Megaera Lorenz, Writer

It’s 1934. Dashiel Quicke is a down-and-out phony séance medium with nothing left to lose but his conviction that Spiritualism is bunk. Determined to leave his shady past behind, he devotes himself to exposing fake mediumship.

During one of his demonstrations at a university in Illinois, he meets sweet-natured, eccentric Egyptology professor Hermann Goschalk. Hermann is convinced that a genuine ghost is haunting the small museum he curates on campus, so he asks Dashiel to help him rule out a hoax. Dashiel agrees to investigate, certain that there must be a mundane explanation. He soon finds himself confronted with overwhelming evidence that the haunting is real, forcing him to question everything he has ever believed.

Dashiel is terrified by what he’s seen, and he also has his own ghosts to grapple with. Pursued by Porphyrio, his vengeful former business partner and ex-lover, he has every intention of skipping town and not looking back. But as Dashiel is drawn further into the mystery of the haunting, he finds it increasingly difficult to ignore his deepening feelings for Hermann. When the ghostly phenomena take a dangerous turn and put Hermann’s life in peril, he faces an impossible choice—flee to protect himself and Hermann from the jealous and unpredictable Porphyrio, or stay and find a way to lay the angry spirit to rest?

 

Praise for The Shabti: 

 

"Enormously enjoyable, atmospheric, satisfyingly informed with real knowledge, and a pleasure to read: I gulped it down in two sittings." --KJ Charles, Author of The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen

 

"With her beautifully nuanced main characters, and secondary characters who fill the stage around them with wry humor and calibrated malevolence, Megaera Lorenz has created a rich and textured novel that,  in the end, is greatly satisfying." --Ulysses Grant Dietz, Author of Cliffhanger

 

"I adored this book! Dashiel is a fascinating, complicated character and his romance with Hermann is simply lovely. Romance, intrigue, and excitement—The Shabti has it all." —Jordan L. Hawk, author of Widdershins

"Lorenz's debut novel is completely original and utterly marvelous. A mix of horror, suspense, romance, and humor, informed by the author's knowledge of Egyptology, makes for a story you won't want to have end." —Elisa DeCarlo, award-winning author of The Devil You Say and Strong Spirits 

 

"Megaera Lorenz's delightful tale of a spiritualist debunker who faces his own worst nightmare takes readers on a chilling journey filled with all the vivid imagery and thrills of classic horror stories. I couldn't put it down! The Shabti is a must for fans of Egyptology and archaeology." —M. A. Monnin, Agatha Award nominated author of the Intrepid Traveler Mystery series

 

"[T]he novel is distinguished by its characterizations. Hermann is endearing—quiet, unassuming, and wholesome. . . . Even so, it's Dashiel who steals the show." —Foreword Reviews

"This diverse period piece will appeal to a wide array . . . as it pulls from genres ranging from historical fiction and thriller to romance and fantasy; a fine selection for its genre-crossing interest." —Booklist (audiobook review)

 

"With a well-researched, irresistible premise and well-drawn characters . . . this is a delightful debut." —Booklist 

 

"Haynes's voices allow the listener to move smoothly through the twists and turns of the mystery . . . As the danger heats up, Haynes keeps the pacing and the tone of the characters building the suspense." —AudioFile Magazine

 

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