Story Series about a detective, a historian/archeologist, a dwarf (?), a circus

Question

I vaguely remember a series of stories where the protagonist was a male detective (I think an ex-cop?), in one of the stories he met with a female historian/archeologist to whom he became romantically involved with.

Then there's also this mysterious, if horror circus, with in a later story turned out to be a gateway to a dimension where a very evil person-creature existed. And the protagonist helped by someone (I think it was his former wife?) killed the evil entity, resulting the circus to wink out of existence.

I think the story took place in 20th century New York, but I really am not sure about the place. There are cars, that's for sure.

Edit: Oh, almost forgot: The dwarf is the main protagonist's assistant.

Does this vague description ring a bell?

Answer 1

Is it possible you're thinking of the Mongo series? It features a dwarf detective, a former circus acrobat, who solves crimes, sometimes with horror and mystical elements.

Meet Dr. Robert Frederickson, or "Mongo" to his friends. He's a former circus tumbler, black belt in karate, doctor of Criminology, and professor at a New York City university. And he's quite an unusual fellow as well, not only because he's a private investigator but also because he's a dwarf...

The Fear in Yesterday's Rings looks like the most likely match for the particular plot:

A rash of hideous killings throughout the Great Plains seizes the imagination of the more lurid tabloid newspapers, which bray WEREWOLF! Hunters and gun buffs have been torn to shreds and partially devoured. Mongo finds himself in the heartland on a mission of mercy for old friend Phil Statler, former owner of the Statler Brothers Circus. Many years ago, Phil spirited young Robert Frederickson away from a painful childhood in Nebraska and secured him fame as the star acrobat "Mongo the Magnificent." Mongo, now in league with Harper Rhys-Whitney, a snake charmer of seductive beauty and diminutive stature, backed financially by an entire Florida town of wealthy ex-circus freaks, hopes to buy back the circus from the mysterious new owners and restore Statler as its head.

But the trail of the circus and the trail of the "werewolf" cross. Behind the scenes at the big top, Mongo encounters a pair of outlandish international criminals---a brilliant genetics scientist and a wild animal trainer of uncanny talents. Surely it's not a coincidence that corpses, not just handbills and popcorn boxes, are left in the wake of this traveling show.

Once the star, Mongo finds himself back in the center ring...in the Deadliest Show on Earth.

Answer 2

I know this is years too late for an answer to this question but I thought others looking for an answer might find it helpful. I think the series you're talking about is by Barbra Nickless. The first book is below. Dr Evan Wildling is a forensic semiotician who's a little person/dwarf. He helps his friend Addie Bisset with cases.

At First Light (Dr. Evan Wilding Book 1)

Ritual murder. Archaic clues. A visionary killer. In this heart-stopping novel by the Wall Street Journal and Amazon Charts bestselling author of the Sydney Rose Parnell series, words can kill.

On the muddy banks of the Calumet River, a body has been found posed next to a series of mysterious glyphs and bearing wounds from a ritualistic slaying. Chicago detective Addie Bisset knows only one man who can decipher the message left by the killer: her friend Dr. Evan Wilding. A brilliant forensic semiotician, Evan decodes the etchings as Viking Age runes. They suggest either human sacrifice or righteous punishment. But to what god? And for what sins?

Only one thing is clear from the disturbing runic riddles: there are more victims to come.

As Evan races to determine the identity of the Viking Poet, he and Addie uncover the killer’s most terrifying secret yet: the motive. This startling discovery puts Evan’s life in mortal danger, and verse by ancient verse, time is running out.