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John Searles Biography, Books, and Similar Authors

Author Biography  | Interview  | Books by this Author  | Read-Alikes

John Searles

John Searles

John Searles Biography

John Searles is an American writer and book critic. He authored the bestselling Boy Still Missing, Strange But True and Help For The Haunted. The latter won the American Library Association Alex Award, was named as an Amazon Top 10 Mystery and Suspense Novel of 2013, a Boston Globe Top 10 Crime Novel of 2013, and an Entertainment Weekly Top Ten Must Read.

His essays, articles and reviews have appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post and other national newspapers and magazines and he contributes frequently to morning television shows as a book critic. He is based in New York City.

John Searles's website

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Interview

John Searles discusses his most recent book, Strange But True, and compares the process of writing fiction with his job as an editor at Cosmopolitan.

Are there any parallels between your own arrival in New York City and Philip's?
Like Philip, I had a very colorful introduction to New York City. For years, I lived upstairs from an eccentric Village character who existed on a steady diet of martinis and cigarettes. I'd run into him in the hallway some days and he'd be dressed in a woman's blouse for no apparent reason. So he was an obvious inspiration for Donnelly. Thankfully, he didn't have a pet bird, because I happen to have a terrible phobia of birds as does Philip.

How do you approach the process of writing fiction, compared to your work at Cosmopolitan?
Both experiences are so different. At Cosmo, my work is part of a huge group effort each month, whereas my writing is done in solitude for long stretches of time until I am ready to share the story with my editor. Still, I approach both things with a great deal of focus while trying to maintain a sense of humor about myself and not take things too seriously.

Do you find it challenging or liberating (or both) to create such high-strung suspense in your storytelling?
Both. Since I love to read books with three-dimensional characters and compelling storylines, that's the kind I try very...

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Books by this Author

Books by John Searles at BookBrowse
Help for the Haunted jacket Strange But True jacket
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Read-Alikes

All the books below are recommended as read-alikes for John Searles but some maybe more relevant to you than others depending on which books by the author you have read and enjoyed. So look for the suggested read-alikes by title linked on the right.
How we choose read-alikes

  • Trezza Azzopardi

    Trezza Azzopardi

    Trezza Azzopardi was born in Cardiff, UK. She is a graduate of the Creative Writing Program at the University of East Anglia and is an external examiner for Creative and Cultural Studies at Norwich School of Art and Design.

    ... (more)

    If you enjoyed:
    Strange But True

    Try:
    Remember Me
    by Trezza Azzopardi

  • Audrey Niffenegger

    Audrey Niffenegger

    Audrey Niffenegger trained as a visual artist at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and received her MFA from Northwestern University's Department of Art Theory and Practice. She has exhibited her artist's books, ... (more)

    If you enjoyed:
    Strange But True

    Try:
    The Time Traveler's Wife
    by Audrey Niffenegger

We recommend 7 similar authors

View all 7 Read-Alikes

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  • Reviews
  • "Beyond the Book" articles
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  • Read-alike suggestions by book and author
  • Book club discussions
  • and much more!
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  • More about membership!

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BookBrowse Book Club

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The Rose Arbor
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An investigation into a girl's disappearance uncovers a mystery dating back to World War II in a haunting novel of suspense.
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In Our Midst
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In Our Midst follows a German immigrant family’s fight for freedom after their internment post–Pearl Harbor.
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