I received a copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.This is a fantastic children's book! I loved it!Jake is a fantastic character! He's only 12, but he seemed very mature for his age. I loved his attitude. I'm not sure I was as focused at his age though!This is an amazing story of a boy, a circus and a family secret. There are some other wonderful characters: Khala and Cedric, just to name a couple! Khala is a very brave person. She is also kind-hearted; I loved her warmth to a complete stranger. But I was horrified at the abuse she and the other circus performers had to deal with! Cedric made me laugh at his insistence of using Jake as a part of his knife throwing act! (He's absolutely terrible at it!). There is enough action, adventure, danger and mystery in this book to get my heart pumping, never mind a child's!Helen Laycock has written a fast paced action adventure that will keep even children with short attention spans hooked! I highly recommend this book for children from the age of 7 upwards. Adults may enjoy it too! - Lynn Worton