The world of The Inheritance Games is bigger than it first appears. What begins with Avery Grambs, a surprise fortune, and one impossible inheritance eventually expands into a broader Hawthorne saga that includes side stories, follow-up books, and new layers of the same mystery-driven world.
That’s where the reading order can start to get messy. The original trilogy is easy to follow on its own, but once books like The Brothers Hawthorne, Games Untold, and The Grandest Game enter the picture, it becomes much less clear what belongs where and what should be read next.
Jump to:
- Where to Start?
- The Inheritance Games Books in Order
- The Inheritance Games Adaptations
- Who is Jennifer Lynn Barnes?
- The Inheritance Games Books FAQ
Where to Start?
Begin with The Inheritance Games and then move straight forward through the saga in publication order.
This reading order is always the safest bet because it’s how millions of readers experienced the series and it avoids spoilers.
Avery’s story drives the first stretch, but the Hawthorne brothers, the family history, and the broader game structure keep opening into something bigger. Reading out of order would not just spoil twists. It would also flatten a lot of the momentum that makes these books so addictive.
The safest route is to treat the Hawthorne-world books as one connected reading experience. That means the main trilogy comes first, The Brothers Hawthorne follows naturally after it, and the later books set in the same universe make the most sense once you already know the players, the history, and the emotional baggage.
The Inheritance Games Books in Order
Here is the full Hawthorne-world reading order by publication date.
- The Inheritance Games (2020)
- The Hawthorne Legacy (2021)
- The Final Gambit (2022)
- The Brothers Hawthorne (2023)
- The Grandest Game (2024)
- Games Untold (2024) (Story Collection)
- Glorious Rivals (2025)
- The Same Backward as Forward (2025) (Prequel Companion)
- The Gilded Blade (2026)
Note: Glorious Rivals was published in July 2025, while The Same Backward as Forward published in November 2025. However, the publisher recommends reading The Same Backward as Forward before Glorious Rivals.
Do You Need to Read Games Untold and The Same Backward as Forward?
You do not need them to understand the earliest books, but they are worth reading if you want the complete Hawthorne-world experience.
Games Untold is a collection tied directly to the saga, so it is more than random bonus material. It fills in character moments and expands the world around the bigger books. The Same Backward as Forward is shorter, but it still belongs with this universe.
So the practical answer is this: readers who only want the main core story can stop earlier, but readers building a true series-order page should include both of them.
The Inheritance Games Adaptations
After an earlier Amazon development attempt years ago, a new adaptation moved forward in 2025, when Deadline reported that Lionsgate Television had optioned The Inheritance Games for development as a scripted series. As of April 2026, there is still no premiere date, cast list, or trailer, so this remains a project in development rather than a show that is already deep into production.
Who is Jennifer Lynn Barnes?
Jennifer Lynn Barnes is a bestselling young adult author known for writing twist-heavy stories built around secrets, strategy, and psychological games.
That shows up all over The Inheritance Games. The books are full of coded messages, shifting alliances, family power struggles, and clever reveals, but the puzzle-box structure only works because Barnes knows how to keep the emotional side moving too. Readers are not just there for the clues. They are there for Avery, the Hawthornes, and the constant question of who is telling the truth.
The Inheritance Games Books FAQ
What is the best The Inheritance Games reading order?
Publication order is still the best default reading order for most readers: start with The Inheritance Games and continue straight through the list above. The one wrinkle is that Penguin recommends reading The Same Backward as Forward before Glorious Rivals, despite Glorious Rivals releasing first.
Do I need to read The Brothers Hawthorne?
Yes, if you want the broader saga rather than just Avery’s original trilogy. It belongs naturally after The Final Gambit.
Is Games Untold optional?
It is companion material, but it still fits into the official saga reading order and is worth including on a complete reading-order page.
Looking for similar books in order?
If you want more mystery authors and reading-order guides like this one, start with my Mystery Books in Order index.