The Infernal Devices Books in Order
The Infernal Devices is Cassandra Clare's Victorian prequel trilogy - London, 1878, demon-hunters with top hats and clockwork - and for a large share of her readership, the favorite of all her series. Tessa Gray steps off a transatlantic steamer into a world of Nephilim and clockwork army; the triangle at the center - Tessa, Will Herondale, Jem Carstairs - is the most famous romance Clare has written, and its resolution in Clockwork Princess (2013) is the one the fandom still argues about. Three books, complete, and the direct ancestor of The Last Hours (2020-2023), which follows these characters' children. This page sequences the trilogy and its place in the wider universe (2010–2013).
Where to start
Clockwork Angel (August 31, 2010), book one - the London institute, the fog, the clockwork. The trilogy is one story; no other door.
The complete list
Tick the boxes off as you read, or for the bookshelf.
| Year | Title | Series / type | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Clockwork Angel | #1 · Aug 31 2010 — start here | |
| 2011 | Clockwork Prince | #2 · Dec 6 2011 | |
| 2013 | Clockwork Princess | #3 · Mar 19 2013 — the trilogy closes |
Does the reading order matter?
Strict: Clockwork Angel (2010), Clockwork Prince (December 6, 2011), Clockwork Princess (March 19, 2013) - complete, with each ending engineered to make stopping impossible. In the universe: publication order reads Mortal Instruments (2007-14) first, Infernal Devices second - but this trilogy works as a first entry too, and many readers prefer it, since it predates everything in-world; the cost is one Mortal Instruments reveal arriving early, the gain is that The Last Hours hits with full force. Either route, read Infernal Devices before The Last Hours. The television series Shadowhunters (2016-2019) belongs to the Mortal Instruments era; no Infernal Devices adaptation exists
Which one is the best?
Clockwork Angel (2010), the fog-and-clockwork opener; Clockwork Princess (2013), the resolution of the triangle; Jem, the character the fandom rallies around.
Related guides
Readers finishing this shelf usually want the map next door: The Mortal Instruments books in order, The Last Hours books in order, Cassandra Clare books in order. Every guide follows the same format — the shelf, the entry point, the honest answer about order.
Make it a project
Pick a session size and let the days accumulate — at the pace our reading speed test measures, most shelves above clear in a few weeks of half-hours. Every guide on the books in order shelf follows this same format, and when a book lands, its 8-question quiz is waiting on the original book quiz.
Frequently asked questions
What order should you read The Infernal Devices books in?
Clockwork Angel → Prince (2011) → Princess (2013), strict; before The Last Hours, always.
Where should I start with The Infernal Devices?
Clockwork Angel (2010), #1 of 3, straight through.
How many The Infernal Devices books are there?
Three novels, complete (2010-2013) - the trilogy that anchored the Shadowhunter universe's past and set up The Last Hours (2020-2023), with a #1 New York Times bestselling finale. As of October 2026 this list is current.
What was The Infernal Devices's first book?
Clockwork Angel (2010) — the first row of the list above.