Better in Black
short-story-collection · First published 2025
Author guide
Cassandra Clare Books in Order
Cassandra Clare is the pen name of Judith Lewis, an American author of fantasy and young adult fiction. She is the author of the Shadowhunter Chronicles, co-author with Holly Black of the Magisterium series, co-author with Wesley Chu of The Eldest Curses, and author of The Chronicles of Castellane.
fantasyyoung adult fictionparanormal fiction
Catalog record updated .
Cassandra Clare's Newest Book
Not sure where to begin?
Start with one of these
City of Bones
The original entry point and first published novel of the Shadowhunter Chronicles.
Clockwork Angel
A self-contained prequel trilogy entry point for readers who prefer historical fantasy.
The Iron Trial
The first book of the complete middle-grade Magisterium series.
Sword Catcher
The first book in Clare's adult high-fantasy Chronicles of Castellane.
Read in order
Books by series
universe · ongoing
The Shadowhunter Chronicles
The overarching fictional universe encompassing Cassandra Clare's principal Shadowhunter series.
- 1 City of Bones
Book 1 · novel · 2007
When Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder. Much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with odd markings. This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters,…
- 2 City of Ashes
Book 2 · novel · 2008
Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and…
- 3 City of Glass
Book 3 · novel · 2009
To save her mother’s life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters—never mind that entering the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things…
- 7 City of Fallen Angels
Book 4 · novel · 2011
The Mortal War is over, and sixteen-year-old Clary Fray is back home in New York, excited about all the possibilities before her. She’s training to become a Shadowhunter and to use her unique power. Her mother is getting married to the…
- 8 City of Lost Souls
Book 5 · novel · 2012
What price is too high to pay, even for love? When Jace and Clary meet again, Clary is horrified to discover that the demon Lilith’s magic has bound her beloved Jace together with her evil brother Sebastian, and that Jace has become a…
- 9 City of Heavenly Fire
Book 6 · novel · 2014
Sebastian Morgenstern is on the move, systematically turning Shadowhunter against Shadowhunter. Bearing the Infernal Cup, he transforms Shadowhunters into creatures out of nightmare, tearing apart families and lovers as the ranks of his…
- 4 Clockwork Angel
Book 1 · novel · 2010
When Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks, and other…
- 5 Clockwork Prince
Book 2 · novel · 2011
In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the…
- 6 Clockwork Princess
Book 3 · novel · 2013
A net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute. Mortmain plans to use his Infernal Devices, an army of pitiless automatons, to destroy the Shadowhunters. He needs only one last item to complete his…
- 10 Lady Midnight
Book 1 · novel · 2016
It’s been five years since the events of City of Heavenly Fire that brought the Shadowhunters to the brink of oblivion. Emma Carstairs is no longer a child in mourning, but a young woman bent on discovering what killed her parents and…
- 11 Lord of Shadows
Book 2 · novel · 2017
Would you trade your soul mate for your soul? A Shadowhunter's life is bound by duty. Constrained by honor. the word of a Shadowhunter is a solemn pledge, and no vow is more sacred than the vow that binds *parabatai*, warrior…
- 12 Queen of Air and Darkness
Book 3 · novel · 2018
What if damnation is the price of true love? Innocent blood has been spilled on the steps of the Council Hall, the sacred stronghold of the Shadowhunters. In the wake of the tragic death of Livia Blackthorn, the Clave teeters on the brink…
- 13 Chain of Gold
Book 1 · novel · 2020
Cordelia Carstairs is a Shadowhunter, a warrior with the blood of the angel Raziel. When her father is accused of a crime, she, her mother, and her brother travel to London, where she hopes to prove his innocence. She soon encounters…
- 14 Chain of Iron
Book 2 · novel · 2021
A #1 New York Times Bestseller! The Shadowhunters must catch a killer in Edwardian London in this dangerous and romantic sequel to the #1 New York Times bestselling novel Chain of Gold, from New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author…
- 15 Chain of Thorns
Book 3 · novel · 2023
Cordelia Carstairs has lost everything that matters to her. In only a few short weeks, she has seen her father murdered, her plans to become parabatai with her best friend, Lucie, destroyed, and her marriage to James Herondale crumble…
series · complete
The Mortal Instruments
A six-volume young adult fantasy series following Clary Fray and the Shadowhunters of contemporary New York.
- 1 City of Bones
Book 1 · novel · 2007
When Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder. Much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with odd markings. This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters,…
- 2 City of Ashes
Book 2 · novel · 2008
Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and…
- 3 City of Glass
Book 3 · novel · 2009
To save her mother’s life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters—never mind that entering the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things…
- 4 City of Fallen Angels
Book 4 · novel · 2011
The Mortal War is over, and sixteen-year-old Clary Fray is back home in New York, excited about all the possibilities before her. She’s training to become a Shadowhunter and to use her unique power. Her mother is getting married to the…
- 5 City of Lost Souls
Book 5 · novel · 2012
What price is too high to pay, even for love? When Jace and Clary meet again, Clary is horrified to discover that the demon Lilith’s magic has bound her beloved Jace together with her evil brother Sebastian, and that Jace has become a…
- 6 City of Heavenly Fire
Book 6 · novel · 2014
Sebastian Morgenstern is on the move, systematically turning Shadowhunter against Shadowhunter. Bearing the Infernal Cup, he transforms Shadowhunters into creatures out of nightmare, tearing apart families and lovers as the ranks of his…
- 1 Clockwork Angel
Book 1 · novel · 2010
When Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks, and other…
- 2 Clockwork Prince
Book 2 · novel · 2011
In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the…
- 3 Clockwork Princess
Book 3 · novel · 2013
A net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute. Mortmain plans to use his Infernal Devices, an army of pitiless automatons, to destroy the Shadowhunters. He needs only one last item to complete his…
series · complete
The Dark Artifices
A trilogy set in Los Angeles five years after The Mortal Instruments.
- 1 Lady Midnight
Book 1 · novel · 2016
It’s been five years since the events of City of Heavenly Fire that brought the Shadowhunters to the brink of oblivion. Emma Carstairs is no longer a child in mourning, but a young woman bent on discovering what killed her parents and…
- 2 Lord of Shadows
Book 2 · novel · 2017
Would you trade your soul mate for your soul? A Shadowhunter's life is bound by duty. Constrained by honor. the word of a Shadowhunter is a solemn pledge, and no vow is more sacred than the vow that binds *parabatai*, warrior…
- 3 Queen of Air and Darkness
Book 3 · novel · 2018
What if damnation is the price of true love? Innocent blood has been spilled on the steps of the Council Hall, the sacred stronghold of the Shadowhunters. In the wake of the tragic death of Livia Blackthorn, the Clave teeters on the brink…
series · complete
The Last Hours
An Edwardian London trilogy following the children of characters from The Infernal Devices.
- 1 Chain of Gold
Book 1 · novel · 2020
Cordelia Carstairs is a Shadowhunter, a warrior with the blood of the angel Raziel. When her father is accused of a crime, she, her mother, and her brother travel to London, where she hopes to prove his innocence. She soon encounters…
- 2 Chain of Iron
Book 2 · novel · 2021
A #1 New York Times Bestseller! The Shadowhunters must catch a killer in Edwardian London in this dangerous and romantic sequel to the #1 New York Times bestselling novel Chain of Gold, from New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author…
- 3 Chain of Thorns
Book 3 · novel · 2023
Cordelia Carstairs has lost everything that matters to her. In only a few short weeks, she has seen her father murdered, her plans to become parabatai with her best friend, Lucie, destroyed, and her marriage to James Herondale crumble…
series · ongoing
The Eldest Curses
A Shadowhunter series co-written with Wesley Chu about Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood.
- 1 The Red Scrolls of Magic
Book 1 · novel · 2019
A #1 New York Times bestseller! “A rip-roaring adventure merged with satisfying romance.” —Entertainment Weekly “[A] swashbuckling launch to the Eldest Curses series.” —Publishers Weekly From #1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestseller…
- 2 The Lost Book of the White
Book 2 · novel · 2020
#1 New York Times–Bestselling Series: A warlock and a demon-hunter must journey into the heart of evil—but first they need to find a babysitter . . . Life is good for Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood. They’re living together in a fabulous…
series · forthcoming
The Wicked Powers
The concluding Shadowhunter trilogy, announced for future publication.
series · complete
The Bane Chronicles
A collection of stories about the immortal warlock Magnus Bane, co-written with Sarah Rees Brennan and Maureen Johnson.
- 1 The Bane Chronicles
Book 1 · short-story-collection · 2014
This collection of eleven short stories illuminates the life of the enigmatic Magnus Bane, whose alluring personality, flamboyant style, and sharp wit populate the pages of the #1 New York Times bestselling series. Originally released…
series · complete
Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy
A collection of stories about Simon Lewis and Shadowhunter Academy, co-written with Sarah Rees Brennan, Maureen Johnson, and Robin Wasserman.
- 1 Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy
Book 1 · short-story-collection · 2015
Collects short stories chronicling Simon's journey from amnesia to Ascension, as he works to regain his lost life while attending the Shadowhunter Academy.
series · complete
Ghosts of the Shadow Market
A sequence of Shadowhunter novellas and a collected anthology centered on the Shadow Market.
- 1 Son of the Dawn
Book 1 · novella · 2018
- 2 Cast Long Shadows
Book 2 · novella · 2018
- 3 Every Exquisite Thing
Book 3 · novella · 2018
- 4 Learn About Loss
Book 4 · novella · 2018
- 5 A Deeper Love
Book 5 · novella · 2018
- 6 The Wicked Ones
Book 6 · novella · 2018
- 7 The Land I Lost
Book 7 · novella · 2018
- 8 Through Blood, Through Fire
Book 8 · novella · 2018
- 9 Ghosts of the Shadow Market: An Anthology of Tales
Book collection · short-story-collection · 2019 Optional
graphic-series · complete
The Infernal Devices: Manga Series
Graphic adaptations of The Infernal Devices novels, illustrated by HyeKyung Baek.
- 1 The Infernal Devices: Clockwork Angel, Volume 1
Book 1 · graphic-novel · 2012
- 2 The Infernal Devices: Clockwork Prince, Volume 2
Book 2 · graphic-novel · 2013
- 3 The Infernal Devices: Clockwork Princess, Volume 3
Book 3 · graphic-novel · 2014
graphic-series · ongoing
The Mortal Instruments: The Graphic Novel
Graphic adaptations of The Mortal Instruments novels, illustrated by Cassandra Jean.
- 1 The Mortal Instruments: The Graphic Novel, Vol. 1
Book 1 · graphic-novel · 2017
- 2 The Mortal Instruments: The Graphic Novel, Vol. 2
Book 2 · graphic-novel · 2018
The second installment of the graphic novel adaptation of Cassandra Clare's bestselling The Mortal Instruments! In the world of shadows, battling vampires and fending off wolves at knifepoint no longer frightens Clary. If it means finding…
- 3 The Mortal Instruments: The Graphic Novel, Vol. 3
Book 3 · graphic-novel · 2019
The third installment of the graphic novel adaptation of Cassandra Clare's bestselling The Mortal Instruments! With the truth about her family brought to light, Clary just wants to find a way to return to as normal a life as possible. But…
- 4 The Mortal Instruments: The Graphic Novel, Vol. 4
Book 4 · graphic-novel · 2020
The fourth installment of the graphic novel adaptation of Cassandra Clare's bestselling The Mortal Instruments! Maia and Simon are kidnapped, and Jace knows exactly who took them. It's time to face the terror known as Valentine to stop…
- 5 The Mortal Instruments: The Graphic Novel, Vol. 5
Book 5 · graphic-novel · 2022
The fifth installment of the graphic novel adaptation of Cassandra Clare’s bestselling The Mortal Instruments! On a mission to save her mom, Clary prepares to leave for Idris, the homeland of the Shadowhunters. Sure, Jace is adamantly…
- 6 The Mortal Instruments: The Graphic Novel, Vol. 6
Book 6 · graphic-novel · 2022
The Sixth installment of the graphic novel adaptation of Cass andra Clare’s bestselling The Mortal Instruments! With the Mortal Instruments in his possession, Valentine means to unleash havoc on Shadowhunter and Downworlder alike. Despite…
- 7 The Mortal Instruments: The Graphic Novel, Vol. 7
Book 7 · graphic-novel · 2023
The graphic novel adaptation of Cassandra Clare's bestselling The Mortal Instruments returns with the seventh installment! The Mortal War may be over, but peace doesn't last long as tensions begin to rise between Downworlders and…
- 8 The Mortal Instruments: The Graphic Novel, Vol. 8
Book 8 · graphic-novel · 2024
The graphic novel adaptation of Cassandra Clare's bestselling The Mortal Instruments returns with the eighth installment! Simon received an anonymous note threatening the life of his girlfriend--is it truly a simple prank or could there…
- 9 The Mortal Instruments: The Graphic Novel, Vol. 9
Book 9 · graphic-novel · 2025
Jace has been missing, and Simon is unable to enter his home due to his vampiric turn. When Clary discovers Jace in an unexpected place, she's shocked to discover that magic is controlling him...
series · complete
The Magisterium
A five-book middle-grade fantasy series co-written with Holly Black.
- 1 The Iron Trial
Book 1 · novel · 2014
Most kids would do anything to pass the Iron Trial. Not Callum Hunt. He wants to fail. All his life, Call has been warned by his father to stay away from magic. If he succeeds at the Iron Trial and is admitted into the Magisterium, he is…
- 2 The Copper Gauntlet
Book 2 · novel · 2015
Nesta fantasia urbana, um universo de magia coexiste com nosso mundo. Um universo repleto de intrigas, no qual crianças aprimoram seus poderes em uma escola de magia chamada Magisterium, com Mestres que temem a volta do mago mais poderoso…
- 3 The Bronze Key
Book 3 · novel · 2016
"Magic can save you Magic can kill you It should be a time of celebration. The Enemy of Death is dead; a severed head proof of his downfall. The magical world has no reason to believe otherwise, and Callum, Tamara and Aaron are celebrated…
- 4 The Silver Mask
Book 4 · novel · 2017
A generation ago, Constantine Madden came close to achieving what no magician had ever achieved: the ability to bring back the dead. He didn't succeed . . . but he did find a way to keep himself alive, inside a young child named Callum…
- 5 The Golden Tower
Book 5 · novel · 2018
**ALL GOOD MAGICIANS COME TO AN END.** Callum Hunt has been a hero and an outcast, a force of good and a portent of evil. While the doors of the Magisterium have been open to him, he has never felt entirely welcome. If anything, he has…
series · ongoing
The Chronicles of Castellane
An adult high-fantasy series set in the kingdom of Castellane.
- 1 Sword Catcher
Book 1 · novel · 2023
Or, perhaps more accurately, the theft of a boy’s life and future. Young orphan Kellian could never have expected a grand life in the vibrant port city of Castellane if fate had not intervened, but fate did. At the tender age of 10, he is…
- 2 The Ragpicker King
Book 2 · novel · 2025
In the epic follow-up to the New York Times bestseller Sword Catcher, praised by George R. R. Martin as “everything I look for in fantasy,” Lin and Kel must chart a perilous course between love and lies. Kel Saren, body double to Conor,…
Outside the series
Bibliography by category
Nonfiction (2)
- The Shadowhunter's Codex
reference-book · 2013
The Clave is pleased to announce the newest edition of the Nephilim’s oldest and most famous training manual: the Shadowhunter’s Codex. Since the thirteenth century, the Codex has been the young Shadowhunter’s best friend. When you’re…
Short fiction (1)
- Better in Black
short-story-collection · 2025
Essays and speeches (1)
- Shadowhunters and Downworlders: A Mortal Instruments Reader
essay-collection · 2013
Contains: Introduction by Cassandra Clare Unhomely Places by Kate Milford The Art of War by Sarah Cross Sharper Than a Seraph Blade by Diana Peterfreund When Laws Are Made to Be Broken by Robin Wasserman Simon Lewis: Jewish, Vampire, Hero…
Frequently asked questions about Cassandra Clare
Who is Cassandra Clare, and what is her real name?
Cassandra Clare is the pen name of American author Judith Rumelt. Her pen name was inspired by a high-school story called “The Beautiful Cassandra,” based on a Jane Austen short story.
Sources: sf-encyclopedia.com (opens in a new tab)cassandraclare.com (opens in a new tab)
Where was Cassandra Clare born, and where did she spend her childhood?
She was born to American parents in Tehran, Iran, and spent much of her childhood traveling with her family. Before age ten, she lived in France, England, and Switzerland, then spent her high-school years in Los Angeles.
What did Cassandra Clare do before becoming a full-time novelist?
After college, she worked as a journalist for entertainment magazines and tabloids in Los Angeles and New York, and also worked part-time in a children’s bookstore. Re-reading childhood books rekindled her desire to write; she began City of Bones in 2004 and turned to fantasy fiction full time in 2006.
What inspired Cassandra Clare’s Shadowhunter stories?
She has said the idea began in Manhattan’s East Village after she saw footprints painted on a tattoo-shop ceiling and imagined a supernatural battle. She then sought to blend traditional high fantasy with a modern urban setting, treating the city as a magical wilderness.
What awards or honors has Cassandra Clare received?
Her books have earned teen-voted recognition through the American Library Association’s Teens’ Top Ten: City of Glass was a 2010 selection, and Lady Midnight was a 2018 selection.
Sources: ala.org (opens in a new tab)ala.org (opens in a new tab)