The Occultists

Sssshhhhhhhh... For Edwardian-era spiritualists and illusionists, silence is more than a strategy; it's a way of life. And when Max Grahame, a bullied, small-town teen, discovers a secretive world of occultism and séances right under his nose, he can hardly contain his excitement. But as Max begins his conjurer's lessons in earnest, his newfound knowledge exposes the group's dark and deeply sinister designs, leading a game of supernatural cat and mouse that takes him from the ancient hills of rural Georgia and the mystic plains of the Midwest to fin-de-siècle Manhattan...and beyond. Impeccably researched and wildly imaginative, The Occultists is a darkly riveting historical fantasy in which magic is terrifying, and annihilation is closer than Max could ever imagine.

From the Back Cover

"An Edwardian tapestry of ceaseless occult war and world-wide political struggle ... Schattel surprises by skillfully reanimating old tropes as she explores dreadful personal loss, unexpected betrayal, and dogged persistence. With its memorable monstrosities--both human and other--its conflicted protagonist, and a plot full of twists, The Occultists is a fascinating tale of both the esoteric and the mundane." -- John Linwood Grant, author of The Assassin's Coin and A Persistence of Geraniums.

About the Author

A filmmaker with a host of award-winning feature films under her belt, Polly Schattel has taught Film Directing, Film Editing, and Screenwriting in the UNC university system, NYC, and elsewhere. Proudly and passionately transgender, Polly lives in the mountains near Asheville, NC with her wife and three vicious and savage but very adorable animals. The Occultists is her first novel.

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