There was a house fire, so they were checking the mail sometime after it happened. Their dog had been missing since the fire. They discovered the skull of the dog on display, and were distraught. Neighbor came out and shot Joss in the head. Police said they don't suspect a hate crime.
The second Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson gets close. It's a setting where magic meets wild west tech, including guns, cars, and electricity.
I've heard that his next trilogy in the setting will have more of an 1980s tech level.
A couple of Sanderson's short stories touch on space ships, computers, and magic.
EDIT: I didn't answer the question. Yes, I think it can work. I'm also a huge fan of Brian McClellan's Powder Mage books. This mixes musket level tech and industrialization with magic.
I used to have the cartridge for King's Knight way back. I could never get too far in it... It's a game I forget about and then randomly remember from time to time, and barely anyone, if anyone, else I know has even heard of it
Oh, the opinions are just now changing? What a fucking disgrace