How many books has E. L. James written?

E. L. James has published 14 novels that we list, as of September 2026.

What order should I read E. L. James's books in?

Read each series in its own order: start Fifty Shades with Fifty Shades of Grey. The other books stand alone and can be read in any order.

What is E. L. James's most famous book?

Fifty Shades of Grey (2011) is E. L. James's most widely read book.

Are E. L. James's books connected?

6 books belong to 1 series (Fifty Shades); the other 8 books stand alone.

Which E. L. James books have been adapted?

3 books have been adapted for film or TV, including Fifty Shades of Grey (as The Submission of Emma Marx, film, 2013), Fifty Shades Darker (film, 2017) and Fifty Shades Freed (film, 2018).

E. L. James books in order

British writer

Born: 1963
Country: United Kingdom
Books: 14
Series: 1

E. L. James has published 14 novels, beginning with Fifty Shades of Grey (2011). The series is Fifty Shades (6 books, starting with Fifty Shades of Grey). The latest is The Missus (2023).

Updated September 2026

Fifty Shades books in order (6)Series page

Reading order: 1 Fifty Shades of Grey (2011) · 2 Fifty Shades Darker (2012) · 3 Fifty Shades Freed (2012) · Grey: Fifty Shades of Grey as Told by Christian (2015) · Darker: Fifty Shades Darker as Told by Christian (2017) · Freed: Fifty Shades Freed as Told by Christian (2021)

1.
Fifty Shades of Grey (Jun 2011)
544 pages★ 3.9 (324 ratings)Adapted for film
Buy
2.
Fifty Shades Darker (Apr 2012)
590 pages★ 3.6 (49 ratings)Adapted for film
Buy
3.
Fifty Shades Freed (2012)
640 pages★ 3.5 (46 ratings)Adapted for film
Buy
Grey: Fifty Shades of Grey as Told by Christian (2015)
576 pages★ 4.2 (10 ratings)
Buy
Darker: Fifty Shades Darker as Told by Christian (Nov 2017)
Buy
Freed: Fifty Shades Freed as Told by Christian (Jun 2021)
Buy

Where to start with E. L. James

Start here
Fifty Shades of Grey
E. L. James's most-read book and the first of the 6 Fifty Shades books.
Newest
The Missus
Published 2023.

Standalone novels in order

Fifty Shades Duo (2012)
Buy
Fifty Shades of Grey and Grey (2015)
Buy
Fifty Shades Trilogy and Grey (2015)
Buy
Darker (2017)
616 pages★ 4.2 (5 ratings)
Buy
The Mister (2019)
528 pages
Buy
Fifty Shades from Christian's Point of View (2021)
Buy
Freed (2021)
720 pages
Buy
The Missus (2023)
464 pages
Buy

Film and TV adaptations

The Submission of Emma Marx (2013)Film · from Fifty Shades of Grey
Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)Film · from Fifty Shades of Grey
Fifty Shades Darker (2017)Film · from Fifty Shades Darker
Fifty Shades Freed (2018)Film · from Fifty Shades Freed

About E. L. James

Erika Mitchell, known by her pen name E. L. James, is a British author. She wrote the best-selling Fifty Shades series of erotic romance novels, which spawned a multimedia franchise including a film trilogy of the same name. Prior to this, she wrote the Twilight fan fiction "Master of the Universe" that served as the basis for the Fifty Shades series under the web name Snowqueens Icedragon. In 2019, she published her first book unconnected with the fictional world of Fifty Shades, The Mister, to negative critical reaction.

Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.

E. L. James FAQ

How many books has E. L. James written?: E. L. James has published 14 novels that we list, as of September 2026.
What order should I read E. L. James's books in?: Read each series in its own order: start Fifty Shades with Fifty Shades of Grey. The other books stand alone and can be read in any order.
What is E. L. James's latest book?: The Missus (2023).
What is E. L. James's most famous book?: Fifty Shades of Grey (2011) is E. L. James's most widely read book.
Are E. L. James's books connected?: 6 books belong to 1 series (Fifty Shades); the other 8 books stand alone.
Which E. L. James books have been adapted?: 3 books have been adapted for film or TV, including Fifty Shades of Grey (as The Submission of Emma Marx, film, 2013), Fifty Shades Darker (film, 2017) and Fifty Shades Freed (film, 2018).