Twisted Circus

At the end of the twenty-first century, climate change and famine almost ended humanity—until the discovery of the Klujns, a barbaric, humanoid species with strangely colored eyes and even stranger abilities. Their crystal claws and bones fertilize barren soil, and their tender meat is a super-protein. Klujns are both humans’ saviors and natural-born enemies, meant to be hunted and used.

“Thoroughly modern, accessibly brainy, hilariously eccentric, and beautifully human.” —The New York Times Book Review John Irving returns to the themes that established him as one of our most admired and beloved authors in this absorbing novel of fate and memory. In Avenue of Mysteries...

Step right up… if you dare. When the lights go out and the crowds disappear, the carnival awakens. The Carnival After Dark: 20 Horror Short Stories of Twisted Entertainment by Adrian Cave invites you beyond the ticket booth and into a world where laughter echoes too long, mirrors reflect more than they should, and every ride demands a price. Inside this collection, you’ll discover: A carousel that steals more than childhood joy A fortune teller whose popcorn predicts gruesome fates A clown whose painted smile becomes permanent A Ferris wheel that descends into something waiting ...

A good boy. A curious boy. A missing boy... In this darkly whimsical fantasy short story, Bobby attends a circus his mother initially forbid him to visit. Along the way, he discovers a spine-chilling connection between the creepy ringmaster and his mother that will change his family forever. "TinyTown" is the introduction to a series of dark speculative tales involving characters and creatures connected to The Circus of Wonderful & Amazing Things.

"If you love Stephen King, David Baldacci, Ken Follett, or Dan Brown books, you've found your sweet spot." WHAT WAS CARVED INTO THE VICTIMS' FOREHEADS? It was the summer of 1960, and Jackie McCabe was just 11. He and his pal Hugo DeMann were always out for adventure at Lake Maxinkuckee. During a sleepover one night, Hugo urged his friend to sneak out of the family cottage to explore. Several shocking events quickly sent them scurrying home. A few days later, the boys were hunting for wayward golf balls in the woods next to the golf course. They knew the greenskeeper would pay them enough to...

Pan’s the name. Peter Pan, that is. My Lost Boys and I have got the hottest theater act in all of Neverland. Or we did, before Hook started poaching my performers. Now, my troupe is down to me and my right-hand gal Tinker Bell. As much as Tink’s ego doesn’t like it, we’re not enough to fill the seats on our own. Our only hope of saving our home is to recruit some fresh blood. Enter: The Darlings. A pair of mad genius twins and their pain-in-my-rear sister who insists on tagging along to keep them out of trouble. Right; her and what army? After some coaching, the pyromaniac twins are...

In a circus of shadows, death takes centre stage. In the shadowy heart of Prague, beneath the looming towers of Vysehrad Castle, DCI Nash finds himself ensnared in a web of malevolence. As a once-celebrated circus unravels into a maelstrom of death, the macabre discovery of a fifteen-year-old trapeze artist signals the start of a nightmare murder spree that disrupts the colourful façade of the big top. With the spectral hum of an uninvited carousel heralding a curse, Nash is thrown into a case where the performers live by superstition and folklore. With time running out, Nash battles the ...

Bloomsbury presents The Children by Melissa Albert, read by Rebecca Lowman, Saskia Maarleveld, Kristen Sieh, Iggy Costello and Leslie Alerman 'A joyously grim, open-eyed, adult fairy tale with the messiest of morals' PAUL TREMBLAY 'An insidious and masterfully cast spell of a book . . . Gorgeous...

The world is unraveling. John Caul is the last thread. In the explosive sequel to Rakehell, secret agent John Caul faces a brutal new reality: orchestrated violence is tearing down governments, and an unseen hand is shaping the future. The rules have changed—and survival means rewriting them. Pitted against Angel, a lethal assassin who matches him move for move, Caul must uncover a global conspiracy before it’s too late. Allies are scarce. Enemies are everywhere. And with winter closing in, every decision could be fatal. The wolves are hunting. Caul is running out of time. Praise for ...

Meet John Caul, the government's go-to operative when situations demand swift, decisive action, often delivered through the barrel of a gun. Armed with a special license that allows him to break any law to safeguard the United Kingdom, Caul is the man for missions where others would falter. But his latest mission is unlike any other, with stakes higher than ever before. "Rakehell" introduces a dark and complex world of thrilling action, where villains' schemes can succeed, altering the global landscape in ways no one could have predicted. As the world teeters on the brink of catastrophe, ...

Auntie Bertie is an old lady with Victorian values and principles. She hates loud noise and noisy children, and when the circus comes to town, she is not at all amused! With her dog, Susan, she sets off to stop the circus. Rescue cats Molly and George from next door follow to see what havoc Auntie Bertie may cause. Will Auntie Bertie get her own way? She hopes so, but we hope not!