04/06/2026 Candace Reviews: WILSON by Jack Finn
- Candace Nola
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
Wilson
by Jack Finn
Carnival horror has been one of my favorite tropes since I was a teen. There’s just something inherently creepy about a carnival or traveling circus. The mere concept of a collection of strangers, many picked up along the way, pitching a tent on the edges of town with the aim of peddling their wares, or showcasing their talents, feels absurd, especially nowadays. Just try pitching that idea to someone now and not have them look at you like you grew a second head.
Not to mention the long-standing lore and /or reputation of carnies: shady characters, often unkempt, drunkards, ladies of ill repute, people of less than perfect records, etc. My point is, a carnival is perfect fodder for horror fare. The sheer potential for mysterious, shady, supernatural or mystical things to occur is record-breaking. Fortune tellers. Voodoo women. Freak shows. Odd clowns. Fun houses. The list just goes on. Needless to say, I was delighted when Jack Finn sent me a copy of WILSON.
The story follows a traveling carnival, one full of exactly the type of shady characters that I mentioned above, and it centers on one of the carnivals more “gifted” carnies. Wilson is an odd man, a somewhat bitter and lonely man, that takes pictures for the carnival. Pictures from his camera, his late uncles’ camera, to be precise, and one of Wilson’s most prized possessions. This is a fairly short story so I won’t say much more on the odd occurrences that begin to plague the carnival shortly after setting up in a new town, but I will say that it’s well worth the read. I loved the uniqueness of the storyline and did not see the twist coming at all.
My only complaint, if I had to choose one, is that I would have loved a bit more detail about the other performers and carnival workers too. However, this does not detract from the story in any way. I highly recommend WILSON, to any horror fan, especially those that enjoy carnival horror.
Get it here:
Comments