What Order To Read Cassandra Clare Books?

I’ll be honest: when I first decided to dive into Cassandra Clare’s Shadowhunter world, I was a little overwhelmed. There are so many series, prequels, spin-offs, novellas, and companion books that it can feel like trying to map out a family tree with endless branches. And if you’re like me, you don’t want to miss any connections or accidentally spoil a big reveal.

That’s why figuring out the right order to read Cassandra Clare’s books is such a lifesaver, it makes the journey through the Shadowhunter Chronicles much more enjoyable.

Order to Read Cassandra Clare Books

Cassandra Clare’s books are set in the Shadowhunter Chronicles universe, and while you could technically start with different series, the most rewarding way (without spoilers and with the best flow) is publication order. Here’s the full order:

The Mortal Instruments (Main Starting Point)

1. City of Bones (2007)
2. City of Ashes (2008)
3. City of Glass (2009)
4. City of Fallen Angels (2011)
5. City of Lost Souls (2012)
6. City of Heavenly Fire (2014)

The Infernal Devices (Prequel Trilogy set in Victorian London)

7. Clockwork Angel (2010)
8. Clockwork Prince (2011)
9. Clockwork Princess (2013)

The Dark Artifices (Set 5 years after The Mortal Instruments)

10. Lady Midnight (2016)
11. Lord of Shadows (2017)
12. Queen of Air and Darkness (2018)

The Eldest Curses (Co-written with Wesley Chu, ties into the main arcs)

13. The Red Scrolls of Magic (2019)
14. The Lost Book of the White (2020)
15. The Black Volume of the Dead (forthcoming)

The Last Hours (Set after The Infernal Devices, in Edwardian London)

16. Chain of Gold (2020)
17. Chain of Iron (2021)
18. Chain of Thorns (2023)

The Wicked Powers (Upcoming trilogy, will conclude the Shadowhunter saga)

19. (Forthcoming titles, yet to be published)

Companion Collections (Optional but enriching)

• The Bane Chronicles (2014)
• Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy (2016)
• Ghosts of the Shadow Market (2019)

📌 Quick tip: If you’re new, the safest way is to follow publication order. But if you prefer chronological within the Shadowhunter world, you could start with The Infernal Devices, then The Last Hours, then The Mortal Instruments, The Dark Artifices, and finally the future series.

Who is Cassandra Clare?

Cassandra Clare (real name Judith Rumelt) is the mastermind behind one of the most popular modern fantasy universes. Before the Shadowhunters, she wrote fanfiction, and you can see that same love for big interconnected worlds in her own writing. Her books blend urban fantasy, romance, action, and found-family dynamics, basically, everything that makes a binge-worthy series.

She kicked things off with City of Bones back in 2007, and since then, her universe has exploded into multiple spin-offs and series. Fans love her books for the strong character relationships (Malec, anyone?), dramatic twists, and the way she mixes myth, folklore, and modern-day issues into the Shadowhunter world.

Why So Many Series? (And Why That’s a Good Thing)

At first, the sheer volume of Shadowhunter books might feel intimidating. But here’s the thing: every series adds depth and history to the world.

• The Mortal Instruments is the heart of it all, the entry point to Shadowhunters.
• The Infernal Devices is where Clare flexes her historical fiction muscles while keeping the magic alive.
• The Dark Artifices takes everything to a darker, more mature level.
• The Last Hours brings back familiar family names and lets us see how legacies were formed.
• The Eldest Curses fills in gaps and gives fan-favorite characters their own spotlight.

Instead of feeling repetitive, each new trilogy/collection makes the universe feel bigger, layered, and interconnected.

Final Verdict

If you’re just getting into Cassandra Clare’s books, my best advice is: don’t stress. Yes, there are a lot of series, but if you go in order, you’ll find that everything connects beautifully, and you’ll appreciate the Easter eggs that pop up in later books. Start with City of Bones, settle into the world, and let Clare guide you through Shadowhunters’ centuries of drama, romance, and battle scars.

By the time you’re done, you’ll probably feel like part of the Shadowhunter family yourself, and honestly, that’s half the fun.

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