Reading Order – Kraken – Eva García Sáenz – Complete Guide – Books in Order

Reading order of the Kraken series by Eva García Sáenz. Contains general spoilers and character development up to the current final book. Beneath temples and shadows of the past, Kraken unearths crimes that demand not justice, but remembrance. Reading this series in order means following the wake of an inspector rowing against his own history—through rituals, family secrets, and wounds that pulse with every new victim.

Unai and Tasio rise from a book before the cathedral and medieval tower in Vitoria – Reading Order – White City Trilogy

Introduction – Reading Order – Kraken

The Kraken series, written by Eva García Sáenz de Urturi, has become one of the most gripping crime fiction sagas in contemporary Spanish literature. This reading order guide will help you navigate each installment featuring Unai López de Ayala, the criminal investigator nicknamed Kraken, whose cases are marked by ritualistic murders, past traumas, and narrative twists that captivate from the very first page.

From The Silence of the White City to El ángel de la ciudad, each book weaves together mythology, forensic psychology, and historical elements with emotionally resonant character development. The setting in Vitoria—and later in cities like Venice—adds layers of symbolism and tension to a storyline that evolves with every installment, expanding Kraken’s universe along with his personal and professional bonds.

If you're looking for a series that blends thriller, drama, and cultural tradition with an immersive and fast-paced style, this guide is the perfect starting point. Below, you'll find the recommended reading order to fully enjoy the Kraken experience.

All Books in Reading Order – Kraken

1. The Silence of the White City – Kraken – Book 1

In Vitoria, a series of ritualistic murders shocks the city, mimicking unsolved crimes from two decades earlier. Inspector Unai López de Ayala, known as Kraken, returns to duty still grieving a personal tragedy. The new murders follow a disturbing pattern: the victims are couples of different ages, killed in symbolic fashion at historical landmarks. With his partner Estíbaliz and superior officer Alba, Kraken must uncover links between the crimes and an ancient myth. As he digs deeper, personal demons resurface and a haunting truth emerges—the killer may know him intimately. This first installment delivers a high-stakes investigation brimming with history, suspense, and unforgettable twists. Discover the full summary of The Silence of the White City ➤ 

2. The Water Rituals – Kraken – Book 2

Still recovering emotionally, Kraken is pulled into a new case when a pregnant woman is found murdered in a ritualistic Celtic fashion. The victim, shockingly, is someone from his past. The killer replicates ancient purification rites that tie back to legends from Cantabria and Northern Spain. As Kraken investigates, memories of a dark summer camp and buried trauma resurface. Balancing personal pain with professional duty, he navigates a case that tests his mind and heart. This novel merges ancient myth with modern crime, revealing how past wounds can shape deadly futures. Tense and emotionally charged, it’s a powerful continuation of Kraken’s story. Explore the full summary of The Water Rituals ➤ 

3. The Lords of Time – Kraken – Book 3

When a man is poisoned using medieval methods, Kraken finds himself drawn into a dangerous game linking fiction and reality. A new historical novel, The Lords of Time, depicts events and characters eerily similar to the case at hand. As Kraken investigates the mysterious author and the deadly reenactments, he must decipher clues hidden in a parallel 12th-century story. The novel-within-a-novel introduces Count Diago Vela, a medieval figure whose life mirrors modern crimes. The lines blur between past and present in this thrilling conclusion to the original trilogy, blending suspense, history, and intricate plotting with literary finesse. Access the full summary of The Lords of Time ➤ 

4. El libro negro de las horas – Kraken – Book 4

Kraken has left the police force when he receives a chilling anonymous call: his mother, long believed dead, has been kidnapped. To save her, he must retrieve a rare book—El libro negro de las horas—hidden within the secretive world of antique book collectors. The investigation takes him from Vitoria to Madrid and across Europe, delving into rare libraries, family secrets, and the dark market of literary artifacts. As the clock ticks and new crimes unfold, Kraken confronts long-forgotten memories and painful truths. A deeply personal and emotionally resonant mystery that explores identity, memory, and the legacy of written words. Read the full summary of El libro negro de las horas ➤ COMING SOON.

5. El ángel de la ciudad – Kraken – Book 5

In this final entry, Kraken travels to Venice to investigate the murder of a woman linked to his father’s secret past. As he uncovers layers of betrayal and hidden identities, the story unfolds along two timelines: the present investigation and his father’s covert life as a secret agent. Set against the haunting beauty of Venetian canals and historic palazzos, the novel explores themes of justice, memory, and redemption. With powerful emotional stakes and a mesmerizing atmosphere, Kraken’s journey comes full circle, forcing him to reevaluate everything he thought he knew about his family—and himself. Check out the full summary of El ángel de la ciudad ➤ COMING SOON.

Conclusion – Reading Order – Kraken

Exploring the Kraken series means diving into a literary journey rich in intensity, mystery, and human depth. Over the course of five novels, Eva García Sáenz de Urturi builds a narrative arc that goes far beyond the typical police thriller, revealing emotional layers, ethical dilemmas, and family ties that resonate deeply in every case.

Kraken’s evolution as the central character—and the way crimes and their consequences shape his life—makes this series a must-read for fans of intelligent suspense. Each book delivers a self-contained plot, yet together they form a larger story filled with nuance and emotional coherence.

With El ángel de la ciudad as the most recent release, the author closes—at least for now—a powerful and moving narrative cycle, leaving the door open for future adventures. If you haven’t started this series yet, now is the perfect time to discover it from the beginning and immerse yourself in one of the most solid literary thriller universes in Spanish fiction.

FAQs – Reading Order – Kraken

Why is publication order the best way to experience the Kraken series?

Reading in publication order lets you track Kraken’s professional growth and personal scars as each case reverberates through later books. Emotional reveals, dynamics with Estíbaliz and Alba, and family secrets land with greater weight when discovered in sequence. If you hop around, key twists may feel blunt or spoiled, and relationship arcs lose momentum. Start with The Silence of the White City and continue through El ángel de la ciudad to preserve continuity and the intended buildup of stakes, character insight, and thematic payoff.

How do myth and history drive the investigation without turning the books into lectures?

The early trilogy uses Basque myth, Celtic rites, and medieval methods as plot engines rather than ornament. Ritual patterns, historical sites around Vitoria, and antiquated toxins become clues that propel scenes, deepen motives, and mirror Kraken’s inner conflicts. Cultural detail is woven into settings, victimology, and modus operandi so the story accelerates instead of pausing for exposition. The result is a thriller texture where folklore, forensic psychology, and place-based history fuse naturally with pursuit, peril, and character stakes.

If the rare-book angle grabs me, can I jump straight to El libro negro de las horas?

You can, but you’ll lose emotional voltage. Book four plunges Kraken into a bibliophile underworld tied to his mother and long-buried truths. As a standalone thriller it delivers: ticking-clock rescue, secret libraries, and crimes orbiting a unique volume. Yet the revelations bite harder if you’ve lived through his earlier cases and understand the wounds driving his choices. Prior context turns each discovery about family and identity into a reckoning rather than a curiosity, enriching both suspense and catharsis.

What fresh dimension does El ángel de la ciudad add beyond the original trilogy?

It widens the saga’s emotional and geographic compass. By moving the investigation to Venice and intertwining it with Kraken’s father’s covert past, the novel reframes justice and memory through dual timelines. The canals, palazzi, and hidden networks create a new pressure chamber for betrayal and reinvention. Beyond solving a murder, Kraken must re-evaluate heritage and self, giving the series a layered capstone that recontextualizes earlier choices while standing as a moody, atmospheric case file of its own.

Does the series truly end with El ángel de la ciudad, or is there narrative room for more?

El ángel de la ciudad closes a major arc yet leaves space for future investigations. Core mysteries about family and identity reach resolution, but ongoing relationships and scars hint at further evolution. There’s no official confirmation of another novel, but the door remains ajar—Kraken’s moral and criminal landscape is far from exhausted. Reading in order maximizes those echoes so, if a new case arrives, it lands on a rich foundation of past choices and consequences.