The release date for the English version of 'The Magician's Assistant' by
Ann Patchett is Dec 1998. If you enjoy this novel, it is available for buy as a paperback from Barnes & Noble or Indigo, as an ebook on the Amazon Kindle store, or as an audiobook on Audible.
A different edition of the ISBN (9781857028157) cover
Sabine, her lovely and attractive husband's magician's assistant for twenty years, is abruptly widowed. After his passing, she discovers he left behind one more ruse: a fictitious name and a family that was thought to have perished in a terrible tragedy but is now found to be very much alive and well. Appointed as successors in his testament, they come into Sabine's existence and initiate her on a journey to discover his mysteries, spanning from sunny Los Angeles to the blustery Nebraskan plains, which will enchant her in their own unique way.