The False Door

by Brett King

  After all that?

  He’d start thinking about the best way to track down Edgar Wurm.

  Author’s Note

  My first two novels gave me an opportunity to indulge a long-standing interest in history, science, and religion. Although most of the action in this book takes place nearly five years after the first one, a number of parallels played out between the story lines of my first two novels. The final scene in my debut novel, The Radix, inspired the opening scene in The False Door. And, because I’m just a little compulsive, the last two words in both books are identical (I’m pretty sure this isn’t significant to anyone but me).

  As the second book in the series, The False Door hints more at the broad scope that the Radix played in history. Let me warn you now that this author’s note contains some major-league spoilers.

  As described in this novel, Joseph of Arimathea straddles the legends surrounding the Holy Grail and the Radix. Since I was a kid, I have been fascinated with Arthurian legend. Robert de Boron, a French poet of the medieval era, claimed that Joseph brought the Grail to Britain. A later author named John of Glastonbury suggested around 1350 that King Arthur had descended from Joseph of Arimathea. Some even claimed that Joseph created a Grail Table that served as later inspiration for Arthur’s Round Table.

  In developing my stories about the Radix and the chrisms, I put a heavy emphasis on Josephus, the son of Joseph of Arimathea. Josephus plays an important role in the Arthurian legend, especially in the Estoire del Saint Grail (the history of the Holy Grail) section of the Vulgate Cycle, a French series from the 1200s that recounts legendary stories about the Knights of the Round Table and their quest for the Holy Grail. In some legends, Josephus was entrusted with the Grail, and I dovetailed that tradition by making him the Keeper of the Radix.

  Although Josephus is sometimes described as a “holy man” and some regard him as the first bishop of England, I wanted to give the Keeper a warrior-like personality that meshed with later generations of Arthurian knights. In my book, his archrival is Crudel, a pagan king from North Wales who, according to the Estoire del Saint Grail, imprisoned Joseph of Arimathea and his followers. Finally, Glastonbury Tor is a real and impressive hill at Glastonbury, Somerset, England, that was likely occupied during Roman times and has several ties to Arthurian legend, with rumors swirling that the area served as the inspiration for Avalon as well as the final resting place for Arthur and Guinevere.

  The Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa (meaning mound of shards or potsherds) do exist as a necropolis carved beneath Alexandria, with the exception of a hidden chamber and corridor that live only in my imagination and this book. Known as Ra-Qedil in the ancient world, it was used as a burial chamber from the second century until sometime around the fourth century CE.

  Kom el Shoqafa does not actually have a false door, but as Brynstone mentions, it was a common theme in Egyptian funerary architecture. The false door was often placed on the west wall of a funerary chamber. This was consistent with the idea that the land of the dead resided in the west. According to folklore, Egyptian gods like Osiris, Isis, and Horus used the false door as a passageway to travel from the afterlife into our world and back again.

  Some ancient Egyptians believed that the moment of death happened when a person’s spiritual essence, or Ka, departed his or her body. For that reason, a false door was sometimes known as a “Ka door.” Family members brought offerings for the deceased or for a favored deity and placed the funerary gifts at the doorstep. In some cases, an engraved image of the deceased was carved into the central niche or panel.

  There is no connection between Kom el Shoqafa and Hero of Alexandria (sometimes also called Heron of Alexandria). Hero was a mathematician and engineer who flourished during the first century, possibly living until 84 CE. Several scholars believe that he served as the director of the Museum of Alexandria, a sister institution to the Library of Alexandria. His most celebrated invention was the first steam turbine, made as a novelty toy and called the aeolipile (meaning wind ball in Greek). He has also been credited with inventing the fire engine, a mechanical bird that could sing when powered with water, and the first vending machine, an intriguing device that could dispense holy water when a worshiper placed a coin in a slot. As mentioned in my novel, Hero did, in fact, invent the first known automatic door, an ambitious design that was created for the purpose of opening temple doors. However, as far as we know, it was only a small model and came nowhere near the scale of the door described in my book. Hero’s design did not include a pressure plate. The invention of the first foot-pressure-activated door did not come along until an inventor in China created one around the seventh century CE.

  The character of Kyros in my book is fictional, but the brutal assassination of Hypatia of Alexandria at the Caesareum church in 415 is as true as it is tragic. She was a brilliant thinker during the Christianization of the Roman Empire and, perhaps unwittingly, she may have become ensnared in the power struggle between Orestes, the Roman governor of the province of Egypt, and Cyril, the bishop of Alexandria. As Edgar Wurm notes in the book, no one today can be certain if Bishop Cyril was involved in her execution, although many believe he played a role in the decision.

  While down in the cavern with the Lazarus Cross, John Brynstone studies Lost John and mentions the link between porphyria, a group of rare genetic blood disorders, with vampire legends. For decades, several people have claimed that porphyria can account for a number of traits associated with the vampire canon, including fangs, light sensitivity, and an aversion to garlic. As Brynstone knows (but I didn’t give him a chance to say), the vampire-porphyria hypothesis is a compelling idea, but it suffers from a lack of scientific evidence. Mostly, it has proven to be a way to stigmatize people with the disease.

  The Radix and The False Door inspired me to write several works of shorter fiction. A short story called “The Brotherhood of Blood and Dust” revolves around the relationship between Josephus of Massilia—desperate to escape the shadow of his legendary father, Joseph of Arimathea—and the Roman soldier known as Quintus Gallienus. Spanning a period from 64 to 115 CE, the story takes us beyond their first fateful encounter and offers greater insight into Quintus’s terrible gift. A novella, set three hundred years after “Brotherhood,” explores the discovery that Hypatia of Alexandria makes with the help of her dedicated student, Kyros. Working together, and sometimes against each other, they become players in a historical drama that will change their lives forever. The Lost Necropolis will answer questions you might have about the elusive helmet, both its disappearance and its dismemberment.

  The Devil’s Gauntlet is a novella that unfolds during the autumn of the Middle Ages. Tyon Darc is a brash knight of the Order of Hospitallers and he faces one challenge after another as his quest becomes intertwined with the mysterious Jeanneton de Paris. It is her cryptic journal that drives Edgar Wurm to understand more about the Radix. The short novel answers a question that Wurm poses in The False Door—namely, what is the Devil’s Gauntlet? He doesn’t know, but you will if you read the story.

  Thank you for reading The False Door. I hope you enjoyed the book. Please be sure to visit my website at authorbrettking.com and get in touch on Facebook or on Twitter. I’d love to hear from you!

  Acknowledgments

  It might sound cheesy to some—and I don’t give a damn if it does—but I want to begin by acknowledging my amazing readers. Without each of you taking the time to read my books, this dream of mine would be without foundation. I have been overwhelmed by your generosity, enthusiasm, support, and dedication. My sincere thanks to you all.

  As always, Cheri, my beloved wife (and former high school sweetheart), inspires me every day with her enthusiasm, intelligence, beauty, compassion, optimism, and editorial prowess. From the beginning of my journey as a writer and a psychologist, she has been a steadfast influence, never letting me lose focus or vision. My children, Brady, Devin, and Tylyn,
bring the child alive inside me with their exuberance, imagination, humor, and love. If you know me at all, you know that my adorable little family means the world to me. As always, my parents, Don and Dee King, have been a wellspring of support and encouragement for as long as I can remember. Stick with me, you two, and someday we’ll be on Easy Street.

  My indefatigable agent, Pam Ahearn, continues to astonish with her wisdom, guidance, passion, and keen intuition. I’ve learned so much from you, Pam, and I appreciate your dedicated work on my behalf. I was thrilled to join the Thomas & Mercer family, and a big thanks goes out to everyone on their brilliant team for putting this book into the hands of my readers and working to promote it. In particular, I am indebted to Amara Holstein, my developmental editor, for her attention to detail and compelling insights as well as her diligence and professionalism. At every step, Amara’s editorial skills proved to be an invaluable resource. My sincere thanks to Brent Fattore, who served as the acquisition editor and production manager for this book. Brent offered helpful guidance and proved to be a model of patience, especially when an unprecedented Colorado flood hit during a crucial September deadline. I am beyond grateful to Michael Trudeau, the best copyeditor in my experience as an author, for his refreshing expertise and painstaking labor on this novel. Last but far from least, my sincere thanks to Rebecca Friedman for her dedicated and meticulous help as a proofreader and to the wonderful Kristin Loke for her work as the author relations manager for Amazon Publishing.

  Troy Barmore played an important role in several stages of this book, sharing wit and vivid insights during a memorable brainstorming session at a Boulder park. Brimming with creativity and charisma, Troy has been critical in helping to enlarge my imagination beginning with my first novel. Time after time, the great Zach Fedor offered helpful resources and countless ideas with charm and careful attention to detail, while answering more questions than I’m sure he had anticipated. I am also indebted to Tim Thompson and Robert Stegmueller for their expert counsel on a number of technical matters. Steg and Tim are both remarkable men who are as entertaining as they are intelligent. I owe a huge thanks to Deirdre Graham, Alexandra Maddi, Rachel Kimmel, Brenna Lyons, Kelsey Fisher, and Gary and Molly Vair. They are all terrific friends who shared their experiences and, in several cases, went out of their way to conduct research for me. Joshua Blackham of England’s Metropolitan Police Service as well as Duane Morton, Caitlin Graham, and Marlea Kerr all shared insights that enhanced my book. I am very grateful to Meg Townsend, a brilliant person who was one of my first readers and who shared great wisdom that benefited my writing. Despite the guidance of everyone mentioned above, any errors in fact or detail found in this book rest with me alone (although I’ll still probably blame Joe Berta).

  While creating this book, I lost five longtime friends. I am a better person because I had the chance to know Noni Viney, Dr. Henry and Liz Cross, Mary Ann Tucker, and Kevin Crochetière, all fellow booklovers and cherished friends. I’ll always treasure memories of the good times with you, Hank and Liz, Noni, Mary Ann, and Kev. I’m forever grateful for your impact on my life and I honor your memory.

  For two books now, I have enjoyed the support of a band of faithful friends. My family is blessed to know Kyler and Candice Storm and I’m grateful for their never-ending inspiration. Kathryn Keller’s enthusiasm and support of my work has been nothing short of astonishing. Ashlee Tripp and Jen Shaw have been so critical in helping me reach this dream long before it was a reality. Kyle Reader and Clarke Reader and Mike Martis and Shaina Martis have all been remarkable friends and insightful readers.

  A huge thanks for the long-term love from Ryan Christie and Tamara Davies and Nathan and Amanda Clay. Thanks for the good times and for reading everything I’ve ever written (no one should have to do that). My family has been so supportive, especially Aaron and Gayla Clay, LuAnn Harrah, Penny Morton, Charlene Beach, Amanda and Steven Sparks, James Thomas, and Connie Strommenger.

  I also want to thank the incomparable Dr. Joseph E. Berta (as the Joker to my Batman, Joe has been my arch-nemesis for more years than I can remember), Dr. Wayne Viney, Jim Winsness, the incredible Droste family, Gena and Rich Prinster, Ryan Prinster, Terri Thompson, Michael Savage, Dan Barbier, Kristen Brake, Lindsay Benshoof, John Ramsett, Landon Mock, Becky Shea, the Lucy family and the Doughty family (lifelong friends and each a true inspiration to me), Courtney Hibbs, Kristen Walker, Kendra Andrew, Jenny Hughes, Lynn and Stan Loucks, Laura Loucks, Lisa Hail and her amazing family, Dr. Eileen Wade-Stein, Thomas Myers, Tanya VanWatermeulen, Jenn Elliott Blake, Laura Mangum-Childers and Kelby Childers, Katie Parks, Muriel Falvey, Amy Tronnier, Dr. Doug and Lisa Woody, and Catherine Shaw. I will always be grateful to Don D’Auria for taking a chance on me as a first-time author. And thanks to all of my old high school friends and my Facebook buddies. I’m grateful to all of you for spreading the word about my books!

  Finally, I want to share special thanks to Miss Tylyn King, back when she was age six, for the kind loan of eleven of her imaginary friends for use in this novel. Every king needs a princess and I’m blessed that you are mine!

  B. K.

  About the Author

  Photo provided courtesy of Sandy Puc’

  Brett King is a psychologist, a historian, and a writer of nail-biting thrillers. His first novel, The Radix, was an exhilarating quest for a legendary relic. In its sequel, The False Door, John Brynstone is searching for another lost treasure of enormous power, racing against adversaries as he also tries to save his daughter from a perilous fate. With a background in forensic psychology and scientific history, King is an award-winning professor at the University of Colorado at Boulder in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience who has deep professional and personal interest in the centuries-old mysteries about which he writes. He lives in Colorado with his wife and three children.