The Amalfi Curse

The unique history and beauty of the Amalfi Coast contribute to the allure and suspense of Penner’s novel, which depicts the region in two timelines, centuries apart. Amalfi comprises 34 miles of coastline and 13 seaside towns in the Campania region of southern Italy overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea. The region is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The novel centers on Positano, a small town on the Amalfi Coast with an estimated population of 3,678 in 2025. One of the two protagonists, Haven, is a nautical archaeologist who comes to Positano to research the shipwrecks in Li Galli. This archipelago of small islands in the Gulf of Salerno is part of the Punta Campanella Marine Reserve, which offers protection to the area’s delicate ecosystem and marine life. Li Galli is also called Le Sirenuse, or the Sirens, after the mythological beings who were said to live on the islets and tempt the epic hero Odysseus with their song. These legends likely developed as a way to explain the many ships that sank in Li Galli due to “strong winds and hidden currents” (“Li Galli Islands Guide: Myths, History & How to Visit.