John Bellairs (1938-1991) was an award-winning American author of many gothic mystery novels for children and young adults, including The House with a Clock in Its Walls, which received both the New York Times Outstanding Book of the Year Award and the American Library Association Children's Books of International Interest Award; The Lamp from the Warlock's Tomb, which won the Edgar Award; and The Specter from the Magician's Museum, which won the New York Public Library 'Best Books for the Teen Age' Award. Brad Strickland has written more than eighty-five published books, including entries in the Lewis Barnavelt and Johnny Dixon series, following the death of the original series creator, John Bellairs. He is a Professor Emeritus of English and lives in Georgia with his wife, Barbara.