Above the Dark Circus

Above the Dark Circus is a novel by Hugh Walpole, first published in 1931 and issued in the United States under the title Above the Dark Tumult. It is the last in the Four Fantastic Tales series. Set in London in the aftermath of the First World War, the book follows Richard Gunn, a former soldier left adrift in a society struggling to absorb the returning veterans of the Great War. Gunn is unemployed, impoverished, and psychologically scarred by his wartime experiences when a chance encounter in Piccadilly Circus changes the course of his life. There he comes face to face with Leroy Pengelly, a man from his past whom he regards as an enemy and whose presence awakens long-buried memories. This meeting sets in motion a gradual unravelling of shared secrets and unresolved guilt rooted in their wartime history.

As the story unfolds, Walpole blends psychological tension with elements of the supernatural and horror, creating an atmosphere of unease and moral ambiguity. Strange events and disturbing revelations blur the line between rational explanation and something darker, while Gunn is drawn ever deeper into a mystery that challenges his sanity and sense of justice. The novel also incorporates the structure of a whodunnit, inviting the reader to piece together the truth behind past actions and present dangers. Combining postwar disillusionment with mystery and supernatural suggestion, the novel stands as an unusual and compelling example of early twentieth-century British fiction, exploring memory, guilt, and the inescapable pull of the past.