SOLVED. Dark, gritty carnival theme, main character is a dwarf - published 1980s [s]

[Lara]

This book is probably super trashy but I remember being fascinated by it.

[Amber (Daisymau)]

This sounds like Dorothy Daniels The House on Circus Hill.

[Lara]

Amber wrote: "This sounds like Dorothy Daniels The House on Circus Hill."

Nope, but thank you! I wish I had more to go on...I know I'll recognize the name if I hear it.

[karen]

is it geek love??

[Eh?Eh!]

Wow! I think I'm witnessing a case-closed moment!
(I agree with the Geek Love guess)

[Lara]

No, definitely not. It was a mass-market paperback, earlier than 1989 I would say.

[Tess]

Could it have been a book in the Mongo Mystery series by George C. Chesbro? His main character is a dwarf who used to be in the circus but now is a private detective.

[Sue]

'The Dreaming Jewels' by Theodore Sturgeon has a female dwarf in a carnival.

[Kate]

Is the MC female or male?

[Lynn]

The published in the 80s makes me think of the Chesbro books. They are excellent.

[Lucy]

The Unusual Life of Tristan Smith by Peter Carey? Published in 1994 so maybe too late. Also it's literary fiction rather than trashy paperback, but you never know.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Lara is still active on GR but must not be getting notifications.

[Liralen]

Huh. Is this the one -- Australian publisher, I think -- where he's in love with a blonde childhood friend, faces a lot of discrimination, works in construction for a while, etc.? In the book I'm thinking of a (different) woman tries to trick him into being caught in bed with her because (view spoiler)[she's pregnant by her brother (hide spoiler)].

Not that I can remember the title, mind, or whether there's a carnival involved, and 'gritty' and 'trashy' and 'dwarf' probably apply to a whole lot of books...

[Lara]

Sue! It IS The Dreaming Jewels! I remember the doll, Junky, and the female dwarf! Wow, thank you!

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

The Dreaming Jewels for the link.