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ⓘ About John Bellairs
John Bellairs was an American author who focused the majority of his work in the Gothic genre. He is best known for his books The Face in the Frost and The House with a Clock in its Walls. His novel The House with a Clock in its Walls was adapted into a movie starring Owen Vaccaro as Lewis, Jack Black as Uncle Jonathan. The movie was directed by Eli Roth and released in September 2018. Some of Bellairs’s work was continued and published posthumously by Brad Strickland. The House with a Clock on its Walls The House with a Clock on its Walls features Lewis Barnavelt, a young man who lost his parents in a grisly accident. He goes to stay with his uncle Jonathan in Marshall, Michigan. Lewis expects to have a normal childhood.
All Book Series by John Bellairs
The House with a Clock in Its Walls
Series opener · book 1 of 12 · published 1973 Co-authored · Edward Gorey
The Ghost in the Mirror
Book 5 of 12 · published 1993 Co-authored · Edward Gorey
The Doom of the Haunted Opera
Book 6 of 12 · published 1995 Co-authored · Edward Gorey
The Specter from the Magician's Museum
Book 7 of 12 · published 1998 Anthology · Edward Gorey
The Beast Under the Wizard's Bridge
Book 8 of 12 · published 2000 Anthology · Edward Gorey
The Tower at the End of the World
Book 9 of 12 · published 2001 Anthology · Brad Strickland
The Whistle, the Grave, and the Ghost
Book 10 of 12 · published 2003 Anthology · Brad Strickland
The House Where Nobody Lived
Book 11 of 12 · published 2006 Anthology · Brad Strickland
The Sign of the Sinister Sorcerer
Latest in the series · book 12 of 12 · published 2008 Anthology · Brad Strickland
The Mansion in the Mist
Latest in the series · book 4 of 4 · published 1992 Anthology · Edward Gorey
The Curse of the Blue Figurine
Series opener · book 1 of 13 · published 1983 Anthology · Edward Gorey
The Mummy, the Will, and the Crypt
Book 2 of 13 · published 1983 Anthology · Edward Gorey
The Spell of the Sorcerer's Skull
Book 3 of 13 · published 1984 Anthology · Edward Gorey
The Eyes of the Killer Robot
Book 5 of 13 · published 1986 Anthology · Edward Gorey
The Drum, the Doll, and the Zombie
Book 9 of 13 · published 1994 Co-authored · Edward Gorey,Brad Strickland
The Hand of the Necromancer
Book 10 of 13 · published 1996 Co-authored · Edward Gorey,Brad Strickland
The Bell, the Book, and the Spellbinder
Book 11 of 13 · published 1997 Co-authored · Edward Gorey,Brad Strickland
The Wrath of the Grinning Ghost
Book 12 of 13 · published 1999 Co-authored · Edward Gorey,Brad Strickland
The Stone, the Cipher, and the Shadows
Latest in the series · book 13 of 13 · published 2022 Anthology · Brad Strickland
? Frequently Asked Questions
Who is John Bellairs?
John Bellairs was an American author who focused the majority of his work in the Gothic genre. He is best known for his books The Face in the Frost and The House with a Clock in its Walls. His novel The House with a Clock in its Walls was adapted into a movie starring Owen Vaccaro as Lewis, Jack Black as Uncle Jonathan.
Which John Bellairs series should I start with?
The best place to start is the Lewis Barnavelt series, the earliest of John Bellairs's multi-book series: it opens with The House with a Clock in Its Walls (1973) and runs to 12 books across 1973–2008, ending with The Sign of the Sinister Sorcerer (2008). John Bellairs's other series stand alone, so they can be read in any order.
How many books has John Bellairs written?
John Bellairs has 34 books catalogued in this guide, published between 1966 and 2022. 29 of them belong to 3 named series — the largest being the Johnny Dixon series with 13 books — and 5 are standalone titles, collections or anthologies.
In what order should John Bellairs's series be read?
Read each series in publication order — the numbered entries in each series follow the year each book first appeared. John Bellairs's series do not depend on one another, so they can be started in any order; by start date they are Lewis Barnavelt (1973–2008, 12 books), Anthony Monday Mysteries (1978–1992, 4 books) and Johnny Dixon (1983–2022, 13 books).
How are John Bellairs's books organised into series?
This guide splits John Bellairs's 34 books into 3 named series and 5 titles that stand alone or appear only in collections: Johnny Dixon (13 books, 1983–2022); Lewis Barnavelt (12 books, 1973–2008); Anthony Monday Mysteries (4 books, 1978–1992).