SOLVED. YA Fiction. Modern setting. Boy (possibly British) befriends another boy (with a toothy grin?) who looks familiar. Read 1997. Spoiler ahead. [s]

[Fiona]

Boy meets another boy (with a toothy grin?) who looks familiar. They become friends. When the second boy dies (murdered), the main character finally recognises him as the 'girl' who performs on the trapeze at the circus.

Anyone know this book? It has stayed with me since I first read it in 1997.

[Becca]

How big a part does the circus play in the story? It might be on the YA & Middle Grade Circus/Carnivals/Amusement Parks list if it's a main setting, but probably not if it's incidental. Can you remember how / why the boy was murdered?

[Becca]

A long-shot guess, because I'm struggling to find a detailed plot summary - Johnny, My Friend by Peter Pohl?

[Fiona]

That's it!!! Thank you so much Becca. I hope you don't mind if I follow you as a friend.

[Becca]

Glad I could help, and that it was the right book - it was a lucky guess! It sounds really interesting. And yes, happy to be your Goodreads friend, thank you :)

[Fiona]

Thanks Becca! I signed up to Goodreads just to find this book. I wish I could find a ebook version, and read it again.