Begin Clary's story
Start with City of Bones and continue straight through all six books; this is not a series to read out of order.
Book Series · 6 Books
The Mortal Instruments Books
In order from City of Bones to City of Heavenly Fire.
Cassandra Clare's six-book urban-fantasy series follows Clary Fray into a hidden New York of Shadowhunters, demons, vampires, werewolves, family secrets, war, and complicated romance.
Reviewed by the Bookroo Editors Updated
Reading order
How to Read The Mortal Instruments
Read the six novels in numbered order from City of Bones through City of Heavenly Fire. The plot is continuous, and identities, alliances, romances, and the larger war depend heavily on earlier revelations.
The Shadowhunter world has several other series, but this page keeps the Mortal Instruments arc intact rather than mixing every novel into one franchise-wide sequence. Readers can explore connected series after finishing these six.
Sources: Simon & Schuster's official Mortal Instruments list.
For parents
What Parents Should Know
This young-adult series includes demon attacks, blood, torture, murder, war, possession, child endangerment, significant deaths, and grief. Romance becomes increasingly prominent, with kissing, sexual references, and implied or on-page sex that is not highly explicit.
A major early plot uses a false belief that two romantic leads are siblings; later revelations resolve it, but the incest concern lasts across multiple books and may be uncomfortable. The series also includes abusive parenting, prejudice between supernatural groups, and queer relationships handled as part of the ensemble story.
Where to start
Where Should My Teen Start?
Where the story begins
First Book in the Series
Sale price
$2560
Book #1 · Chapter Book · Ages 12–18 · 2007
City of Bones
A teen witnesses a murder by tattooed strangers and enters a hidden world of demon hunters.
544 pages· 131,222 words· Est. 12 hour read
$26.95Save 5%
Prebound-Glued
Summary: Fifteen-year-old Clary Fray's night at the Pandemonium Club takes a dark turn when she sees a murder by tattooed teens with strange weapons. The body vanishes, thrusting her into the secretive world of Shadowhunters, warriors who battle demons. As Clary's mother disappears and she narrowly escapes a monstrous attack, she must uncover her own mysterious connection to this hidden realm. Can she survive and unravel the secrets of her past?
In reading order
The Mortal Instruments Series
6 books · Published 2007–2014
#1
Sale price
$2560
City of Bones
Chapter Book · Ages 12–18 · 2007
A teen witnesses a murder by tattooed strangers and enters a hidden world of demon hunters.
#2
Sale price
$2695
City of Ashes
Chapter Book · Ages 12–18 · 2008
Can Clary stop a deadly plot when betrayal lurks within her own family?
#3
Sale price
$2790
City of Glass
Chapter Book · Ages 12–18 · 2009
Forbidden entry, deadly secrets, and a fight for survival in the City of Glass.
#4
Sale price
$2695
City of Fallen Angels
Chapter Book · Ages 12–18 · 2011
Shadowhunters are being murdered, threatening peace. Clary must solve the mystery before losing everything she loves.
#5
Sale price
$2790
City of Lost Souls
Chapter Book · Ages 12–18 · 2012
Bound by dark magic, Clary risks everything to save Jace's soul.
#6
Sale price
$2695
City of Heavenly Fire
Chapter Book · Ages 12–18 · 2014
Shadowhunters face their greatest evil as darkness threatens to consume their world.
Good to know
Common Questions
How many books are in the Mortal Instruments series?
There are 6 books in the Mortal Instruments series. It began with City of Bones in 2007, and the newest book, City of Heavenly Fire, was published in 2014.
What order should you read the Mortal Instruments books in?
Start with City of Bones and follow the series order — the books above are numbered #1 through #6.
What ages are the Mortal Instruments books best for?
The series is best for ages 12–18, based on the age ranges of the individual books.
The people
The Creative Behind the Books
The people who bring The Mortal Instruments to life.
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