Roll up, roll up!

✽  Jonathan Roberts proudly presents  ✽

The Ringmaster's Apprentice

A novel • Coming to town, November 2026

The Ringmaster's Apprentice – coming soon
Pre-orders open in October
sign up to be told first Admit One

Published November 2026 – paperback & ebook

The Story

Step Inside the Big Top

Berkshire, 1949. Every village, and every family, bears the scars of war. When a travelling circus rolls into Sonning‑on‑Thames, orphaned Arthur finds a new world waiting – a world of sawdust and spotlight, lions and elephants, and a ringmaster who sees something in him that nobody else ever has.

But one man's grudge runs deeper than anyone knows, and when the circus comes under attack, it's not just the Big Top that is at risk.

To save it all – the show, the people, and the animals he has come to love – Arthur must decide what kind of man he wants to become: one shaped by bitterness, or one who chooses to build something better.

An adventure for readers aged 9+ – with original chapter illustrations throughout.

Perfect for fans of Emma Carroll and Phil Earle – and for anyone who grew up on the classic adventures of Enid Blyton.

About the Author

Jonathan Roberts

Jonathan has spent his career championing British industry, from merchant shipping and commercial ports to family farms and rural businesses.

The Ringmaster's Apprentice is his first novel – a story set in the riverside villages of Berkshire and Oxfordshire, and inspired by the golden age of children's adventure storytelling. A native of North Yorkshire, he now lives in Berkshire with his family.

Join the Audience

Get a Front-Row Seat

Are you eligible to leave reviews on Amazon? I am offering a small number of free copies of The Ringmaster's Apprentice before the book's launch, in return for an honest review once it is published. Your copy will be digital only, and sent to you in early October. If you would like to be considered, sign up below.

Everyone on the list also gets first news of the cover reveal, pre-sale and launch. Unsubscribe any time. Your email stays inside the tent.

Latest from the Big Top

News & Announcements

August 2026

Instagram Account Launched

Ahead of the publication of The Ringmaster's Apprentice, Jonathan Roberts has launched a new Instagram account. Follow it here.

August 2026

Final Touches Under Way

Jonathan Roberts is working with experienced book editor Charlotte Colwill and illustrator Claudie C. Bergeron to put the final touches together ahead of the Ringmaster's Apprentice book launch later this year.