The Tale of the Vanishing Circus (Are You Afraid of the Dark? #3)

Written by Kayla Cottingham and set in the world of Nickelodeon’s hit TV show Are You Afraid of the Dark?, this spine-chilling third instalment in the original middle-grade horror series takes us to Lake Gory, a small town where a mysterious circus appears once a year, where a young girl looking to have some fun gets more than she bargained for.

Thirteen-year-old perfectionist Riley Bailey doesn’t have time for friends. She’s too busy making her Ivy League dreams a reality. Her only “friend”, Genevieve, is more of a persistent neighbour with an obsession for all things supernatural than an actual confidante. But one night, Genevieve convinces Riley to sneak out and investigate the strange lights that have suddenly appeared in the surrounding woods.

They follow the lights to find a magnificent circus in a clearing. Tickets cannot be purchased; guests must be invited and accept the invitation.

Uncharacteristically, Riley finds herself immediately drawn to the carefree fun of the all-kids circus, where there are no adults to spoil the magic. She is particularly captivated by Miss Starr, the mysterious 16-year-old ringleader who always seems to be nearby.

Genevieve is the first to point out the strange aspects of the circus, the troupe, and Miss Starr. Why do all the kids have a ghostly appearance? How is it that they can perform impossible feats without getting hurt? Why is Miss Starr so intent on convincing Riley to join her circus? And why does one of the troupe members look so familiar?

Riley finds herself caught between Starr and her alluring circus and Genevieve’s attempts to convince her that something is wrong. Will Riley solve the mystery unfolding in the circus tent before the final curtain falls? Or will she run away with the circus forever?