The Mortal Instruments Books in Order
The Mortal Instruments begins the Shadowhunter Chronicles. Clary Fray, a teenager in New York, discovers she belongs to the Shadowhunters, half-angel warriors who protect the world from demons, and is drawn into their world of runes, warlocks, vampires and faeries.
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Series facts
- Books
- 6
- Published
- 2007 to 2014
- First book
- City of Bones
- Latest
- City of Heavenly Fire (2014)
- Setting
- Set in New York
The reading order
Every The Mortal Instruments book in publication order. Choose a title for its cast and summary.
- 1City of Bones2007With Clary Fray and Jace HerondaleFifteen-year-old Clary Fray goes to a New York nightclub and sees three teenagers kill a boy, though no one else can see them.Buy on Amazon
- 2City of Ashes2008With Clary Fray and Jace HerondaleClary tries to return to normal life, but Valentine, now armed with the Mortal Cup, has his sights on another of the Mortal Instruments, and Jace’s loyalties are in doubt.Buy on Amazon
- 3City of Glass2009With Clary Fray and Jace HerondaleClary travels to Idris, the Shadowhunter homeland, to find a cure for her mother, just as Valentine prepares for war.Buy on Amazon
- 4City of Fallen Angels2011With Clary Fray and Jace HerondaleSimon, now a vampire who can walk in daylight, finds himself sought by dangerous forces, while Jace is troubled by terrible dreams.Buy on Amazon
- 5City of Lost Souls2012With Clary Fray and Jace HerondaleJace has vanished, bound to Clary’s dangerous brother, and Clary goes to great lengths to get him back.Buy on Amazon
- 6City of Heavenly Fire2014With Clary Fray and Jace HerondaleSebastian turns Shadowhunters against their own kind, and war comes to the Shadowhunter world.Buy on Amazon
Do you need to read them in order?
Read the six books in order, starting with City of Bones. The Infernal Devices prequels can be read before City of Fallen Angels, as many readers prefer.
Who appears in which book
The series’ main characters, book by book. Lead means the book is told around them; minor covers cameos.
| Book | Clary Fray | Jace Herondale | Simon Lewis | Alec Lightwood | Isabelle Lightwood | Magnus Bane |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 City of Bones | LLead | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor |
| 2 City of Ashes | LLead | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor |
| 3 City of Glass | LLead | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor |
| 4 City of Fallen Angels | LLead | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor |
| 5 City of Lost Souls | LLead | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor |
| 6 City of Heavenly Fire | LLead | LLead | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor | MMajor |
Characters in the The Mortal Instruments books
9 characters from Cassandra Clare’s chart, with the number of The Mortal Instruments books each appears in.
| Character | Books | First in this series |
|---|---|---|
| Clary FrayGirl who discovers she is a Shadowhunter | 6 | City of Bones 2007 |
| Jace HerondaleShadowhunter | 6 | City of Bones 2007 |
| Simon LewisClary's best friend | 6 | City of Bones 2007 |
| Alec LightwoodShadowhunter | 6 | City of Bones 2007 |
| Isabelle LightwoodShadowhunter | 6 | City of Bones 2007 |
| Magnus BaneHigh Warlock of Brooklyn | 6 | City of Bones 2007 |
| Tessa GrayShapeshifter in Victorian London | 1 | City of Heavenly Fire 2014 |
| Emma CarstairsShadowhunter seeking her parents' killers | 1 | City of Heavenly Fire 2014 |
| Julian BlackthornEmma's parabatai | 1 | City of Heavenly Fire 2014 |
Crossovers with Cassandra Clare’s other series
- The Dark Artifices: Clary Fray also appears in 3 of its books; Jace Herondale also appears in 3 of its books