John Anderson — pen name Raymond John — (1940-2022) was a Minnesota writer, historian, and dealer in collectible stamps and postcards. His lifelong interest in Malta arose from a childhood stamp collection and was nourished by graduate studies in history as well as many trips to the country. His work as a military intelligence specialist also influenced the plot of The Cellini Masterpiece.

John loved old-fashioned mysteries and read all of  Ellery Queen and Sherlock Holmes, which influenced Who Done Houdini?. His other loves included Sodoku, crossword puzzles, and anchovy and jalapeno pizza!