The Practician

There is an empire among men that exists only in the mists of illusion, a Gray Empire where what is true cannot be distinguished from what is not. This series of novels is the story of a great treasure hidden in that gray mist, and of the lust that drives men to want to possess it.

"Watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you. Because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it." -- Roald Dahl

Monica Scott doesn't believe in magic. She's a scientist, an archaeologist, a skeptic with no patience for fairytales, boogiemen, or matters of faith she can neither measure nor prove.

Rick Townsend, on the other hand, has known all three at one time or another in his life. Years ago, he left one particular boogieman behind, or so he thought. Since then he has channeled his obsessions into restoring the past, hunting for lost things, and bringing them to light.

Arthur Jones long ago traded a celebrated kitchen for a life of adventure. He has a superstitious streak, but tends to put his real faith in his friends.

When these three come together to plumb the depths of Oak Island, none of them is prepared for what follows: a centuries-old curse, an occult artifact, a supernatural entity, and a treasure men have fought and died over for more than two thousand years. The secrets buried here run deeper than any of them imagined. Finding them may require more than any of them are willing to give.

"People bury things for all kinds of reasons," Rick explained. "Secrets, the dead, and things so dangerous to humanity they should never see the light of day."