Fifty Shades Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Geheimes Verlangen |
2011 |
N/A |
| Fifty Shades Darker |
2011 |
Buy |
| Fifty Shades of Grey |
2011 |
Buy |
| Befreite Lust |
2012 |
N/A |
| Fifty Shades Freed |
2012 |
Buy |
Fifty Shades (As Told By Christian) Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Grey |
2015 |
Buy |
| Darker |
2017 |
Buy |
| Freed |
2021 |
Buy |
The Mister Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| The Mister |
2019 |
Buy |
| The Missus |
2023 |
Buy |
E.L. James changed the publishing industry with Fifty Shades of Grey, which started as fan fiction and grew into a global phenomenon. The trilogy sold over 150 million copies worldwide and was adapted into a major film franchise. The books follow the intense relationship between college student Anastasia Steele and billionaire Christian Grey.
After completing the original trilogy, James revisited the story through Christian’s perspective in a companion series starting with Grey (2015). She also branched out with The Mister (2019), a standalone romance set in London that introduced new characters and a different kind of love story. Whether readers come to her work for the first time or return as longtime fans, James has left an undeniable mark on modern romance fiction.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many books has E.L. James written?
E.L. James has written ten books across three series.
What was E.L. James's first book?
E.L. James’s first book is Fifty Shades Darker, published in 2011.
What order should you read the Fifty Shades books in?
Start with the original trilogy: Fifty Shades of Grey, Fifty Shades Darker, and Fifty Shades Freed. After that, the companion novels Grey, Darker, and Freed retell the story from Christian’s point of view. The Mister series is unrelated and can be read anytime.