Lara’s Book Corner – The Ninth Circle by Brendan Deneen

 Summary
On his 16th birthday, Dan’s family takes him to the traveling ‘on the road’ circus. Fascinated by the bright lights, exquisite acts, and inviting entertainers, he feels at home. The night before the circus is leaving, he sneaks out of his house, and joins the fun with the rag-tag group of performers. The Ringmaster takes him in to his newfound family. During the shows, the group seems to get along fine, but once Dan sees the group’s true colors behind the scenes, many horrible secrets are uncovered. He learns that he can’t trust anyone, and that everyone is against each other. What’s more is that there is one group member, sabotaging the circus, and trying to get it out of business. Who is the culprit? Is the inside of the circus more dangerous than it seems? Read this book to find out more.

Review
This book has to be one of my all-time favorite mysteries. I could not stop reading this book, turning page after page. I read the whole thing in a day, actually. I kept trying to infer who the culprit was, but the author includes so many twists and turns, that you would never expect who the culprit is beneath it all. It was a rollercoaster of surprises, and utterly shocking in the end. The ninth circle not only has an amazing plot, but a unique sense of writing style, that is fascinating to discover. I enjoyed every bit of this book. If you love the circus, and books, this is definitely something you should pick up, and read in a day.