The Last Hours Books in Order

The Last Hours is an Edwardian era companion to The Infernal Devices, set in 1903 when the children of Will and Tessa Herondale are old enough to cause trouble of their own. At its heart is Cordelia Carstairs, a determined young Shadowhunter who travels to London hoping to save her family’s reputation and live up to the legend of her sword Cortana.

Soon after arriving, Cordelia is swept into the orbit of her childhood friends James and Lucie Herondale and their circle of cousins and friends known as the Merry Thieves. On the surface their lives are full of ballroom dances, river excursions, and secret salons where Downworlders and Nephilim drink and gossip. Underneath, old demonic threats are waking, and the younger generation must decide how much they owe to the laws their parents fought to uphold.

Chain of Gold kicks off the story with mysterious new demons attacking London and James struggling with inherited powers that pull him toward the shadow realm. Chain of Iron layers in a serial killer targeting Shadowhunters, a marriage of convenience that is anything but simple, and dangerous bargains with older, darker beings. Chain of Thorns brings everything to a head as Belial’s long laid plans collide with Cordelia’s bond to the demon Lilith and the friendships that have held the group together.

The tone combines historical romance, friendship drama, and high stakes demon fighting. Readers who loved the relationships in The Infernal Devices will find echoes here, but The Last Hours also stands on its own as a story about growing up in the long shadow of legendary parents.

Because it builds directly on events and families introduced in The Infernal Devices, this series works best after you have read that trilogy. It also plants seeds for future Shadowhunter books set closer to the modern timeline.