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 75 published books including the Lewis Barnavelt and Johnny Dixon mystery series by John Bellairs after Mr. Bellair's death in 1991. He is also a professor of English at the University of North Georgia in Gainesville. He lives in Georgia with his wife, Barbara.