Books with author John Bell

He wields immense power. She knows his darkest secret. Her conscience compels her to expose him. He will do whatever is necessary to ensure that doesn't happen. Even if it means murder..."A heady, character-driven suspense thriller that is guaranteed to keep you turning the pages."When the psychological toll of chasing human monsters finally becomes too much to handle, FBI profiler Camille Grisham trades in her shield for what she hopes will be a quiet new beginning. What better place to start than home? Her father is there. Her best friend, Julia, is there.But something else is there too. Something dark, deadly, and unforeseen. A secret. Powerful enough to destabilize an entire political system. A man. Desperate to contain that secret, no matter the cost.A young, crusading lawyer. Caught at the center of it all.The lawyer is Camille's best friend. And she is in grave danger. Blindsided by the horrific events that follow her arrival, Camille must scramble to piece together the tattered threads of Julia’s past. Each clue she uncovers lands her one step closer to a truth she isn’t prepared to face. And a killer she isn’t prepared to fight.But fight him she must. And despite the personal monsters that have reduced Camille to a shell of her former self, losing is not an option.Julia’s legacy depends on it. The integrity of an entire electoral system depends on it. Her very life depends on it. “The Strategist is a gripping mystery on a contemporary subject matter. I highly recommend the book and look forward to the next in the series.” - Margie PA“Suspenseful to the last page!! Great character portraits! Held my attention to the last minute. Great read!” - Amazon CustomerFans of Josie Quinn, Violet Darger, Morgan Dane, Tracy Crosswhite, and Mercy Kilpatrick will appreciate Camille Grisham & Chloe Sullivan! More Praise for The Strategist and John Hardy Bell:“I rarely give five-star reviews, but with ‘The Strategist’, first-time author John Hardy Bell has defied the odds and delivered the goods.” - David C.“Fantastic page-turner murder mystery. Seriously hard to put down. Highly recommended!” - Craig C.“One of the best mysteries I’ve read in a long time, and I’ve read many.” - Baylor ‘51“Fun read. Fast-paced. New heroine. I read the book while walking a treadmill - walked faster as the book got more interesting.” - Damaries L.“The characters are beautifully realized - especially the main character Camille. She (as are the others) are fully human, yet extraordinary.” - Sally D.“A great add to your tbr list.” - Denise G. Don’t wait! Download Book 1 of the Grisham & Sullivan Crime Thriller Series Today!

He wields immense power. She knows his darkest secret. Her conscience compels her to expose him. He will do whatever is necessary to ensure that doesn't happen. Even if it means murder..."A heady, character-driven suspense thriller that is guaranteed to keep you turning the pages."When the psychological toll of chasing human monsters finally becomes too much to handle, FBI profiler Camille Grisham trades in her shield for what she hopes will be a quiet new beginning. What better place to start than home? Her father is there. Her best friend, Julia, is there.But something else is there too. Something dark, deadly, and unforeseen. A secret. Powerful enough to destabilize an entire political system. A man. Desperate to contain that secret, no matter the cost.A young, crusading lawyer. Caught at the center of it all.The lawyer is Camille's best friend. And she is in grave danger. Blindsided by the horrific events that follow her arrival, Camille must scramble to piece together the tattered threads of Julia’s past. Each clue she uncovers lands her one step closer to a truth she isn’t prepared to face. And a killer she isn’t prepared to fight.But fight him she must. And despite the personal monsters that have reduced Camille to a shell of her former self, losing is not an option.Julia’s legacy depends on it. The integrity of an entire electoral system depends on it. Her very life depends on it. “The Strategist is a gripping mystery on a contemporary subject matter. I highly recommend the book and look forward to the next in the series.” - Margie PA“Suspenseful to the last page!! Great character portraits! Held my attention to the last minute. Great read!” - Amazon CustomerFans of Josie Quinn, Violet Darger, Morgan Dane, Tracy Crosswhite, and Mercy Kilpatrick will appreciate Camille Grisham & Chloe Sullivan! More Praise for The Strategist and John Hardy Bell:“I rarely give five-star reviews, but with ‘The Strategist’, first-time author John Hardy Bell has defied the odds and delivered the goods.” - David C.“Fantastic page-turner murder mystery. Seriously hard to put down. Highly recommended!” - Craig C.“One of the best mysteries I’ve read in a long time, and I’ve read many.” - Baylor ‘51“Fun read. Fast-paced. New heroine. I read the book while walking a treadmill - walked faster as the book got more interesting.” - Damaries L.“The characters are beautifully realized - especially the main character Camille. She (as are the others) are fully human, yet extraordinary.” - Sally D.“A great add to your tbr list.” - Denise G. Don’t wait!Order Book 1 of the Grisham & Sullivan Crime Thriller Series Today!

A boy tries to stop a rampaging robot in this “deliciously wicked fun” tale by the author of The House with a Clock in Its Walls (School Library Journal) When feared Yankees slugger Cliff Bullard goes barnstorming around the northeast, offering $10,000 to any local pitcher who can strike him out, Professor Childermass and Johnny Dixon get a sneaky idea. There’s a local legend about a crackpot inventor who once built a robot capable of throwing a baseball 110 MPH, and the professor thinks that if they find the machine, they can win Bullard’s prize. They discover the rusted old monstrosity in an abandoned workshop and put it back together, piece by piece. But when they screw in the robot’s eyes and it comes to life, they realize they have made a terrible mistake. As soon as it’s activated, the robot attacks, trying to kill Johnny and the professor. Was it made to be a killing machine, or have its circuits been corroded? To save the town and get a crack at the $10,000, Johnny and the professor will have to tame the steel beast. The adventure stories featuring Johnny Dixon, from the award-winning author of The House with a Clock in Its Walls, are a delightfully imaginative treat, and this book in the popular series features “a unique plot, marvelous characters, and non-stop suspense” (School Library Journal).

Settled into his new life, Lewis seems content living with his magical Uncle Jonathan and neighbor Mrs Zimmermann. He even has a new best friend, Rose Rita, who loves to play sports, build Roman ship models and play with magic—all the things Lewis loves to do too! After discovering Grandpa Barnavelt's 1859 lucky coin, Lewis is certain that it is magical, so he puts it to the test—he recites one of Mrs Zimmermann's spells to awaken its magic. Only Lewis hasn't awakened a good sort of magic. As he wears the coin around his neck, sinister things start to happen. Strange letters addressed to Lewis arrive at midnight, a dark shadowy figure begins to follow him in town and something seems to be inside his body controlling his actions. As the figure in the shadows appears more and more, Lewis is possessed by its power, unable to free himself. Has Lewis awakened a force beyond his control? And can Uncle Jonathan, Mrs. Zimmermann and Rose Rita make it in time to rescue Lewis?

Rose Rita wishes she could go to camp like her best friend, Lewis. She's sure that boys get to have all the fun, but instead she must stay at home and get ready to attend Junior High, where she will have to do "girly" activities—something she hates! That is until Mrs. Zimmermann offers her an adventure of her own—a trip to cousin Oley's farm. Mrs. Zimmermann's cousin Oley has left her his farm, as well as a ring that he thinks is magic. But when Mrs. Zimmermann and Rose Rita arrive at the deserted farm, the ring has mysteriously vanished. Strange things start to happen around them—Mrs. Zimmermann becomes ill, Rose Rita keeps on seeing scary images and Mrs. Zimmermann goes missing. What power does this magical ring have? Will the person who took the ring use it to do evil? And will Rose Rita be able to rescue Mrs. Zimmermann from whatever evil force has taken her?

Based on a true haunting the author himself experienced.In 2016, John Davidson and his family moved to Skipton Road, a quiet cul-de-sac situated within the heart of a northern industrial town, in the hope of improving their lives. However, they had no idea of what evil terrors awaited them. Things appeared normal at first... apart from the pungent smell of rotten flesh in their kitchen, recurring scratch marks along the walls, and an overwhelming sense of always being watched by someone or something. Overtime, through a series of vivid nightmares and intrusive whispers, the Davidsons came to learn of a malignant menace that still dwelled within their new home – a witch named Sabina, who sought out vengeance upon those who had betrayed her in life, and an ancient demon that referred itself as "Baal". Throughout these horrific events, John struggled against his growing depression, his new reliance on alcohol, and the overall strong desire to keep his family from falling apart... which it sadly was. This terrifying period in their lives would forever haunt the Davidsons, as it did with countless other victims before them.In reading this novel you will bear witness to an actual haunting that took place, its lasting effect on those involved, and one that many people can verify. Some, including the author, would argue that Sabina and the ancient demon do exist. It’s up to you as the reader to decide.Set in the North East of England. Names of characters and certain places have been changed to protect identities.*** First Edition: Review Highlights (Amazon and Goodreads, UK/US) ***‘Really enjoyed this book, looked forward to bedtime to continue reading. I usually fall asleep after a couple of pages, but this kept me intrigued... would recommend, and was spooky enough to have me checking behind for "Sabina" a couple of times!’ Barbara Ivey (Amazon, UK).‘The Skipton Haunting is a different horror story that mixes elements of folklore with the daily life of a family that moves to a haunted house. It is a different story because is mainly narrated through dialogue. A vibrant, lively dialogue that uses slang terms and dialect. In a metaphorical level, the story has the classical theme of the witch/woman that takes revenge on abusive men, a legend that can be found in the folklore across the world, and in this case, is focused in a concrete area of the UK.’ Eva García Fornet (Goodreads/Amazon, US).‘An excellent story which had me gripped from start to finish. It had me frightened too, and I speak as one who is not easily frightened.’ Pat (Amazon, UK)'Wow, this novel scared me as I got deeper into the plot. Seen through the eyes of the main character, a man with a wife and child who tries to build a better life for them by buying a property which at first seems like a fantastic bargain. As the novel goes on, they discover secrets regarding the property and the evil that still haunts it. The writing is quick, the characters as real as your next door neighbors and the horror is as unnerving as fingernails scraping down a blackboard. I highly recommend this book and look forward to more from this author.' Adele Marie (Goodreads).‘Interesting and scary ghost story. The author states it is based upon his family’s experience making it even more terrifying.’ Frances Hampton (Amazon, US).'A blend of horror, curse, haunting troubling a young family who's moved into a home on, what they learn later, is thought to be a haunted street. I enjoyed the family dynamics and not knowing until the end how that would play out.' Mary (Goodreads).‘I thoroughly enjoyed this horror story. I felt at one with the author, especially in the dream sequences.’ Jill Stevens (Amazon, UK).‘Plenty of mystery. Really good characters and setting.’ Sandi (Amazon, US).‘The Red Ribbon Witch is truly gripping, exciting, scary, worrying and thrilling all in one emotion.’ Sadgey81 (Amazon, UK).

A fantasy classic by the author of The House with a Clock in Its Walls—basis for the Jack Black movie—and “a writer who knows what wizardry is all about” (Ursula K. Le Guin). A richly imaginative story of wizards stymied by a power beyond their control, A Face in the Frost combines the thrills of a horror novel with the inventiveness of fairy tale–inspired fantasy. Prospero, a tall, skinny misfit of a wizard, lives in the South Kingdom—a patchwork of feuding duchies and small manors, all loosely loyal to one figurehead king. Along with his necromancer friend Roger Bacon, who has been on a quest to find a mysterious book, Prospero must flee his home to escape ominous pursuers. Thus begins an adventure that will lead him to a grove where his old rival, Melichus, is falsely rumored to be buried and to a less-than-hospitable inn in the town of Five Dials—and ultimately into a dangerous battle with origins in a magical glass paperweight. Lin Carter called The Face in the Frost one of “the best fantasy novels to appear since The Lord of the Rings . . . Absolutely first class.” With a unique blend of humor and darkness, it remains one of the most beloved tales by the Edgar Award–nominated author also known for the long-running Lewis Barnavelt series.

A young hero and his professor friend set out to save a priest from a ghost, in this novel by the author of The House with a Clock in Its Walls Aside from the eccentric Professor Childermass, young sleuth Johnny Dixon’s best friend may be Father Higgins, the kindly priest at the local church. When Higgins is transferred to the congregation in the tiny town of Rocks Village, Johnny and the professor are afraid they won’t see their old friend ever again. But they’ll be reuniting with Father Higgins sooner than they think—and the thing that brings them together will be positively out of this world. No sooner has Father Higgins moved than he begins seeing a ghost lurking around the church. The apparition is a young girl who never speaks, but has a habit of leaving cryptic notes around Higgins’s house. When Higgins disappears, Johnny and the professor follow his trail, embarking on a haunting quest that will lead them all the way to England. In The Secret of the Underground Room, this multimillion-selling, Edgar Award–winning author offers a good old-fashioned ghost story packed with adventure and suspense.

A boy sneaks into an old church to confront a mad ghost in this adventure by the author of The House with a Clock in Its Walls It’s the 1950s when Johnny Dixon’s mother dies, his father goes to fight in the Korean War, and he goes to live with his grandparents. Although life in a new house is strange, Johnny’s “Grampa” listens to his favorite ballgames, takes him on long walks, and tells him stories of the strange mysteries that lurk in the shadows. Best of all, he’s friends with Professor Childermass, an eccentric academic who’s about to take Johnny on the adventure of a lifetime. When the professor learns Johnny loves ghost stories, he tells the boy the spookiest legend in Duston Heights, Massachusetts—the tale of the haunted church on the edge of town, with demonic carvings on its altar, and the troubled spirit of mad Father Baart, who is said to have killed two people before vanishing long ago. With the professor as his guide, Johnny sets out on a quest that will put him face-to-face with the crazy, long-dead priest. The first book in the delightful Johnny Dixon series by the author who provides “suspense and action aplenty” (Booklist), The Curse of the Blue Figurine is a good old-fashioned Gothic adventure.

In 1863–1864, Confederate naval operations were launched from Canada against America, with an unexpected impact on North America’s future. Since the terrorist attacks of 9/11, a myth has persisted that the hijackers entered the United States from Canada. This is completely untrue. Nevertheless, there was a time during the U.S. Civil War when attacks on America were launched from Canada, but the aggressors were mostly fellow Americans engaged in a secessionist struggle. Among the attacks were three daring naval commando expeditions against a prisoner-of-war camp on Johnsons Island in Lake Erie. These Confederate operations on the Great Lakes remain largely unknown. However, some of the people involved did make more indelible marks in history, including a future Canadian prime minister, a renowned Victorian war correspondent, a beloved Catholic poet, a notorious presidential assassin, and a son of the abolitionist John Brown. The improbable events linking these figures constitute a story worth telling and remembering. Rebels on the Great Lakes offers the first full account of the Confederate naval operations launched from Canada in 186364, describing forgotten military actions that ultimately had an unexpected impact on North Americas future.

Mrs. Zimmermann hasn't regained her powers from her last encounter with dark magic, and Uncle Jonathan and Lewis have left for the summer to travel, leaving her and Rose Rita bored and lonely at home. That is until Mrs. Zimmermann sees visions and shadows of her old magic teacher, Granny Wetherbee, trying to contact her from beyond the grave. Mrs. Zimmermann and Rose Rita set off to Pennsylvania to solve the mystery and in doing so travel back in time to Granny Wetherbee, who tells them that they must save a good wizard who is destined to die for a wrongdoing he didn't commit.