Dark Readers | 11 May 2014 | Stephen Haskins

First of all let me just say how much I LOVE this cover. Mr Dowling had already been on one cover but I'm soooo glad he's made a come back. Its so creepy, yet keeps my focus, and all I can hear is him laughing! He truly is the clown from hell!

 

This book deviates away from the main series slightly and focuses not on Becky Smith ( who plays a minor role) but instead on her school teacher Cat Ward and how she fares during and after the zombie attack.

 

Unlike the rest of the series the book is written in third person but from the pov of Cat and the way this book felt and the way it was written was what I've wanted and felt was missing from the series as a whole, of which I go through good and bad phases between the books (though overall its really grown on me).

 

Luckily for us (just not for her) she runs into the mysterious Mr Dowling, who's pitched his Circus in the middle of the Tottenham Hotspur stadium of all places! This piece of writing has all the charm and magic that I've come to associate with Mr Shan and i enjoyed this juxtaposition of Circus and Zombie. We also got to 'learn' more about Mr Dowling, though I think I came out of it with more questions than answers and a slight unease next time I see a clown! The tension builds well...the elements of choice, and humanity are all present and Cat was a fantastic character to throw into the mix at this stage of the game.

 

Whilst I was at odds with book 7 this little ditty gave me more pause for thought over it, and I'm eager now for the next instalment!

 

The book is available as an eBook, or for a limited time as a physical copy when you buy the May edition of SFX magazine (it had a limited print run, so grab your copy now - it's even better in the flesh!)

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