then the murders, monsters and conspiracies are mine. Every book ends with an Author’s Note that separates fact from fiction, so you can always trace my inspiration.
Where do you get your ideas?
From travel, history, religion and mythology, and from questions history never answered. I studied theology at Oxford and psychology in New Zealand, and I’m currently studying death, religion and culture, so the darker corners of belief keep turning up in my books. You can see what I’m working on at my Now page.
About J.F. Penn
Is J.F. Penn the same person as Joanna Penn?
Yes. J.F. Penn is my fiction and memoir name. As Joanna Penn I write nonfiction for authors and host The Creative Penn Podcast.
Who is J.F. Penn?
I’m a New York Times and USA Today bestselling, award-winning author of thrillers, dark fantasy and horror. I have an MA in Theology from the University of Oxford, a Graduate Diploma in Psychology from the University of Auckland, and I’m studying for an MA in Death, Religion and Culture at the University of Winchester. I live in Bath, England. There’s more on the About page.
How many books have you written?
More than thirty novels, novellas, short stories and collections as J.F. Penn, plus a travel memoir, and a separate shelf of nonfiction as Joanna Penn. The full fiction and memoir list is in the library.
Have your books won any awards?
Destroyer of Worlds was a finalist for the International Thriller Writers’ Thriller Award 2017. Pilgrimage won the Selfies Award for Best Nonfiction and Memoir in 2024, and Death Valley was a Selfies Award finalist for Best Fiction in 2026.
What are you working on next?
The current project is always on the Now page, and my email list hears first when a new book is coming.
What are your tips for writers?
I’ve been writing for more than 20 years so I have a lot of tips! You can find them in my books as Joanna Penn, on my website TheCreativePenn.com, and my show, The Creative Penn Podcast.
Do you have any pets?
Yes, I have two British shorthair cats, Cashew and Noisette, who I absolutely adore! You can often see pictures of them on Instagram @jfpennauthor.
Are the film and TV rights to your books available?
It depends on the book/story. Check the Film & TV page.
Who do I contact about rights?
Me. Use the contact page for film, TV, translation, audio and other rights enquiries.
Do you do interviews, podcasts and events?
Yes, when the calendar allows. Bio and photos are on the About page; please use the photo credit shown. Requests via the contact page.
Email list, reviews and community
How do I get the free ebook?
Join my email list and I’ll send it to you, along with occasional news about new books, behind-the-scenes research, and special offers.
What is the Pennfriends group?
Pennfriends are my early readers. They get advance copies of new books and post honest reviews, plus I share giveaways and behind-the-scenes info. Details on the Pennfriends page.
How can I support you as a reader?
Thanks so much! Your support means I can keep writing.
Please leave a review wherever you bought the book, buy direct from my store when you can, ask your library to stock the books, and tell a friend who likes my kinds of stories. It all makes a difference. Thank you!
Can I quote from the books or use a cover image?
Short quotes and cover images are fine for reviews, articles and social media with a credit to J.F. Penn. For anything longer, or for commercial use, please ask first.
Do you reply to reader email?
Yes, personally, though I’m slower when I’m deep in a draft or a research trip. If you’ve written and not heard back within a couple of weeks, please try again. Thank you.