Shadowhunters Books in Order: What to Read Before The Wicked Powers

For new readers, the clearest Shadowhunters reading order is The Mortal Instruments, The Infernal Devices, The Dark Artifices, and The Last Hours, followed by The Wicked Powers. That is the series-by-series route Cassandra Clare gives in her official reading-order FAQ.

If you are already familiar with the world and preparing for the new trilogy, The Dark Artifices deserves the most attention, followed by Ghosts of the Shadow Market and Secrets of Blackthorn Hall. That priority list is our editorial recommendation, based on the characters and connections involved, not a statement that Clare requires every companion book.

The Wicked Powers begins with The Last King of Faerie, scheduled for November 3, 2026, according to Clare’s official book page.

With multiple generations of Shadowhunters, overlapping timelines, and collections that fill in important gaps, choosing your next book can feel more complicated than it should. Here is a spoiler-light route through the main novels, plus where the additional books fit.

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Shadowhunters Reading Order at a Glance

This is a practical reading route with companion books inserted. It is not strict publication order or chronological order. The Bane Chronicles and The Eldest Curses can also be added after The Mortal Instruments.

Sources: Clare’s reading-order FAQ, official series overview, and Daphne Press’s Secrets of Blackthorn Hall description.

1. The Mortal Instruments Books in Order

Start with the six-book series that introduces Clary Fray and the hidden supernatural world of New York.

1. City of Bones — Start Clary’s story on Amazon.
2. City of Ashes — Continue with City of Ashes on Amazon.
3. City of Glass — Find City of Glass on Amazon.
4. City of Fallen Angels — Continue the series on Amazon.
5. City of Lost Souls — Find City of Lost Souls on Amazon.
6. City of Heavenly Fire — Finish The Mortal Instruments on Amazon.

For readers who want one straightforward starting point, City of Bones is the easiest recommendation. You discover the world alongside Clary instead of trying to absorb generations of history first.

Should You Alternate The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices?

You can. The official Shadowhunters FAQ recommends publication order for their intertwined later installments:

City of Bones → City of Ashes → City of Glass → Clockwork Angel → City of Fallen Angels → Clockwork Prince → City of Lost Souls → Clockwork Princess → City of Heavenly Fire.

This is worth considering if preserving the original sequence of revelations matters to you. Finishing one series at a time remains an accessible alternative: the official FAQ also explains that the two stories can be understood separately.

2. The Infernal Devices Books in Order

Set in Victorian London, this prequel trilogy follows Tessa Gray into another generation of the Shadowhunter world.

1. Clockwork Angel — Begin The Infernal Devices on Amazon.
2. Clockwork Prince — Continue Tessa’s story on Amazon.
3. Clockwork Princess — Complete the trilogy on Amazon.

The Infernal Devices also works as an entry point for readers drawn to historical fantasy. For this guide’s goal, preparing for The Wicked Powers, we recommend including it before moving deep into the companion collections.

3. Read Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy Before The Dark Artifices

Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy follows Simon Lewis and belongs after The Mortal Instruments. We recommend placing it before Lady Midnight to make the transition into the next modern-day series smoother.

It is a story collection rather than another main trilogy, but readers following the continuing modern storyline should give it a place on their list.

Want the bridge between series? Find Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy on Amazon.

4. The Dark Artifices Books in Order

For readers specifically asking what to read before The Wicked Powers, this trilogy is the priority.

1. Lady Midnight — Begin The Dark Artifices on Amazon.
2. Lord of Shadows — Continue with Lord of Shadows on Amazon.
3. Queen of Air and Darkness — Finish the trilogy on Amazon.

The Wicked Powers centers on Kit Herondale, Ty Blackthorn, and Drusilla Blackthorn, characters from The Dark Artifices. Reading their earlier appearances gives the new trilogy’s relationships a foundation.

Our recommendation is to resist treating Lady Midnight as a shortcut that makes all previous books irrelevant. It is the most direct preparation for the new leads, but the concluding trilogy also brings back characters from elsewhere in the saga.

5. Where Does Ghosts of the Shadow Market Fit?

Read Ghosts of the Shadow Market after The Infernal Devices and The Dark Artifices for this route.

The collection follows Jem Carstairs across different periods and explores connections involving a lost heir and a ghost. Its position on a timeline does not make it a safe early read: stories spanning generations can reveal information from novels set elsewhere.

For Wicked Powers preparation, we would place this above purely supplementary reference books. Read the complete collection rather than assuming a few early stories cover everything.

Add the collection to your reading list: Find Ghosts of the Shadow Market on Amazon.

6. The Last Hours Books in Order

The Last Hours returns to historical London and follows the generation after The Infernal Devices.

1. Chain of Gold — Begin The Last Hours on Amazon.
2. Chain of Iron — Continue with Chain of Iron on Amazon.
3. Chain of Thorns — Complete The Last Hours on Amazon.

Read The Infernal Devices first. The Last Hours is its sequel trilogy, even though both take place before The Mortal Instruments.

If your immediate concern is catching up with Kit, Ty, and Dru, The Dark Artifices has the closer connection. For the broader route through the saga, however, Clare places The Last Hours before The Wicked Powers in her series-by-series recommendation.

7. Read Secrets of Blackthorn Hall Before The Wicked Powers

Secrets of Blackthorn Hall is especially relevant for readers who have finished the main series.

Told through letters, diary entries, and messages, it follows Emma Carstairs and Julian Blackthorn as they restore a crumbling London mansion and investigate its secrets. Publisher Daphne Press explicitly describes it as a bridge between The Dark Artifices and The Wicked Powers.

We recommend reading it after the earlier main series so that its returning characters and historical connections have more meaning.

Looking for the bridge to the new trilogy? Find Secrets of Blackthorn Hall on Amazon.

What About The Other Shadowhunters Books?

These additions can enrich a complete read, but we would not give them all equal priority when preparing for The Wicked Powers.

The Eldest Curses books take place within the modern timeline, but placing them after The Mortal Instruments avoids interrupting the main sequence. Better in Black is best saved for later because its appeal depends on already knowing the couples.

The Wicked Powers Books in Order

The announced trilogy order is:

1. The Last King of Faerie — November 3, 2026.
2. The Last Prince of Hell — currently listed for 2027.
3. The Last Shadowhunter — no release date is listed on the official trilogy overview.

The first novel follows Dru into danger in Faerie while Kit and Ty reunite for a quest connected to a disappearance. These are details from the official synopsis, not speculation about the ending.

Ready for the new trilogy? Find The Last King of Faerie on Amazon.

Can You Read Shadowhunters in Chronological Order?

Yes. For the main series, the fictional timeline runs:

The Infernal Devices → The Last Hours → The Mortal Instruments → The Dark Artifices → The Wicked Powers.

That order can be appealing for a reread. For a first visit, our preference is to begin with City of Bones and use either the series-by-series route or the early publication sequence above.

Chronological order puts the earliest events first; it does not necessarily preserve when readers were originally meant to learn a secret. The story collections also span different periods, so they do not all fit neatly into one slot.

What Should You Read Before The Wicked Powers If You Are Short on Time?

If you have already read The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices, prioritize:

1. Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy before starting The Dark Artifices.
2. The Dark Artifices, especially if you need to catch up with Kit, Ty, and Dru.
3. Ghosts of the Shadow Market for additional connections.
4. Secrets of Blackthorn Hall for the bridge to the new trilogy.

Finish The Last Hours for the broader main-series route. Add Better in Black, The Bane Chronicles, and The Eldest Curses according to your interest in their characters.

This is an editorial priority list, not an official minimum-reading requirement. If you are completely new, start with City of Bones and let the series unfold at your own pace. A release date is a reason to discover the books, not a deadline for enjoying them.

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