This novel is dedicated with love

to
Stan Rice
and
Christopher Rice

And

to
Gita Mehta
an instant inspiration

And

to
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
for his great mummy stories
"Lot No. 249" and "The Ring of Thoth"

And

to
H. Rider Haggard
who created the immortal She

And

to
All who have brought
"the mummy" to life
in stories, novels and film.

And lastly

to
My father
Howard O'Brien
who came more than once
to get me from the neighborhood show,
when "the mummy" had scared me
so badly that I couldn't even stay
in the lobby with the creepy music
coming through the doors.