Johnny Dixon Series by Brad Strickland, John Bellairs

Johnny Dixon doesn't believe that the ghost of mad Father Baart haunts the town church. But then he takes an old scroll and a seemingly harmless figurine from the church basement, accepts a magic ring from a mysterious stranger--and is plunged into a terrifying adventure that may cost him his life.

Johnny Dixon is sure that he can solve the riddle that will reveal the hiding place of wealthy Mr. Glomus's will--and net Johnny a hefty reward in the bargain. Although his neighbor Professor Childermass warns him to stay away from the Glomus mansion, Johnny can't resist a challenge. Soon he's alone in the deserted house...with one of the undead at his heels!

When Johnny Dixon and his friend Professor Childermass discover an old heirloom clock, the terror begins. The professor suddenly vanishes, and Johnny is left to solve the mystery--alone.Inside the clock Johnny discovers a miniature room, a room exactly like the one in which a murder took place long ago. And from the inside the little room Johnny pockets a tiny skull with magical powers. But taking the skull is a terrible mistake--for dark demonic forces are unleashed the minute he picks it up... moreWhen Johnny Dixon and his friend Professor Childermass discover an old heirloom clock, the terror begins. The professor suddenly vanishes, and Johnny is left to solve the mystery--alone.Inside the clock Johnny discovers a miniature room, a room exactly like the one in which a murder took place long ago. And from the inside the little room Johnny pockets a tiny skull with magical powers. But taking the skull is a terrible mistake--for dark demonic forces are unleashed the minute he picks it up.Enlisting the aid of his friends Fergie and Father Higgins, Johnny embarks on a harrowing chase to a deserted island off the coast of Maine--where he must confront something more terrifying than his worst nightmares. less

Collapsed in a weird trance, Johnny Dixon is dying. Professor Childermass and Fergie soon learn the horrifying reason: Johnny is possessed by the spirit of the evil Warren Windrow. In a desperate effort to find a clue that will save Johnny's life, the professor and Fergie race to the gloomy Windrow estate. But demonic forces are waiting for them, and suddenly they're fighting for their own lives.

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

John Bellairs, the name in Gothic mysteries for middle graders, wrote terrifying tales full of adventure, attitude, and alarm. For years, young readers have crept, crawled, and gone bump in the night with the unlikely heroes of these Gothic novels: Lewis Barnavelt, Johnny Dixon, and Anthony Monday. Now, the ten top-selling titles feature an updated cover look. Loyal fans and enticed newcomers will love the series even more with this haunting new look!

In The Bell, the Book, and the Spellbinder, Johnny Dixon's best friend Fergie steals an enchanted book from the library, and slowly falls under the spell of evil sorcerer Jarmyn Thanatos. In The Chessmen of Doom, Johnny and his friends must unravel the baffling riddle in Peregrine Childermass's will -- or an evil madman will unleash a force so powerful it could destroy the world!

Professor Childermass is stunned when Father Higgins claims that a ghost is trying to contact him. Then the priest disappears. When the professor and Johnny catch up to him, they make a terrifying discovery -- Father Higgins is possessed by Masterman, the spirit of a long-dead knight determined to rule the world. And it looks as if Masterman is going to get his way. "Has enough chills to satisfy readers not quite ready for Stephen King."-- "School Library Journal"

John Bellairs, the name in Gothic mysteries for middle graders, wrote terrifying tales full of adventure, attitude, and alarm. For years, young readers have crept, crawled, and gone bump in the night with the unlikely heroes of these Gothic novels: Lewis Barnavelt, Johnny Dixon, and Anthony Monday. Now, the ten top-selling titles feature an updated cover look. Loyal fans and enticed newcomers will love the series even more with this haunting new look!

When Professor Childermass lends a bizarre collection of artifacts to the Gudge Museum, he secures a summer job for Johnny Dixon in exchange. Soon the very strange Mattheus Mergal appears at the museum insisting to see these objects, which were made by the evil wizard Esdrias Blackleach. Mergal is determined to steal the most powerful object of all: the wooden hand made by Blackleach just before his death. If Mergal possesses this frightful relic, nothing can stop him from terrorizing the world... moreWhen Professor Childermass lends a bizarre collection of artifacts to the Gudge Museum, he secures a summer job for Johnny Dixon in exchange. Soon the very strange Mattheus Mergal appears at the museum insisting to see these objects, which were made by the evil wizard Esdrias Blackleach. Mergal is determined to steal the most powerful object of all: the wooden hand made by Blackleach just before his death. If Mergal possesses this frightful relic, nothing can stop him from terrorizing the world. And as Johnny and the professor race to halt the demon, the wooden hand's force becomes ever stronger... less

Hidden away in the local library, a sorcerer’s book casts an evil spell in a novel by the author of The House with a Clock in Its Walls   Johnny Dixon and his best friend Fergie are whiling away a rainy day at the Duston Heights library when Johnny asks a screwy question: “What’s the last book in the library?” After Johnny goes home, Fergie decides to find out. There, under number 999... moreHidden away in the local library, a sorcerer’s book casts an evil spell in a novel by the author of The House with a Clock in Its Walls   Johnny Dixon and his best friend Fergie are whiling away a rainy day at the Duston Heights library when Johnny asks a screwy question: “What’s the last book in the library?” After Johnny goes home, Fergie decides to find out. There, under number 999.99, he finds a very peculiar tome, The Book of True Wishes, which is all about Fergie’s favorite subject: himself. The book knows Fergie’s name, and it promises him everything he ever wanted, which means he is about to forget a very important rule: Be careful what you wish for.   When the book puts Fergie under the spell of a mad old wizard, Johnny and his friend Professor Childermass will do whatever it takes to break the book’s hold and save their friend.   Johnny Dixon and his eccentric professor friend are two of the most delightful characters in literature as well as “an endearing detective team,” and their adventures continue to hold readers of all ages spellbound (The New York Times). less

On a trip to Florida with his father, Johnny Dixon visits a fortune-teller and receives an eerie premonition. Inside the crystal ball, Johnny sees a ghost-white face with long white hair and black eyes like puddles of oil, which screams, "The universe shall be mine!" Back home, Johnny's father falls unconscious, gravely ill in a way the doctors cannot understand... moreOn a trip to Florida with his father, Johnny Dixon visits a fortune-teller and receives an eerie premonition. Inside the crystal ball, Johnny sees a ghost-white face with long white hair and black eyes like puddles of oil, which screams, "The universe shall be mine!" Back home, Johnny's father falls unconscious, gravely ill in a way the doctors cannot understand. Johnny and his friend Professor Childermass investigate and soon realize that the spirit of Nyarlat-Hotep wants to use Major Dixon's body to destroy the world. To stop this fearsome demon, Johnny and the professor must join forces with Brewster, an otherworldly falcon, and fight Nyarlat-Hotep in its own, unearthly realm. Can they locate an ancient book and defeat their deepest fears in time, or is Johnny's father lost and our world doomed forever? Readers will shiver at the multiple worlds of suspense in this twelfth book in the Johnny Dixon series. less