John

Searles

Award Winning Novelist

Editor & Journalist

Travels from: New York City, NY

“John Searles brings the misfits among us to life with the clarity of Carson McCullers—and then scares us with the brilliance of Stephen King. Her Last Affair is a perfect, page-turning example of the heart and horror that makes me love his work so very, very much.” — Chris Bohjalian, #1 Bestselling author

John Searles is the best-selling author of the novels Her Last Affair, Help for the Haunted, Strange but True and Boy Still Missing.

Hailed as “riveting” by The New York Times and “hypnotic” by Entertainment Weekly, Boy Still Missing inspired Time magazine to name him a “Person to Watch,” and the New York Daily News to name him a “New Yorker to Watch.” His second novel, Strange But True was praised as “sinister and complex” by Janet Maslin of The New York Times, “extraordinary” by Publishers Weekly, and was named best novel of the year by Salon. Help for the Haunted was named a Boston Globe Best Crime Novel of the Year, an Entertainment Weekly Top 10 Must List, and won the American Library Association’s Alex Award. John’s most recent novel, Her Last Affair, was named a Best New Book by People magazine and praised as “a tense, intricately woven tale of heartbreak, retribution and redemption” by Publishers Weekly and “a twisted thriller that explores despair and loneliness with cinematic flair” by Kirkus Reviews.

In 2019, Strange But True was adapted for film by the producers of La La Land and released in theaters nationwide by Lionsgate. Now streaming on HBOMax and Amazon Prime, the film stars the award-winning ensemble cast of Amy Ryan, Greg Kinnear, Brian Cox, Blythe Danner, Nick Robinson and Margaret Qualley. The movie was praised as “suspenseful and haunting” by The Hollywood Reporter and “a twisty tale of tragic secrets” by the Los Angeles Times.

Since 2001, John has appeared frequently on NBC’s Today Show to discuss his favorite book selections. He’s also appeared on CBS This Morning, Good Day New York, Live! With Regis & Kelly, NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross and CNN to discuss his books.

For 23 years, John was the books editor of Cosmopolitan, also serving as the magazine’s brand director, executive editor, and editor-at-large. His personal and travel essays, book and restaurant reviews have been published in the New York Times, Washington Post and numerous other magazines, newspapers and websites. He has a master’s degree in creative writing from New York University and lives in New York.

John's Featured Titles

RECKLESS GOSSIP!

John dishes about his very colorful childhood as the gay son of a rugged, cross-country truck-driver, to his years as a top editor at the world’s sexiest, most scandalous women’s magazine, COSMOPOLITAN, and his many years appearing on morning television shows, like NBC’s Today Show, the inner-workings of the publishing industry and more… This talk is full of outlandish and heartwarming and occasionally name-droppy stories from an author who has lived a unique and compelling life with more twists and turns than your favorite book!

“I’ve had the pleasure of seeing John on stage numerous times. Two memories that come to mind: When John emceed the AAP (Association of American Publishers) dinner during Book Expo in NYC for an audience of 300 and the Opus & Olives Literary Gala in St. Paul for an audience of 1,000. Each time, John was hilarious and heartwarming and the crowd adored him! He is an incredible author and speaker!” — Virginia Stanley, Director, Library Marketing, HarperCollins Publishers

“John has graced has graced my stage three times and I’m going to ask him back again. The reason John is such an extraordinary speaker is that when he walks up to a podium, he owns it. This man will have your audience eating out of his hands. He’s funny…he’s authentic…he’s heartwarming…and he tells the greatest stories! Your crowd will be rolling in the aisles. He’s just a funny man with a heart as big as all literacy. You’d be lucky to have him. Call me and I’d be happy to talk to you!” — Robie Scott, Producer of The Post & Courier Book & Author Luncheon

“We have been fortunate to host John Searles three times at our library; twice in person to talk about new books that he has written, and once during the pandemic when he was our virtual author. He is always personable and charming as he explains his writing processes and how his life experiences influence his novels. It is always a treat for our patrons when he comes to speak-they love him!” — Donna Ballard, Department Head Readers Services, East Meadow Library, East Meadow, NY

“John Searles gave a fabulous keynote address at the Backspace Writers Conference. Not only did he charm the audience with his enthusiasm and humor, but many said John’s keynote was the highlight of the conference, and worth the cost of the registration fee alone.” — Karen Dionne, Backspace LLC

John’s Articles

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John’s Events

Honors, Awards & Recognition

Her Last Affair, was nominated for Best Novel by The Strand Magazine.

Her Last Affair, was named a Best New Book by People magazine and praised as “a tense, intricately woven tale of heartbreak, retribution and redemption” by Publishers Weekly and “a twisted thriller that explores despair and loneliness with cinematic flair” by Kirkus Reviews.

Help for the Haunted, was named a Boston Globe Best Crime Novel of the Year, an Entertainment Weekly Top 10 Must List, and won the American Library Association’s Alex Award.

Strange but True was praised as “sinister and complex” by Janet Maslin of The New York Times, “extraordinary” by Publishers Weekly, and was named Best Novel of the Year by Salon.

Strange But True was adapted for film by the producers of La La Land and released in theaters nationwide by Lionsgate. Now streaming on HBOMax and Amazon Prime, the film stars the award-winning ensemble cast of Amy Ryan, Greg Kinnear, Brian Cox, Blythe Danner, Nick Robinson and Margaret Qualley. The movie was praised as “suspenseful and haunting” by The Hollywood Reporter and “a twisty tale of tragic secrets” by the Los Angeles Times.

Boy Still Missing, was hailed as “riveting” by The New York Times and “hypnotic” by Entertainment Weekly, inspiring Time magazine to profile him in the magazine, naming him a “Person to Watch.”