THE TRAVELLING VAMPIRE SHOW is Richard Laymon's masterpiece - an evocative, nostalgic trip back to a time when innocence comes face to face with life's darker forces.

On a hot August morning in 1963, the rural town of Grandville is covered with fliers announcing the coming of something extraordinary - a one-night-only performance of The Travelling Vampire Show, featuring Valeria, the only known vampire in captivity. For three local teenagers, it's a show they don't want to miss. The trouble is, the show starts at midnight and they're supposed to be home by then. And in any case, Janks Field, where the show will take place, has been declared off-limits because of its own sinister history. But they can't just sit at home and let Valeria do her thing without them, can they?

"A wickedly involving story...a horror tale that's not only emotionally true but also scary and, above all, fun" - PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

"If you are not already well acquainted with Richard Laymon, get to know him now. This is an enticing tale of three youngsters in a small American town" - MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS

"This gloriously inventive piece is probably Laymon's best book yet: dipping into the poetic vein of Ray Bradbury was clearly a vitalising exercise for him, and this is sheerly enjoyable... The prose here is rich and inventive, the atmosphere and scene-setting handled with real aplomb" - NEWS INTERNATIONAL

"Set in a sleepy American town in the summer of 1963, this rites of passage novel recreates the long, stifling days - and nights filled with possibilities - that distinguish the teenage years" - BELFAST TELEGRAPH