I Found a Circus Tent in the Woods Behind My House: a Novella (I Found Horror)

Growing up, I was not one of those kids that was afraid of clowns. I scoffed at them in fact. Cry-babies , I would whisper to myself. In the past decade, however, I have become very wary of clowns. Some clowns from televsion series and movies are absolutely terrifying. Nevermind those strange people that seemed to be everywhere putting the fear of these once beloved characters into anyone they came across by standing around corners, staring, or chasing people all over hells half acre to give them heart attacks. The clowns in the circus tent in the woods that the author has pulled out of his tickle trunk of horror ... are those kind. Beep-beep. Enter at your own risk.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and this is my honest and unbiased opinion of the tale.

This is a short read but very creepy! It reads like a nightmare. You'll race through it until the ending.

Full disclosure - I was provided an advanced reader’s copy of this book by the author or their representative but have voluntarily provided a review. All opinions are my own

On an autumn morning a man takes his four year old for a walk in the woods behind their home. They have done this several times before, as this area is undeveloped due to being partially flood plain. Him and his son Jacob tend to get quite muddy at times, but he doesn’t mind as it’s a great bonding time for them. When their romping is disrupted by the discovery of a large red and yellow circus tent the man immediately assumes a neighbor has set up an event in this unlikely area; but as the eyesore is partially on his property he wants it moved. After him and his son suddenly find themselves inside the structure, things go from creepy to sinister. As they become the unwilling participants in a bizarre carnival the man must protect his son at all costs while avoiding the traps and carnies inside. If he fails, they may never return home, but if he succeeds it could leave little Jacob scarred for life.

I Found a Circus Tent in the Woods Behind My House is the newest novella by author Ben Farthing. Having initially been introduced to Farthing’s work by the “Horror Lurks Beneath” series, this newest offering is creepy in a way that is reminiscent of “It Waits on the Top Floor”, but I feel Farthing manages to take the sinister factor to the next level with this book. For me, whenever clowns are involved it will never end well, and I am pretty sure I am not alone in that sentiment. With the first appearance of the juggler and with every other new carny making their appearances, the foreboding feeling was palpable. And with each new room in the endless tent revealing more and more bizarre items it was easy for my mind to start running wild at that possibilities of what some of the items could signify.

Told in a ‘first person perspective’ the narrative pulled me in and quickly had me imagining myself in the role of the main character. In fact, I do not believe that the father figure in the story even had a name, which is quite odd for a main character yet oddly effective. As the man and his little boy venture further and further into the tent in an attempt to escape their captors, they encounter increasingly more bizarre rooms. But all of this comes together at the end in what can only be called a creepily lingering center ring performance. For readers who like horror where the characters are thrust into impossible situations with no end in sight and relentless pursuers that are as bizarre as they are terrifying then I Found a Circus Tent in the Woods Behind My House Would be a quick, fun read. If this is your first foray into the strange mind of Ben Farthing, I would also recommend the “Terror Lurks Beneath” series for a deeper dive into this author’s completely creepy worlds.

Loved it! Creepy, bizarre characters that nightmares are made from with A "hero" that takes them all on. Can't get better than that.

Finished this in one sitting, and what. a. ride.
As a parent, I think we've all had that moment of terror when our child almost falls from a height, starts to run out into the road, plays hide and seek too well and you can't find them...you know, that pit of your stomach dread that is every parent's worst nightmare. That feeling of "my child was harmed or lost because I didn't properly protect them." There's no fear quite like it and this story is thick with it. More than the monsters, more than the claustrophobic atmosphere, it's the protective instinct of a father for his son that makes this unbelievable tale frighteningly real.
Beautifully written, I didn't want it to end. I can't wait to read everything I can get my hands on by Ben Farthing!!

A quick read that I listened to. The narrator was great and really added to the experience. It brought you immediately into the action. A few good scenes that were creepy. I especially liked one about a clown looking up. The ending felt a little too easy but overall still worth the short amount of time needed to read this. Love the cover and will try more from this author

This short novel invoked so many intense feelings from me while reading it. The whole way through I was trying to decide if they would make it out of the sinister circus tent. Even though it was a shorter story it felt like the perfect length! If you are looking for an unsettling story this is it. This was my first novel by Ben and I will be purchasing his others! I loved his writing style and the way the story flowed!

Also, I loved the Mantra and the last chapter of the book! This one will eff with your mind and have you wondering if you were the one stuck in the circus tent found in the woods behind the house.

I was given a recommendation to read this book by my best friend’s husband, who is a friend of the author, and I am so happy he thought of me.

This book was right up my alley of all things suspense and horror. Clowns literally make me want to cry because I’m so scared of them and this book did not disappoint in that area. The writing is impeccable and the feeling of impending trouble was real. I was so invested in their journey! I’m sure the people in the airport seeing me read this were concerned for me because I couldn’t sit still and my eyes were practically bugging out of my head!

Kudos to the author for creating a great story, a quick read, and a very satisfying suspenseful experience!

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to order a few more of his books off Amazon.