Cassandra Clare Books in Order: Complete Shadowhunter Chronicles Reading Guide
Cassandra Clare's Shadowhunter Chronicles spans four interconnected series set in the same world of Shadowhunters, warlocks, vampires, and demons. The Mortal Instruments is the entry point — it establishes the world, the Clave, and the main cast. The Infernal Devices is a Victorian-era prequel best read after City of Glass. The Dark Artifices and The Last Hours follow new generations of Shadowhunters and require the earlier series for full context. This guide covers the recommended reading order and explains how the series connect.
Quick Stats
Author
Cassandra Clare
Total Books
15+ (across 4 series)
Status
The Last Hours complete
Genre
Urban Fantasy / YA
Best Start
City of Bones
Where to Start
Start with City of Bones. It introduces the Shadowhunter world — the Clave, the Institutes, the different Downworlder species, and the rules that govern the hidden society Clary stumbles into. Every series that follows builds on this foundation.
After finishing City of Glass, many readers pause and read The Infernal Devices trilogy before continuing with books 4–6 of The Mortal Instruments. The Infernal Devices is a prequel, so it is not required, but it enriches the later books significantly by showing how the Shadowhunter world developed and introducing ancestors of characters you already know.
The Mortal Instruments
6 books — the foundational series. Introduces the Shadowhunter world and the main cast. Start here.
- 1
City of Bones
Book 1 — Start here
Clary Fray discovers that the world she knows is a lie — and that she is a Shadowhunter, a warrior born to fight demons. City of Bones introduces the Shadowhunter world, the Clave, the Institute, and the central cast that anchors the entire Chronicles.
The essential starting point for the entire Shadowhunter Chronicles.
View on Amazon - 2
City of Ashes
Book 2
Clary and Jace face escalating danger as Valentine's plans become clear and the world of the Shadowhunters is drawn into open conflict. The stakes rise sharply from the first book.
- 3
City of Glass
Book 3
The original trilogy reaches its climax in Alicante, the Shadowhunter homeland. City of Glass delivers a satisfying conclusion to the first arc. After this is a good point to read The Infernal Devices before continuing with books 4–6.
A natural break point. Consider reading The Infernal Devices trilogy after this before continuing to book 4.
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City of Fallen Angels
Book 4
Set after the events of City of Glass, a new threat emerges while Clary and Jace navigate the aftermath of the war. The series expands its cast and raises new questions about what was resolved.
- 5
City of Lost Souls
Book 5
The consequences of City of Fallen Angels deepen as the stakes reach their highest point. Relationships fracture and loyalties are tested across every corner of the Shadowhunter world.
- 6
City of Heavenly Fire
Book 6 — Series conclusion
The conclusion of The Mortal Instruments. The largest and most ambitious book in the series brings the six-book arc to a close and sets the stage for The Dark Artifices.
The Infernal Devices
3 books — Victorian London prequel. Best read after City of Glass. Follows Tessa Gray and the London Institute, 100 years before The Mortal Instruments.
- 1
Clockwork Angel
Book 1
Tessa Gray arrives in Victorian London and discovers a hidden world of Shadowhunters, warlocks, and clockwork creatures. The Infernal Devices is beloved for its slower pace, richer prose, and one of fantasy's most debated love triangles.
Best read after City of Glass. Set 100 years before The Mortal Instruments.
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Clockwork Prince
Book 2
The mystery of Tessa's origins deepens while Will, Jem, and the London Institute face increasing pressure from the Magister. Widely considered the emotional peak of the trilogy.
- 3
Clockwork Princess
Book 3 — Trilogy conclusion
The conclusion of The Infernal Devices is one of the most emotionally devastating finales in the Shadowhunter Chronicles. Events here directly shape The Last Hours, set in the same era one generation later.
The Dark Artifices
3 books — set in Los Angeles, five years after City of Heavenly Fire. Follows Emma Carstairs and Julian Blackthorn. Read after completing The Mortal Instruments.
- 1
Lady Midnight
Book 1
Emma Carstairs and Julian Blackthorn investigate a series of murders in Los Angeles that echo the deaths of Emma's parents. The Dark Artifices introduces a new generation of Shadowhunters while building directly on the world established in The Mortal Instruments.
- 2
Lord of Shadows
Book 2
Emma and Julian's investigation expands as the political situation in the Shadowhunter world deteriorates. Secrets from the previous series resurface with major consequences.
- 3
Queen of Air and Darkness
Book 3 — Trilogy conclusion
The conclusion of The Dark Artifices. All threads from the trilogy converge as the war for the Shadowhunter world reaches its climax.
The Last Hours
3 books — set in 1903 London. Follows the children of the Infernal Devices characters. Requires both The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices to be read first.
- 1
Chain of Gold
Book 1
Set in 1903 London, The Last Hours follows the children of the Infernal Devices characters — James Herondale, Cordelia Carstairs, and their friends — as a new demonic threat emerges. Requires The Infernal Devices to be read first.
Read The Infernal Devices trilogy before starting The Last Hours.
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Chain of Iron
Book 2
The Last Hours' second installment deepens the mystery of the demonic conspiracy while the relationships between the young Shadowhunters grow more complex and more dangerous.
- 3
Chain of Thorns
Book 3 — Trilogy conclusion
The conclusion of The Last Hours brings the 1903 storyline to a close. As a direct sequel to The Infernal Devices, it delivers payoffs that depend on both TID and the earlier Mortal Instruments context.
Companion Novels
Standalone companion books set in the Shadowhunter world. Best read after City of Heavenly Fire.
- 1
The Lost Book of the White
Companion novel
A companion novel featuring Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood on a quest through Shanghai. Best read after City of Heavenly Fire as it features characters from across the Chronicles.
Do the Series Need to Be Read in Order?
Yes — the Shadowhunter Chronicles is deeply interconnected. Characters, relationships, and major plot events carry across every series. The Dark Artifices contains spoilers for the entirety of The Mortal Instruments. The Last Hours spoils both The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices. Skipping or reordering the series means encountering spoilers for events whose emotional weight you haven't yet earned.
The one exception is The Infernal Devices, which can technically be read before The Mortal Instruments since it is a prequel. Most readers find it works best after City of Glass — at that point you have enough world context to appreciate the Victorian-era setting and understand which elements are callbacks versus original.