The Circus

By: M.D. LaBelle

Narrated by: Harry Roger Williams III

Length: 1 hr and 27 mins

Publisher's summary

Where Everyone Is Welcome But A Few Never Go Home

Nothing bad ever happens in the quiet little town of Hope. However, when the circus rolls in one misty morning in late October, everyone decides to go see what they have. Even the Jorgenson family and their 8 year old son Noah head on down to the circus big top, but when it is time to leave he is nowhere to be found. With the help of Sheriff Langley, his parents search the premises, but they don't find him. Now that it is closing time, they are forced to leave in hopes that he will come home. Will they ever find him and all the other children that have gone missing from other towns?

Find out in The Circus, if what lies beneath the shiny exterior is something darker and far worse than you could have ever thought possible. A short holiday novella.

©2023 M.D. LaBelle (P)2024 M.D. LaBelle

Beware of Clowns! …

Wow! I absolutely loved everything about this book. From the cover art to the narration and everything in between.
This is a shortish novella so I don’t want to give anything away. This story is a fresh take on the clown sub-genre, is very well written, has interesting and well developed characters and has it’s share of gore. I was amazed by how much was going on in such a short book and would have loved for the story to have kept going.
This is a must read if you are a horror fan. Also, there are some uncomfortable situations so beware if you have any triggers.

Creepy Clowns!

The cover of this one definitely drew me in. What's not to love about a circus and clowns? The small town of Hope is surprised when a Circus arrives close to Halloween. Who doesn't love a Circus? Practically the entire population attends opening night, but will all of them survive?

Strange things start to happen and several horrific crimes are committed just as the Circus arrives. Could these events be related?

This short book was full of creepy clowns, gruesome deaths (some of them children, so be warned), and a great reveal of the true nature of the clowns. The author did introduce a lot of characters very quickly and that made it a bit difficult to follow, but all in all, it was a truly spooky quick read.

The narrator sounded like a robot at times and his tone was very monotonous. I felt like his performance took away from the enjoyment of the book on audio.

An interesting story

Right off the bat, I got excited because it sets up with a backdrop like Ray Bradbury’s ‘Something Wicked This Way Comes’. With a rural suburban location that only seemed idyllic from the outside, there were hopes in a place that could be called forlorn and tragic under the surface. I thought we were in for some real Needful Things happening, and I was excited.
So, my only disappointment is that we don’t get more about the origin and purpose of the circus. The evil feels maybe a little coincidental and unconnected. Tragic events ramp up around it, but there’s nothing to say it’s not just the negative half of the human condition. Also, I would have liked to see the same attention and detail given to the circus as was given to the people.
It’s not a bad story, though. I still recommend it for listening.

Pure Evil Arrives in Hope

When the circus comes to the small town of Hope before Halloween, the people have no idea what evil awaits for them under the Big Top. If you had a fear of clowns before, this book will give you night terrors. If you thought Pennywise was evil, these clowns make him look like a Saint. The plot really does put a new spin on clowns and what may lurk under the facade of stage makeup. The story does offer suspense, gore, and mystery. The only thing I really wish was a little background on the origins of the clowns to really put everything into perspective. The narrator just did not work for me he sounded robotic and inhuman. I received this book for free upon my request. I am voluntarily leaving my honest and unbiased review here of my own free will.

Oh Heck No!!!!

okay I hated clown 🤡 when I saw the movie about killer clowns, now this book. oh heck no, why do I have a feeling that I'm going to dream about them now. lol but it was a pretty interesting book. will I listen again probably not. Especially if I have nightmares lol.

Fun!

I always found the circus and clowns to be scary and this short story didn't help that. Fun listen.

Clowns Are Always Up To Something

This novella is a treat for horror fans. Be very careful if you’re ever in the same room as a clown.

Quick story

The simple small town life is pretty normal, not much happens, but when a Circus comes to town one night, you slowly find things aren’t always as they appear. The Circus brings nostalgic memories to many of the townsfolk, and many get excited thinking about their night out. When a young boy named Noah wanders off to go look at the baby bear, he disappears. What truly is happening in the circus? Is something evil happening in the circus? What has happened to Noah?

The story is very short but definitely an enjoyable story. It gives you that sinister feel.

The story could easily have been made into a longer story, but definitely a good quick story. It’s a nice palette cleanse in between longer stories.

I received this Arc in exchange for an honest review

Interesting story

I felt like it was kinda all over the place. I really like the idea about it and felt if it focused only on the main plot it would’ve been great. Not big on the narrator but it wasn’t horrible.

Creepy

Didn't love this. The clowns were creepy. Narrator at times almost sounded like it was AI-generated.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.