The Gatepost: A Novel

From the author of The Afterlife Project: One woman's quest to find her father pushes her beyond the boundaries of space, time, and the human mind. Two decades ago, Esme Weatherhead's archaeologist father wrote a bestselling book on the use of hallucinogens in ancient Mesoamerican shamanism—and then disappeared. Convinced he's still alive, Esme has never stopped searching for him. And when she stumbles upon notes about a hidden cave on their rural Vermont property, her quest gets a new focus. Esme hires geological consultant Lucas St. Pierre to help locate and explore the cave, and her hunch that it has something to do with her father's disappearance quickly pays off. Inside the winding passages they discover an ancient artifact, left there by the missing man and the indigenous healer who taught him how to access a portal to a secret underworld through the use of psilocybin mushrooms. And when Esme and Lucas attempt to recreate their hallucinogenic pilgrimage, the journey brings them glimpses of otherworldly landscapes and even, occasionally, Esme's father. But their discovery of the artifact hasn't gone unnoticed. An old family friend—now a tech entrepreneur—wants to harness its power, and he'll destroy anyone who stands in his way . . . Perfect for fans of Susanna Clarke's Piranesi and Eleanor Catton's Birnam Wood, Tim Weed's The Gatepost blends modern science and ancient cosmology to take readers on a mind-bending odyssey, offering glimpses into worlds beyond our own.

© 2026 Podium Audio (Audiobook): 9798347020997

Release date

Audiobook: 26 May 2026