Background

Lewis is the only son of Charles Barnavelt and his (unnamed) wife, both of whom died sometime in 1948 in an automobile accident in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. After this traumatizing ordeal, Lewis is sent to live with Charlie's brother, Jonathan, in New Zebedee, Michigan.

Arrival

Bellairs was extremely well read in the works of M.R. James and pays tribute to that author by including small literary devices in his novels; one might compare the characters of the James story Lost Hearts with the trio Bellairs introduces in The House with a Clock in its Walls. Lost Hearts tells the story a young boy sent to live with a reletive:

     It was, as far as I can ascertain, in September of the year 1811 that a postchaise drew up before the door of Aswarby Hall, in the heart of Lincolnshire. The little boy who was the only passenger in the chaise, and who jumped out as soon as it had stopped, looked about him with the keenest curiosity during the short interval that elapsed between the ringing of the bell and the opening of the hall door.
     The post-chaise had brought him from Warwickshire, where, some six months before, he had been left an orphan. Now, owing to the generous offer of his elderly cousin, Mr Abney, he had come to live at Aswarby. The offer was unexpected, because all who knew anything of Mr Abney looked upon him as a somewhat austere recluse, into whose steadygoing household the advent of a small boy would import a new and, it seemed, incongruous element. The truth is that very little was known of Mr Abney's pursuits or temper.

     Lewis Barnavelt fidgeted and wiped his sweaty palms on the seat of the bus that was roaring toward New Zebedee....[3].

     Lewis Barnavelt was ten years old. Until recently he had lived with his parents in a small town near Milwaukee. But his father and mother had been killed suddenly one night in an auto accident. He was going to live with his Uncle Jonathan whom he had never met in his life. Of course, Lewis had heard a few things about Uncle Jonathan, like that he smoked and drank and played poker [4].

     Whatever may have been expected by his neighbours, it is certain that Mr Abney - the tall, the thin, the austere - seemed inclined to give his young cousin a kindly reception. The moment the front door was opened he darted out of his study, rubbing his hands with delight.
     'How are you, my boy? - how are you? How old are you?' said he -'that is, you are not too much tired, I hope, by your journey to eat your supper?'
     'No, thank you, sir,' said Master Elliott; I am pretty well.'
     'That's a good lad,' said Mr Abney. 'And how old are you, my boy?'
     It seemed a little odd that he should have asked the question twice in the first two minutes of their acquaintance.
'I'm twelve years old next birthday, sir,' said Stephen.

     Jonathan van Olden Barnavelt took his steaming pipe out of his mouth and held out his hand. "Hi, Lewis. I'm your Uncle Jonathan. I recognized you from a picture your father once sent me. Welcome to New Zebedee" [6].

     Mrs Bunch was the most comfortable and human person whom Stephen had as yet met in Aswarby. She made him completely at home; they were great friends in a quarter of an hour: and great friends they remained. Mrs Bunch had been born in the neighbourhood some fifty-five years before the date of Stephen's arrival, and her residence at the Hall was of twenty years' standing. Consequently, if anyone knew the ins and outs of the house and the district, Mrs Bunch knew them; and she was by no means disinclined to communicate her information.

     Lewis walked down the long hall. It seemed to take forever. At the other end he emerged into a room full of yellow light. There were pictures in heavy gilt frames on the walls; there was a mantelpiece covered with a wild assortment of junk; there was a big round table in he middle of the room, and over in the corner was a gray-haired woman in a baggy purple dress. She was standing with her ear to the wall, listening [10].

Lewis is very much a loner in his new surroundings, usually content to stay at home and read or visit with his uncle or next-door neighbor Mrs. Zimmermann - or even take part in one of their poker games! He does get out of his new home, the three-story monolith at 100 High Street, enough to explore New Zebedee though his low self-esteem prevents him from maintaining friendships with those his own age.

Soon after his encounter with Selenna Izard, Lewis meets and is befriended by Rose Rita Pottinger.