The author was born in France, in a small medieval town perched on a rock, surrounded by high walls, with the remains of an ancient fortress at its heart. That’s where he got his first brush with old myths, puzzling legends and dark Middle Age tales.

While his childhood fed his fertile imagination, his travels as a reporter, from Bosnia all the way to Afghanistan, were crucial in shaping his view of the world.

Not unlike Archibald’s sister in the book, Michel has indeed learned a thing or two about mining for clues and connecting the dots. For 10 years, he was an investigative journalist for newspapers in magazines and Europe. He also published several books for children and young adults —not to mention his communication work for the European Union.