The Mystery of the Barranca was published in 1913 by Herman Whitaker. He was a Californian writer. Whitaker and his family moved to the Piedmont hills in 1902 and took up residence in "The Bug House," which is now Blair Avenue. His family became part of the Bohemian group including Jack and Bess London and George and Carrie Sterling. His daughter, Elsie Whitaker, was the subject of photographs and paintings. She married Mexican-American artist Xavier Martinez in October 1907.