The Eldest Curses (Cassandra Clare) Books in Order
Part ofCassandra Clare Books in OrderFind The Eldest Curses books by Cassandra Clare in order, plus summaries, background on Magnus and Alec's travels, and advice on when to read this romantic spin off.
Last updated: January 15, 2026
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Publication Order
2 books
The Lost Book of the White
by Cassandra Clare
2020
When a powerful spellbook is stolen from their home, Magnus and Alec follow the thieves to Shanghai, leaving their young son behind with trusted friends. Joined by familiar Shadowhunters, they uncover a plot that reaches into Magnus’s past and threatens the future of their family.
The Red Scrolls of Magic
by Cassandra Clare
2019
On what should be a romantic European vacation, Magnus Bane learns that a murderous cult once founded in his name has become very real. With Alec Lightwood at his side, he must chase the Crimson Hand across Europe before its demon summoning plans succeed.
Series background & context
The Eldest Curses is a trilogy that pulls Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood out of the background of the main Shadowhunter books and puts their relationship front and center. Co written with Wesley Chu, it follows the two of them on globe trotting adventures that sit between the big wars of the Chronicles.
The Red Scrolls of Magic opens just after the events of the first Mortal Instruments trilogy, when Magnus whisks Alec away for what is meant to be a quiet European vacation. Their plans are derailed when they discover that a demon worshipping cult, supposedly founded by Magnus years ago as a joke, has become very real and very deadly. Chasing the cult across Paris, Venice, and other cities forces them to talk honestly about love, secrets, and what it means to build a life together.
In The Lost Book of the White, Magnus and Alec are older, trying to balance parenthood and leadership roles with the lingering consequences of past choices. A magical theft drags them to Shanghai alongside familiar faces from The Mortal Instruments, and the mystery pushes both of them to confront fears about power, trust, and the future they want for their family.
The planned third volume, The Black Volume of the Dead, will continue that arc, tying more directly into events that matter for the wider Shadowhunter world. Even before it appears, though, The Eldest Curses reads as a self contained love story threaded through battles with cultists, ancient spellbooks, and very inconvenient demons.
These novels are lighter in tone than some of the main series, with more humor and travelogue moments, but they still carry real emotional stakes. They are best read after at least the first three Mortal Instruments books, so you know who Magnus and Alec are and why this trip together matters so much.
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