Jonathan Stroud was born in Bedford in 1970. After studying English Literature at York University, he moved to London, where he worked as an editor in a publishing firm. He is the author of the best-selling BARTIMAEUS sequence, which is published in 35 languages and has sold 6 million copies worldwide. As well as four other novels: Heroes of the Valley, The Last Siege, The Leap and Buried Fire, Jonathan is now writing a chilling new series called LOCKWOOD & CO. He lives in Hertfordshire with his family.