Books with author John Bellairs

At first, Johnny Dixon doesn't believe Professor Childermass's story about Evaristus Sloane, the insane inventor of a fiendish, baseball-pitching robot. Then Johnny sees faces at his window at night, and senses he's being followed. Old Sloane has invented a new, improved robot, and he only needs one thing to bring it to life--Johnny's eyes. A unique plot, marvelous characters, and non-stop suspense make for deliciously wicked fun. -- Booklist

Living with his grandparents gives Johnny Dixon a lot of time to find trouble. Or adventure. Or, is it both? In this, the first Johnny Dixon mystery, our young hero hears the spine-tingling story of Father Baart, a madman who haunts the town's church. At first, Johnny doesn't believe in ghosts, but when he takes a scroll and a small Egyptian figurine from the church basement, all that changes. Soon, a mysterious stranger gives him a ring, and Johnny plunges headlong into a terrifying adventure. Along with his new friend Professor Childermass, Johnny races to solve the mystery of this very real ghost before another life is lost. "Heart-stopping" -Booklist "As moody as a cold rainy day in March ... a horror story to be savored until the final page." -School Library Journal

Why is Professor Childermass acting so strange? Johnny Dixon and his friend Fergie decide to sneak over to the professor's house to investigate. What they find is wilder than anything they could have imagined, for the professor leads them through a secret cellar door and onto a rickety old trolley. It's a time machine to yesterdays, and soon Johnny and Fergie are off on the ride of their lives: to Constantinople during the Turkish invasion of 1453!As the Byzantine Empire prepares for battle, the professor decides to try to save the people hiding in the Church of the Holy Wisdom. But Johnny and Fergie. Desperate to stop him, have hitched a ride, recklessly unaware that they risk their lives--and risk being lost in the past...forever!

In this, the second book in the Johnny Dixon mystery series, Johnny must find the lost will of Mr. H. Bagwell Glomus, a man of great fortune and sinister witchcraft. Mr. Glomus's widow is offering a $10,000 reward to anyone who finds its hiding place, enough money to help Johnny's grandmother get the operation she needs. So, Johnny will stop at nothing to find the will. With his neighbor, Professor Childermass, and his new friend Fergie, Johnny won't rest until he solves the puzzle. From Boy Scout camp to hotel windows to underground passageways, Johnny races to find the right clues, all the while with the supernatural nipping at his heels... "The pace is fast and the suspense is compelling. Readers will find themselves quickly caught up." -Booklist "Marvelous surprises for everyone except the villians." -Publishers Weekly