Bad boy Caz Graves thinks he’s going to be father of the year when he gives his son a clown puppet for his birthday. When his son casts the toy aside, Giggles the clown takes playtime into his own hands. But Giggles plays rough, too rough. Can Caz put Giggles back in his box before he plays with them to death?
Giggles is the third book in the Knight Time Novellas series. If you like books you can finish in one sitting that will keep you on the edge of your seat, then you will love this page turner.
Each novella is a standalone and can be read in any order.
Enclosed is a bill for 12 night lights. One for every room in my house. I can no longer sleep in the dark for fear a inanimate object will come to life.
Giggles the clown is purchased by Caz, who thinks it's the perfect gift for his son (already this is terrifying- WHY would a parent do this??) When Giggles is tossed to the side as many toys are, he doesn't just lay there collecting dust, Giggles has his own fun in mind.
This whole novella is VERY atmospheric and just unsettled me the whole time. It could be read in one sitting, but thanks to the holidays and my schedule, I had the opportunity to torture myself over several nights with it. I told my husband this books is what would happen if Stephen King got ahold of the Toy Story script and started red penning the CRAP out it.
Now, don't get me wrong, I loved it, I just may not buy a stuffy for a while and will be locking all the toys in a toy chest at night for the unforeseeable future.
Thank you to BookSirens and Holly Knightley for the chance to read prior to publication, the entire Knight Time Novellas series have been SO- MUCH-FUN.
Yes, it’s about a possessed clown. Yes, it’s horrifying, but....
I move that Holly officially change the subgenre to love story, because this is exactly that: a beautiful, twisted tale of messed-up people, disastrous decisions, and one deeply cursed clown doll.
It’s a story about chaos, dysfunction, and playtime gone way too far. But also? It’s a love story. Of the deeply cursed, heartbreakingly human kind... and murder.
Would I personally buy a haunted clown doll from someone who literally begs me not to?
Absolutely. No regrets. Immediate consequences.
And listen—if my mom ever handed me a creepy clown as a heartfelt gift, I’d be calling the police before she even finished the sentence.
When Caz sees a creepy clown in an antique shop, he knows it will make the perfect gifts for his son's birthday. After all being a clown runs in their bloodline. Caz is not fazed by the store owners grave warnings 'Do not play with it' and he is soon on his way gift in hand. What could go wrong?
Caz is disappointed when his son is not as enthralled with Giggles as he expected but that is the least of his worries as Giggles does not like to be ignored!
This was a well written, quick read. I was totally invested. The horror aspects slowly creep up and this builds the tension. It is apparent that all is not well and there will be a huge price to pay.
I loved the backstory of the main characters and how they all linked together in tragedy. For a novella, it had lots of character development and emotion. Giggles was a great character to be terrified of... if I hear noises in the night I'm pulling the blanket over my head!
This had all the things I love, possession, creepy kids doing weird things at night and clowns!
Huge thanks to Holly Knightley for taking part in the Bookstagram Beyond-A-Thon and sharing this awesome story with me!
This was pure chaos in the best way. Giggles the clown is completely unhinged, and I couldn’t stop reading. A fast, creepy, one-sitting read—perfect for your spooky season 2025 TBR! 🤡
Do you like clowns? If you're like me and you say "no," then “Giggles” by Holly Knightley will only reinforce your fears.
This supernatural suspense novella, the third in the Knight Time Novellas series, delivered an amazing, chilling tale that kept me glued to the edge of my seat.
The novella was a fast-paced read, providing an eerie atmosphere, making it a perfect one-sitting read. This isn't my first Holly Knightley read, and it sure as hell won't be the last. Her writing is sharp and engaging, drawing readers into a world where the line between playtime and peril is dangerously thin.
What's it about? 🙈🤔🫣 Bad boy Caz Graves thinks he’s hit the jackpot of fatherhood when he gifts his son a clown puppet for his birthday. However, the seemingly innocent toy, named Giggles, has a sinister side. When Caz’s son discards the puppet, Giggles decides to take playtime into his own hands. But Giggles plays rough—too rough. The story follows Caz’s desperate attempts to put Giggles back in his box before the clown’s deadly games claim their lives.
The character of Giggles is both terrifying and fascinating, embodying the classic fear of clowns but with a unique twist, with an ending i never saw coming!
This novella is a standalone and is a gripping tale that makes you think twice about clowns and children’s toys in general. I highly recommend this if you enjoy stories that combine horror, suspense, and a touch of the supernatural.
Another masterpiece Holly, well done! Here's to many more exciting novellas in the Knight Time Novella Series.
Clowns if you disliked them before this will not change your mind. It's creepy but a small world all the same. I can't describe it without spoiling it so just read it.
Giggles is the third book in Holly Knightley’s Knight Time Novellas series and it’s set for release on January 15, 2025. You can read this supernatural suspense novella as a standalone and I would highly recommend it, because it’s a gripping page-turner and I bet you want to read it in one sitting. It’s so fluently and well written, I worked overtime highlighting almost everything.
It’s about Caz Graves, owner of a tattoo shop, who’s looking for the best present ever for the birthday of his son Mason. In an antique shop he finds a clown puppet named Giggles. His son turns the present down, but Giggles hates to be turned down and finds his own ways to be played with but in the most sinister way you can imagine..
Giggles is an atmospheric and chilling read testing your nerves throughout the book. The characters are perfectly build and I felt so sorry for what happened to some of them. 🥺 My favorite character was Barb, but Caz was definitely the runner up. You can feel his pride for the tat shop and the unconditional love for his son and some other characters in the book. I won’t spoil too much, because everybody has to read it for themselves, but the emotions were really palpable and I was so engaged with all of them. ♥️
There were some twists I didn’t see coming and let me tell you I was shocked about it! Well done Holly, my sincere compliments!
Many thanks to @hollyknightley and @booksirens for letting me read this e-ARC. It didn’t influence my opinion in any way, but I can’t give it anything other than 5 stars. It was that good!! I will definitely check out her other reads.
Wow. This is not what I expected when I saw the cover. Holly crafted an awesome clown story that breaks away from the usual “creepy clown” tropes. It’s so much more than just a killer clown story, highly recommend!
This novella was a wild ride! I read most of it in one sitting because I just couldn't wait to see what Giggles would do next.
I've always had a phobia of clowns, so I knew this book would scare me based on that alone, but it also gave me characters I grew to really like and an ending I never saw coming.
Caz Graves, a talented tattoo artist and recovering alcoholic has a clown obsession; his dad, who died when Caz was a teen was a clown and owning various clown toys and models makes Caz feel closer to him. When Caz spots Giggles the clown in an antique shop, he has to have him.
Instead of keeping him in his tattoo shop with all his other clowns, he buys Giggles to give to his son, Mason for his birthday. But Giggles is no ordinary toy; there is something evil in him that drives him to kill.
The story is told from Caz's perspective and Knightley did a brilliant job of making him likeable and interesting. Despite his mistakes, the reader can't help but root for him. She also writes male characters in a very believable way.
I also have to take a second to say how incredible the cover artwork is; just beautifully creepy.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I really liked the protagonist, Caz, he was such a cool character. I enjoyed the way he talked to the reader, his honesty and sincerity, and I liked his bold personality.
Clowns are comical, but there is something about them that I find a little bit unnerving, and perhaps even more so after reading this. It was an entertaining and spooky short story.
Thank you to Booksirens and the author for a free copy to review.
Giggles was so good! Without giving too much away, the twists kept coming and I had to read it all in on sitting. A supernatural killer clown, family drama, mystery, and suspense; this one has it all!
Clowns. We know them. We hate them. Sentient dolls? We know them, we hate them. Sentient clown doll? Oh gods, no.
Caz is a tattoo shop owner with an obsession for clowns. He’s covered in clown tattoos. So when he finds the perfect clown doll for his son’s birthday, he thinks it’s a win. But his son takes one look and nopes out. he’s terrified. Unfortunately, Giggles doesn’t take rejection well. Giggles wants to play. And Giggles won’t be ignored.
In true Holly Knightley fashion, this novella is a one-sitting story packed with suspense, creep factor, and surprising depth. Sure, Giggles is nightmare fuel, but what really hooked me was the exploration of fatherhood and family dynamics.
At first, Caz feels easy to judge. He’s tattooed, rough around the edges, clown-obsessed. He doesn’t exactly scream “good dad.” But as the story unfolds, you see a man who aches to do right by his son and the woman he loves. The contrast between his own upbringing and the destructive legacy of “bad” fathers adds a heartfelt layer to the horror.
And then there’s Giggles. This was such a fresh, unsettling spin on possession tropes. He’s creepy, he’s persistent, and honestly? He was fun in that “I’m definitely checking my closets tonight” kind of way. The audio narration made it even better those giggles had me on edge.
If you love (or hate) clowns, possession stories, unsettling family drama, and quick reads that still deliver character depth…. this one’s for you.
Thanks to Holly Knightley for the audio copy! I’ll be diving in to all three of these stories.
Thank you, BookSiren, for the ARC, and thank you to the writer and publishers for all your hard work. This review is voluntary and happily left!
Another great book, and I spead right through it. I'm not huge on first point of view, but I rather enjoyed this book. There is death, and it's very creepy. Of course it is it deals with a clown. It's not very graphic, so I wouldn't exactly group this in splatterpunk, but the atmosphere and just the creepiness that is Giggles will leave your skin crawling. I enjoyed how we learn the origins of the clown and why he does what he does. Not only that, the ending is very much satisfied with. It didn't leave me needing anything else, and everything was in its place.
Caz wants nothing more than to be father of the year for his son. So what does he do? He gets him a clown puppet named Giggles. What if that was the worst thing he could have done? What if this clown toy wasn't meant to be played with? What if playing with it sets off something dark and dangerous? What's a dad to do to keep things straight and right and hopefully not dead? Read and find out.
You definitely get attached to some of the characters in this book. I certainly was rooting for Caz the entire time. He deserves everything, and the ending was just perfect.
I had the lowest expectations for this book. I wasn't even sure if I wanted to read it, but Holly always surprises me somehow, so I decided that it would definitely go on my to-read list. And I have no words. Since I started reading it, I haven't been able to put it down or stop reading it. I'm not a fan of clowns, because I find them scary, not funny. And this novel is perfect for everyone like me.
Caz is a tattoo artist who loves clowns because his father was a clown. And he buys his son a clown doll named Giggles for his birthday. But Giggles is not like other dolls. Giggles is not allowed to be played with. Never. And Caz had to promise that when he got him. But of course nothing was left of the promise. Caz's son plays with Giggles. And so did Caz. And then the horror and hell began, from which Caz saw no way out.
So, absolute perfection. I rarely give 5 stars because every book or story has to satisfy a lot of things for me. And this is a clear five.
Everything else is as usual. Holly writes fantastically. Simple, readable, and always gets the reader into the story from the very first page. Excellent.
Big thanks to the BookSirens and Holly for the arc. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
More than one person in this story is terrified of clowns.
This is a truly terrifying story. When tattoo artist Caz looks for a birthday gift for his son, he finds a creepy little clown with sawed off legs and decides that will be the perfect gift. However, the store owner doesn’t seem to want to sell it. Turns out the toy is cursed and Caz ends up signing adoption papers to get it, for free. That’s just the beginning of the terror. There are more twists and turns in this story than you’ll find in any maze. Once again, Holly Knightley proves her talent in a really scary story, one that will remain with me for a long, long, long time. If you truly want to have nightmares and never want to have a clown in your house, read this story, it will have you leaving lights on when you go to bed at night.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
Giggles by Holly Knightley is a macabre supernatural thriller featuring an eerie and deformed smirking clown puppet! But this is no ordinary puppet-freak, but a haunted one, who enters his victims’ bodies once they play with him, quickly causing them to commit the most heinous of crimes!!
With an insecure former alcoholic protagonist named Caz, a tattoo artist, whose constant brooding and self-pitying attitude doesn’t affect his best female friend’s love for him, his ex and her putz of a fiancée, this fascinating cocktail of characters blends well with a gorgeous female cop/shrink and her stupid supervisor, who is always out for blood!
Many plot twists, turns and surprises top off another winner by everyone’s favorite horror author, Holly Knightley, but a warning to not read this one alone, especially if your playmate is a grinning, wooden clown doll!
This is my 4th book by Holly Knightley and again I am reminded why I enjoy her books so much. I’ve never had an issue with clowns until I got my hands on this book. And I am currently looking for a nightlight lol
Caz buys his little boy a clown named Giggles for his birthday. At first, he seems like a regular clown doll until he is put on the back burner which he doesn’t like. Giggles decides that he is one to not be messed with. If you have a fear of clowns, you might want to skip this. But if not, it’s a good read.
Very fast paced and creepy which are two things that I love in my books. Holly is always on point with her books. Again, she has become one of my favorite authors.
Okay… note to self: never, ever trust a clown puppet. 🤡
“Giggles” by Holly Knightly is one of those stories that sneaks up on you, wraps its little painted hands around your imagination, and refuses to let go. It’s dark, twisted, and weirdly fun......exactly the kind of quick, spine-tingly read that makes you side-eye your kid’s toy box afterward. Except I don't have kids so I am keeping a close eye on my dogs toy box.
I only read Holly Knightley for the first time yesterday, and now I’m fully hooked. I’ve already gone back to request more because apparently, I enjoy sleeping with the lights on now...yeah right.. lights off and make me uncomfortable and I will be happy. And she is good at that.
Fast-paced, freaky, and delightfully unhinged....Giggles is horror popcorn. You’ll devour it in one sitting and still want seconds. 🍿😱
Holly Knightley did a wonderful job of spinning a narrative of a you tattoo artist who tries to be a good father to his son, but meets a terrific roadblock. The father unwittingly buys his son a toy clown that is anything but a circus of fun. The language of the characters make them honest and believable. This creepy read unravels in a totally unexpected way that will leave you nervous when thinking about buying a birthday present for a 7 year old. Love it!
I’ve had a disliking for clowns since I was very young (long story short a clown startled me while eating spaghetti, that’s where my fondness for both clowns and spaghetti disappeared) so this was definitely great on the creepy aspect for me.
I really enjoyed the writing style and the plot was good and not too stretched out. It stayed interesting all around without becoming repetitive or hasty.
This supernatural horror story has a seriously creepy vibe. The narration makes it even better, especially the “giggles”. I listened to the whole audiobook this evening. It kept me on the edge of my seat and had me side-eyeing my room like… 👀 Without giving any spoilers, I just have to say that I loved the MMC, Caz, and thoroughly enjoyed how spooky this was! It’s perfect for late night listening. If you like eerie vibes, horror, and clowns, you’re going to love this one! I did!
I love Holly Knightley’s books, and this one was no different. There are VERY few things that actually freak me out, and this storyline did just that. Such a great read to remind yourself how fast your heart can beat.
GIGGLES kept me reading & I finished it within 2 days. I was sorry when it ended but it was a novella to begin with. I am looking forward to more works from this author & was very glad that I was able to have the pleasure to read their work. Please keep up your great work
Bad boy Caz Graves thinks he’s going to be father of the year when he finds what he thinks is the perfect present for his son, a clown puppet. When his son casts the toy aside, Giggles the clown takes playtime into his own hands. But Giggles plays rough, too rough. Can Caz put Giggles back in his box before he plays with them to death?
Horror novellas are quickly becoming one of my favorite things and a short story about a haunted clown…yes please!!! Also super excited to find that this is just one book in a collection of supernatural suspense horror (my fave subgenre) novellas called Knight Time Novellas. This was such a quick fun horror read and I am eager to check out the rest of them soon. And someone who prefers to read blind and does judge a book by its cover, I have to say this is one of the coolest I’ve seen! And the rest are just as badass.
I you like horror novellas you need to check these out now!
What a story! Several times, this book caught me off guard. And that doesn't happen often. And as someone who loves clowns, seriously grab this one. I loved every character, even Giggles. Kinda want to own a clown marionette now.
This was a wild listen. I really enjoyed it. The voice the narrator used for Giggles was immensely creepy. I didn’t see the end coming at all! Thank you to the author for the audible claim code. Opinions expressed here are my own.
This is another quick eerie read from this author, this one really creeped me out as I hate clowns, especially when they come to life, getting one of those as a gift would be my worst nightmare. Well written short story that I thoroughly enjoyed.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
"Giggles" is a swift and captivating read. Holly Knightly weaves an extraordinary tale filled with numerous plot twists and unexpected turns, all centered around the story of a clown. A very frightening clown. The narrative is intense and thrilling. Will the killing ever cease?
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I really enjoyed this story. It was creepy and scary and helted my attention through the whole story. I am not afraid of clowns, but I could see reading this could possibly make you be afraid of clowns. Great story Ms Knightley and I look forward to finding more of your works.
I received an ARC from BookSirens and I am leaving this review voluntarily.