John Searles

John Searles is a highly acclaimed author, best known for his gripping mystery novels. Born in Connecticut, Searles was the third child of a truck-driving father and a homemaker mother. As a young boy, he often accompanied his father on his trucking runs during summer vacations. These experiences would later provide inspiration for his writing.

Searles has written several best-selling novels, including "Her Last Affair," "Help for the Haunted," "Strange but True," and "Boy Still Missing." His work has received critical acclaim, with publications such as The New York Times and Entertainment Weekly praising his novels as "riveting" and "hypnotic." His first novel, "Boy Still Missing," earned him recognition as a "Person to Watch" by Time magazine and a "New Yorker to Watch" by the New York Daily News. "Strange but True" was named the best novel of the year by Salon, and "Help for the Haunted" was hailed as a Boston Globe Best Crime Novel of the Year and an Entertainment Weekly Top 10 Must List.

In addition to his success as a novelist, Searles has also enjoyed a successful career in journalism. He served as the longtime books editor of Cosmopolitan and has contributed personal and travel essays, book and restaurant reviews to various publications, including the New York Times, Washington Post, and numerous other magazines, newspapers, and websites. Searles has a master's degree in creative writing from New York University and currently resides in New York. In 2019, "Strange But True" was adapted for film and released in theaters nationwide by Lionsgate, earning praise as a "suspenseful and haunting" movie by The Hollywood Reporter and "a twisty tale of tragic secrets" by the Los Angeles Times. Searles has also made regular appearances on morning programs like NBC’s Today Show, CBS This Morning, Live! With Regis & Kelly, NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross and CNN to discuss his books and his favorite books of the season.