The Three Impostors; or, The Transmutations

by Arthur Machen

"The Three Impostors; or, The Transmutations" by Arthur Machen is an episodic horror novel published in 1895. Three mysterious figures roam London's streets, spinning strange tales as they hunt for a missing Roman coin linked to an ancient imperial debauchery. Their web of deception conceals a darker purpose: tracking down "the young man with spectacles." The interconnected stories build toward a shocking revelation involving a secret society and debauched pagan rituals, showcasing Machen's pioneering approach to supernatural terror that would later influence H. P. Lovecraft.