Lady Midnight

Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare is the first volume in The Dark Artifices series, which is the third series Clare has written about the Shadowhunter world. At a minimum, I strongly suggest that you read “The Mortal Instruments” series before reading this one. There are many references to recent events in this world that you will not have the reference of context for if you do not read the previous series. Lady Midnight is a great expansion on Shadowhunter lore. Again, having a base knowledge of the Shadowhunter world is important, so that you can fully appreciate the deep dive into areas not fully explored in a fascinating new way that brings obstacles for the main characters to overcome. There are also new locations that are explored such as the Los Angeles Institute, the Shadow Market, and the Wild Hunt.

This book mainly centers around Emma Carstairs and the Blackthorn family. Emma’s parents have recently died, and she now lives with the Blackthorns at the LA Institute. The Blackthorn family comprises of Uncle Arthur who supposedly runs the institute, and 7 siblings, making it a little difficult to really get to know everyone in the family. We don’t spend a lot of time with the younger Blackthorn’s in this book, and therefore don’t get to know them that well.

At it’s core, this book is a murder mystery. Emma and the Blackthorns race against time to try and find out who is committing murders around LA, and why. If you are a fan of the Shadowhunter world, then Lady Midnight will be a wonderful next chapter in your reading journey. You will definitely want to keep reading and find out what happens to Emma, the Blackthorn family, and their friends.