My Dad's a Paranormal Investigator Books in Order

My Dad's a Paranormal Investigator has one of those premises that tells you exactly what kind of ride you are in for. The series follows Ima Berry, a teenager whose father makes a living chasing the strange, the unexplained, and the things most people would rather laugh off. That means her life is full of odd cases, constant moving, and the kind of childhood that makes normal friendships very hard to keep.

For Ima, the paranormal is not a fun weekend hobby. It is the family business. She has spent years trailing after investigations into Bigfoot, ghosts, fairies, and whatever else her dad thinks might be out there. Because the cases usually end badly, there is a built-in mix of embarrassment and hope to the setup. Ima knows how ridiculous it can all look, but she also knows that if one case ever turns out to be real, everything changes.

The setup is knowingly a little bonkers, and that is the point.

In Seeking Shapeshifters, father and daughter land in Point Hope, Alaska, where a new lead pulls them north. The cold, remote setting gives the story a stronger mystery feel right away. Ima is not thrilled about another move, at least not at first, but the place starts to matter once she meets Carsen, a local basketball star, and realizes this investigation may be very different from the others. The case stops feeling like one more dead end and starts feeling personal.

A lot of the appeal here comes from the push and pull between teen life and creature hunting. Ima wants what plenty of young adult heroines want: steadier friendships, a chance at romance, and some control over her own life. What makes her different is that she is trying to get those things while her dad is out searching for shapeshifters. Purdy uses that clash well. The series has room for humor, awkwardness, and crushes, but it also keeps one eye on danger and on the question of what happens when the weird stories stop being stories.

So if you are deciding whether this series is for you, expect paranormal adventure with a strong YA voice, a fast setup, and a heroine who has grown up around the unbelievable. It is lighter on epic world-building than Purdy's fantasy series, and more interested in mystery, movement, and teen reactions to the uncanny. Think strange cases, cold weather, family chaos, and the possibility that this time the monster hunt might finally pay off.