Julian Hawthorne was an American writer and journalist, the son of novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne and Sophia Peabody. He wrote numerous poems, novels, short stories, mystery/detective fiction, essays and travel books.

For this book, the critic August Nemo selected seven short stories by this author:

- David Poindexter's Disappearance.

- Ken's Mystery.

- When Half-gods Go, the Gods Arrive.

- Set Not Thy Foot on Graves.

- My Friend Paton.

- The Christmas Guest.

- The Laughing Mill