What do you want?

The Mortal Instruments books in order

by Cassandra Clare · 6 books listed so far · Young adult

Last checked: September 24, 2026, against simonandschuster.com

  1. 1 City of Bones book cover by Cassandra Clare

    City of Bones

    2007 · Book

    Start hereFirst book in the main order, first published in 2007.
  2. 2 City of Ashes book cover by Cassandra Clare

    City of Ashes

    Year: still checking · Book

  3. 3 City of Glass book cover by Cassandra Clare
  4. 4 City of Fallen Angels book cover by Cassandra Clare
  5. 5 City of Lost Souls book cover by Cassandra Clare

    City of Lost Souls

    2012 · Book

    You searched for this book
  6. 6 City of Heavenly Fire book cover by Cassandra Clare

About this series: sourced facts

Each fact is shown with its source and the date it was checked.

The series at a glance

Wikidata lists the publisher as Simon & Schuster.

Source: wikidata.org, checked 2026-11-06

Wikidata lists a publication date of 2007 for the series.

Source: wikidata.org, checked 2026-11-06

What the story is

Wikidata lists the genre as fantasy.

Source: wikidata.org, checked 2026-11-06

The Library of Congress files City of Bones under the subject headings Demonology, Supernatural and Horror stories.

Source: lccn.loc.gov, checked 2026-11-06

About the author

Wikidata lists Cassandra Clare as born in 1973 in United States.

Source: wikidata.org, checked 2026-11-06

Wikidata lists the occupations of Cassandra Clare as screenwriter, journalist and film producer.

Source: wikidata.org, checked 2026-11-06

Wikidata lists Cassandra Clare as educated at Barnard College.

Source: wikidata.org, checked 2026-11-06

Beyond the books

Wikidata lists Shadowhunters (television series).

Source: wikidata.org, checked 2026-11-06

Report a mistake

Common questions

What order should I read a series in?

Start with publication order, the order the books first came out. When a series also has a story order that differs, the series page shows both and says why, so you can choose.

Which book should I start with?

Look for the Start here marker. It sits on the first book of the main list, unless the author's own page recommends a different first book, and the reason is printed beside it. It is not a ranking or a review.

What if an order looks wrong?

Tap Report a problem under the list and say which book looks out of place. No account or email is needed. Each report is checked against the sources, and the page is corrected if the report is right.

Does this site earn money from the links?

It can. If you buy through a store link, this site may earn a small amount. That never changes the list: which books are listed, their order, and the fixed order of the store buttons stay the same.

Where do these facts come from?

One page shows the sources and how the facts are checked.

All 11 questions