The House with a Clock in Its Walls - (Lewis Barnavelt) by John Bellairs (Paperback)

About the Book

This classic is now reissued with a brand-new look. A boy goes to live with his magician uncle in a mansion that has a clock hidden in the walls which is ticking off the minutes until doomsday.

Book Synopsis

A haunting gothic tale by master mysery writer John Bellairs--soon to be a major motion picture starring Cate Blanchett and Jack Black!

"The House With a Clock in Its Walls will cast its spell for a long time."--The New York Times Book Review

When Lewis Barnavelt, an orphan. comes to stay with his uncle Jonathan, he expects to meet an ordinary person. But he is wrong. Uncle Jonathan and his next-door neighbor, Mrs. Zimmermann, are both magicians! Lewis is thrilled. At first, watchng magic is enough. Then Lewis experiments with magic himself and unknowingly resurrects the former owner of the house: a woman named Selenna Izard. It seems that Selenna and her husband built a timepiece into the walls--a clock that could obliterate humankind. And only the Barnavelts can stop it!

Review Quotes

Is there no end to the suspense John Bellairs can create? (School Library Journal, starred review)

ThereÆs suspense and action aplenty. . . . Perfect for the pre-Stephen King set. (Booklist)

Brace yourself for a wild ride. (Kirkus Reviews)

About the Author

John Bellairs (1938-1991) was the critically acclaimed, best-selling author of many Gothic novels for middle-graders, including the novels starring Johnny Dixon and Lewis Barnavelt.