Phryne is asked by carny friends to help discover what’s up with a circus they perform for that seems to have a bit of bad luck. She is not inclined to do it but they issue it as a challenge and she’s bored. This overlaps with Jack’s case of a hermaphrodite who has been killed in a boarding house. Phryne learns a new skill as a bareback rider and takes 2 lovers. Circus is half owned by a gang using it as a cover to help criminals escape. Phryne almost raped. Thrown in the animal cage, but luckily not the cat cage, but the bear’s (Bruno who liked Phryne).
Phryne glad to go back to her comfortable life. Enjoyed Matthias (Jo-Jo the clown).