This reflection is based solely on reading the first book in the series, Harm None, which often serves as the entry point and tone-setter for M.R. Sellars’ Rowan Gant Investigation novels. The series frequently appears on recommendation lists for urban fantasy, paranormal crime, and supernatural mystery, and after seeing it mentioned often enough, I decided to give it a try.
The premise centers on Rowan Gant, who works as a consultant on occult and supernatural matters for the St. Louis Police Department. Although mentioned only in passing, Rowan is also trained as an electrical engineer, a detail that remains largely unexplored in the narrative. In practice, the focus is firmly on his role as an investigator with specialist knowledge of magic and Wiccan belief rather than on any technical or scientific background.
Harm None follows a fairly traditional crime-novel structure: a series of violent and often gruesome murders, a methodical police investigation, and a gradual uncovering of both mundane and supernatural elements behind the crimes. Magic exists alongside standard police procedure rather than replacing it, with interviews, evidence gathering, and procedural routines forming the backbone of the story.
From a stylistic perspective, the prose is serviceable but uneven. The dialogue can feel stiff, and there are occasional moments of awkward phrasing that raise questions about the editing process. That said, this is hardly unique within the genre. Urban fantasy, especially in the late 1990s and early 2000s, was rarely treated as “quality literature,” and many readers likely neither notice nor care about these issues. In that sense, Harm None probably fits comfortably within its genre expectations rather than falling short of them.
What most clearly distinguishes the book is how closely it reflects the author’s personal beliefs. Sellars is a practicing witch, and the novel often feels as much concerned with explaining and defending Wicca as it is with telling a crime story. Large portions of the book are devoted to describing rituals, ethics, and belief systems, sometimes slowing the narrative considerably. At times this functions as worldbuilding; at others, it reads more like instruction or advocacy.
This emphasis is reinforced by how Wicca is portrayed within the story world. Many characters—particularly police officers and members of the public—view it with suspicion, frequently equating it with satanism or cult activity. The novel consistently pushes back against these misconceptions, giving it a clear thematic agenda. Readers with an interest in Wicca may find this aspect engaging or validating, while others may find it heavy-handed.
Despite the graphic nature of some of the crimes, Harm None never fully commits to horror, nor does it lean strongly into psychological thriller territory. The tone remains largely procedural and matter-of-fact throughout, which may be intentional but also prevents the atmosphere from becoming truly unsettling.
As a non-American reader, the setting can feel somewhat stereotypical, leaning into familiar genre shorthand: doughnut-eating cops, religious extremists, and broadly sketched secondary characters. Whether this is simply convention, cultural context, or a subtle form of parody is unclear, but it does contribute to a distinctly “all-American” tone.
The book also shows its age in small but noticeable ways. There are detailed descriptions of dial-up modems, early web searches, and internet research that would have felt helpful or necessary when the book was released in the early 2000s, but now stand out as dated and slightly anachronistic.
Overall, based solely on Harm None, the Rowan Gant Investigation series strikes me as competent and readable rather than exceptional. It is easy to see why it appeals to readers who enjoy paranormal crime fiction or who are interested in Wicca and its representation in fiction. For me, however, it never quite clicked, and I suspect I am simply not the intended audience.
Still, as an example of early-2000s urban fantasy with a strong personal voice behind it, Harm None provides an interesting snapshot of the genre and helps explain why the series continues to be recommended, even if it didn’t fully win me over.
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