The Talisman

This is the complete short story prequel to Haunted Hills. It is included with Haunted Hills—Purchase this to just get the short story.


An ancient artifact found in Pompeii

A traveling Italian art exhibition

A centuries-old conspiracy


When physics professor Dr. "Mac" Mackenzie goes on spring break with his fiancé, Brian, he finds a mysterious talisman among the ruins of modern-day Pompeii. The coincidences keep piling up until Mac realizes he's starting to unravel a mystery beyond conventional time and space.


Are Mac and his friends, ready for what the talisman may represent? In this story spanning 2000 years and most of the globe, spring break may not be restful and low-key as Mac had planned.

And why does the Talisman have such a strong pull on Mac?



About The Miskatonic University Novels:

Amid a backdrop of witchcraft, myth and science, Mac tries to make new friends, teach quantum physics, avoid formal dinner parties and, just possibly, stay alive.


Lawrence King's novels of urban fantasy combine his love of gothic horror with speculative science and characters that matter. You can find him online at miskatonic.us when he's not at the beach in his native Oregon.