The best of John Bellairs
Subtitle: The House with a Clock in Its Walls / The Figure in the Shadows / The Letter, the Witch, and the Ring
Edition: printing (1)
Publisher: Barnes & Nobles Books
Published: 1998
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Format: Hardcover
Number of pages: 188
ISBN-13: 9780760711422
Copyright date: 1976
Subjects: Juvenile fiction; Magic; Witchcraft
Description: The House with a Clock in Its Walls; The Figure in the Shadows and The Letter, the Witch, and the Ring are three magically eerie tales gathered in this one-volume edition. The series opens as Lewis Barnavelt, a newly orphaned ten-year-old, comes to live with his Uncle Johnathan. Little does Lewis know that Uncle Johnathan and his next-door neighbor, Mrs. Zimmerman are witches. Lewis finds that he himself owns magical powers, and soon is thrust in a supernatural battle between good and evil. The second tale focuses on Grampa Barnavelt's old coin. Lewis thinks the coin is an amulet, but when he starts to wear it around his neck, bizarre things start to happen - and not all of them good. 

The last tale shifts the focus to thirteen-year-old Rose Rita, who is embittered because she cannot go to camp like Lewis. so Mrs. Zimmerman offers Rita an adventure of her own. But when a magical ring disappears, Rita gets more of an adventure than she bargained for. 

John Bellairs's vivid characterization and and excruciatingly suspenseful plots make this series a thrilling ride!