J. B. Michaels

J. B. Michaels writes supernatural thrillers, mysteries, and adventure stories that often combine comic invention with fast-moving danger. The Castle is the third Bud Hutchins supernatural thriller and an entry in the connected Chronicles of the Order sequence. Its 2019 publication returns to inventor Bud, archaeologist and chemist Ivy, the monk Maeve, and Bud's robot companion as they confront a vampire, government pressure, and the dangerous consequences of teleportation technology. The book follows The Order of St. Michael and The Elixir in Bud's reading order, while later Chronicles titles extend the conflict through The Ancient Order, Phantom of the Catacombs, and The Horde. Reviewers have emphasized Michaels's mixture of technology, mystical organizations, horror, and deliberate humor. His broader catalogue also includes the Mac and Millie mystery series and children's holiday adventures. The Castle sits at the point where Bud's personal search for his grandfather becomes inseparable from the larger supernatural organization around him.