Clown in a Cornfield
Clown in a Cornfield book cover

Clown in a Cornfield

Paperback – December 28, 2021

Price
$14.99
Format
Paperback
Pages
368
Publisher
HarperTeen
Publication Date
ISBN-13
978-0062854605
Dimensions
5 x 0.75 x 8 inches
Weight
9.2 ounces

Description

“This party starts early, and it does not stop until all the bodies have hit the floor.”xa0 — Stephen Graham Jones, author of Mongrels and The Only Good Indians "Adam Cesare's CLOWN IN A CORNFIELD starts as a fun and scary retro-slasher but then cleverly twists and bloodies its way into being a very new kind of beast. Rejoice horror fans new and old, and be terrified of Adam's everyday clowns." — Paul Tremblay, author of A Head Full of Ghosts and The Cabin at the End of the World "Tense, modern and gory, Cesare's Clown in a Cornfield is simultaneously classic and fresh. This is thrilling, old school horror for a new generation." — Madeleine Roux, author of the Asylum series "There’s a lot to love about Adam Cesare’s new novel, Clown in a Cornfield. First, the title. Holy crap. Then the front cover. Double holy crap. Also consider it’s already received blurbs from people like Clive Barker, Stephen Graham Jones, and Paul Tremblay? Triple holy crap. People are going to be talking about this novel all year. Get ready for it." — Lit Reactor "The immersive atmosphere, nail-biting action sequences, and satisfying social commentary results in a thoughtful, campy, and just-plain-fun read for horror fans, especially those who crave a retro feel but still want a story set firmly in the present." — Library Journal (starred review) "A pulse-pounding thrill ride for retro-horror fans who are not faint of heart (or stomach)." — Kirkus Reviews "This pitch-perfect horror experience can be enjoyed as pure entertainment for its fun retro slasher style, but teen readers will also fully appreciate the sly underlying social commentary." — Booklist (starred review) "With this novel, Cesare is going to create a new generation of life-long horror fans." — Signal Horizon Magazine "Cesare’s cinematic eye means the set-pieces are loud, brash, and dramatic (it’s no surprise that there’s a film adaptation in the works). Given what we are all experiencing now, there’s something wonderfully pleasing, nostalgic, and even therapeutic spending several hours cheering on Quinn – smart and brave -- as she takes on [...] killer clowns."xa0 — Locus Magazine " Clown in a Cornfield delivers everything the title promises--and more. More carnage, more mayhem and a sly social commentary that cuts to the bone. A must-read for horror fans." — Riley Sager, New York Times bestselling author of Final Girls Clown in a Cornfield is a true-to-form classic horror story, complete with blood and gore, chainsaws and crossbows, and abundant deaths. This is a truly fun piece of escapism for teens who are okay with slasher-flick violence.xa0xa0 — YALSA’s Best Fiction for Young Adults Nominee This debut horror novel has all the trappings of a good, popcorn-scented slasher flick. Reluctant readers will find this a quick and fun read. They will definitely appreciate the stress-relieving escapism. Suggest it to readers looking for Stephen King read-alikes and fans of the Friday the 13th franchise. — YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Readersxa0Nominee Adam Cesare is the author of the Bram Stoker Award-winning Clown in a Cornfield series, the graphic novel Dead Mall , and several other novels and novellas including the cult hit Video Night and the YA psychothriller Influencer . An avid fan of horror cinema, you can watch him talk about movies on YouTube, TikTok, Twitter, and the rest of his socials.

Features & Highlights

  • Bram Stoker Award Winner for Superior Achievement in a Young Adult Novel
  • In Adam Cesare’s terrifying young adult debut, Quinn Maybrook finds herself caught in a battle between old and new, tradition and progress—that just may cost her life.
  • Quinn Maybrook and her father have moved to tiny, boring Kettle Springs, to find a fresh start. But what they don’t know is that ever since the Baypen Corn Syrup Factory shut down, Kettle Springs has cracked in half.
  • On one side are the adults, who are desperate to make Kettle Springs great again, and on the other are the kids, who want to have fun, make prank videos, and get out of Kettle Springs as quick as they can.
  • Kettle Springs is caught in a battle between old and new, tradition and progress. It’s a fight that looks like it will destroy the town. Until Frendo, the Baypen mascot, a creepy clown in a pork-pie hat, goes homicidal and decides that the only way for Kettle Springs to grow back is to cull the rotten crop of kids who live there now.
  • YALSA’s Best Fiction for Young Adults Nominee

Customer Reviews

Rating Breakdown

★★★★★
30%
(779)
★★★★
25%
(650)
★★★
15%
(390)
★★
7%
(182)
23%
(597)

Most Helpful Reviews

✓ Verified Purchase

Hope this turns into a movie series!! 😻🔥

Forget, “Categorizing”.. where this book series ranks compared to others. It’s simple. It’s freaking fun, exciting, descriptive and most importantly engaging. Idc if it’s “YA” I think this has so much potential to get picked up and be turned into a movie series. I love ALL the characters, plots twists, and had my heart racing a few times. I won’t shut up about how much I love these books and need Frendo merch 🤡 I never left a review in all the years and products bought on this app lol this shows the support I have for these books to thrive. Enjoy yourself, lock your doors and read without judgement. QUINN FOR THE WIN!!
2 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

Clown in a Cornfield

I thought it was very good, so going to order the second book right now.
2 people found this helpful
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Great Slasher Fun!

I have to start by stating, like other reviews, that even though it’s marked as a young adult novel, its full of gore, kills, and adult content. The writing is sharp and the pacing is solid. A little predictable at certain points but it’s not enough to detract from the overall great ride. Loved it.
1 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

Amazing!

I happened to pick these up at a local book store and was in love with the covers! I read this first one in one day, could NOT put it down! Fast paced, kept my interest, and wonderfully written!
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Gruesome, excellent

honestly loved it, but the endings cliffhanger had me feeling like the author had jumped the shark.

If you love a good killing spree in a cornfield on unsuspecting drunk and horny teenagers in the middle of the night then I highly recommend you read clown in a cornfield. I know I did!
✓ Verified Purchase

Pretty fun

A few weak points but overall a fun, quick read! Happy to have learned it might be being made into a movie!
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YA Horror at Its Best

I was intrigued by this book after watching a couple of BookTok reviews, and I’m so glad I followed through and read it. Although some of the plot was a bit predictable, there were still some twists that kept me saying “Dang!” I’m a sucker for a new kid in town type of story. This one didn’t disappoint. Once Quinn gets to school, the wheels start moving and down slow down until the very end. Correction, even the epilogue keeps the bus moving leading into the sequel. Even with the fast pace of this book, the story of Quinn’s family is a slow burn and works so well in this story! As a writer of YA Horror, I don’t allow myself the gore or strong language that is in this story. I feel like I can let loose a little more. Can’t wait to jump into the sequel.
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Fun Teen Slasher

As a young adult book, I really enjoyed it! It had fun twists but one of the twists was predictable. However, it was still a fun quick read. It also reads like a movie which I really liked!
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In my top 10 favorite books of all time.

Fast-paced, twists and turns, realistic, and imaginative! This book was recommended to me by a friend and it did not disappoint.
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Fun & Well written

I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed it quite a lot. It was original, engaging, and a well-written piece of fiction. I wouldn't guess it was a YA novel based on the awesome kill scenes. It lives up to the high bar set by Barker and King.
If you want a fun read and don't mind having teens as the main characters, this is worth your time. I personally like reading characters who are more like me, and since I am far removed from being a teen, it can be tough. Was I that annoying as a teen?? Probably. Ok, I definitely was. But I digress…
I am looking forward to reading the second book. I found Cesare through instagram algorithms because I am a horror fan, and he shares fun reels and horror-related posts.
I am looking forward to the Clown in a Cornfield movie, too!