MIDNIGHT THIEF

A thrilling debut introducing a tremendously compelling, deeply conflicted, yet ultimately confident heroine that readers will quickly rally behind.

To Kyra high walls and locked doors are not obstacles, but invitations. She specializes in nighttime raids, using her sharp senses and extraordinary agility to break into Forge’s most well-guarded homes. Then she meets James, the deadly but intriguing head of the Assassin’s Guild. He has a job for Kyra: infiltrate the supposedly impenetrable Palace compound. The pay is good, and the challenge appealing. It’s the perfect job for someone of her talents. But as Kyra establishes herself in the Guild, her “perfect job” starts to unravel. Her assignments become increasingly violent, demanding more than Kyra is willing to give. Then Forge is attacked by Demon Riders, and Kyra suspects the Guild is to blame. When a failed mission lands Kyra in the Palace dungeons, she faces an impossible decision. If she cooperates with the authorities against the Guild, James will kill her family, but if Kyra does nothing, she’ll see Forge overrun by Demon Riders. As the city falls into chaos, Kyra uncovers a secret from her past—a forgotten link to the barbarian invaders that will test Kyra’s loyalties and ultimately challenge the limits of her humanity. Livia Blackburne is a doctoral candidate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she is researching the neuroscience of reading in children. Born in Taiwan, Livia grew up in New Mexico, and received her bachelor's degree from Harvard University.