John Searles is an American writer and book critic based in New York City. He has written five novels: Boy Still Missing, Strange But True, Help For The Haunted, Her Last Affair, and Single Girls. Single Girls was inspired by his years working as an editor at Cosmopolitan and his friendship with Helen Gurley Brown, the influential feminist editor and writer. Beyond his novels, Searles has established himself as a literary voice in national media. His essays have been published in prominent outlets including The New York Times and the Washington Post. He also appears regularly on morning television programs as a book critic, contributing to the broader cultural conversation about literature and reading.