The war between Assassins and Templars wreaks havoc in the Victorian era, in this breakneck thriller which opens up a whole new chapter of the Assassin’s Creed universe

London, 1851 – When Pierrette, a daring acrobat performing at the Great Exhibition, rescues the mathematician Ada Lovelace from a gang of thugs, she becomes immersed in an ancient feud between Assassins and Templars. But Lovelace is gravely ill, and shares her secrets with Pierrette, sending the acrobat in search of a terrible weapon which she’d been developing for a shadowy figure known as “the Magus”. Pierrette’s only ally is Simeon Price, Lovelace’s childhood friend, who belongs to a Brotherhood devoted to free will. With Simeon’s aid, they uncover a startling web of political assassinations destabilizing Europe. As they race to foil the Templars’ deadly plot, murders and bombs are everywhere they look, but hope is nowhere in sight.

KATE HEARTFIELD is the Aurora Award-winning author Armed in her Fashion, and the bestselling The Embroidered Book, a historical fantasy novel. Her novellas, stories, and games have been finalists for the Nebula, Locus, Crawford, Sunburst and Aurora awards. A former journalist, Kate lives near Ottawa, Canada.

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"This book made me excited for the future of the franchise and introduced me to a fantastic writer, Kate Heartfield. The research that Kate put into this story is very thorough as I was able to find information on all of the historical figures and events that took place and read an accurate retelling that made this story stand out from previous releases."

The Ones Who Came Before

"A rich, fun, and engrossing mix of franchise lore and Victorian-era history, Kate Heartfield brings her trademark brilliant and thrilling storytelling to Assassin’s Creed. The Magus Conspiracy sings with equal parts witty characters, series stealth, and historical intrigue. A must-read for every Assassin’s Creed fan."

Mike Chen, New York Times bestselling author of Star Wars: Brotherhood.

"Heartfield shows a strong understanding of the tones of the franchise, and it is clear she put a huge amount of effort into making this book a reality. It is comforting to know then that there are two further books coming in this series from her, which will evidently take the story further and later in the nineteenth century and theoretically up until the first World War."

Access the Animus

"Heartfield is an amazing author; her writing is enthralling, with even the smallest moments captivating. In particular, her descriptions of Pierrette’s acrobatics and the circus tricks were so vivid I could picture them as I read on. It fits perfectly into the genre of action-adventure video games in which the book is written for. My heart was pounding through every fight scene, in utter awe at every beautiful literary skyline."

The Nerdy Archer