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The Voice of the Clown
WHAT MAKES LITTLE LAURA LIKE TO KILL?
Sweet little Laura doesn't talk. She just smiles and shakes her golden curls. Her Nana loves her dearly, and her Daddy adores her.
But Laura's mother is terrified.
She knows there's something very wrong about Laura. Something that whispers vile, disgusting obscenities at her when no one else can hear. Something that is slowly taking her husband, and destroying her other children.
Laura's mother must be crazy. Who would believe that such an innocent child could do such wicked, wicked things. Little Laura isn't afraid of get ting caught...as long as she does whatever her clown doll tells her to do.
Sweet little Laura doesn't talk. She just smiles and shakes her golden curls. Her Nana loves her dearly, and her Daddy adores her.
But Laura's mother is terrified.
She knows there's something very wrong about Laura. Something that whispers vile, disgusting obscenities at her when no one else can hear. Something that is slowly taking her husband, and destroying her other children.
Laura's mother must be crazy. Who would believe that such an innocent child could do such wicked, wicked things. Little Laura isn't afraid of get ting caught...as long as she does whatever her clown doll tells her to do.
282 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 1, 1982
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
January 2, 2020
A rare title sought highly by horror lovers. Most copies are listed for $100+. Its notoriety, it seems, can be sourced to an active underground fandom and Grady Hendrix’s sweeping praise.
In Paperbacks From Hell, which chronicles the publishing history of horror literature during the 1970s and 80s, Hendrix lists this book as a standout among the “creepy kids” subgenre. He goes on to say that it’s “one of the few” books to ever make his “jaw drop” (page 9).
As custodian to a genre devoted to making readers gape in shlock, Hendrix’s short review has enticed many to hunt down The Voice of the Clown, and willing to pay a premium price. If it shook Grady, what unimaginable horrors reside within these out-of-print pages?
Adding fuel to the flame are the publishers desperate to reprint the title without success. Valancourt Books says they’ve spent “countless hours” trying to contact Brenda Brown Canary about a reprinting, but never receive a response. Even outside members of her family have stayed mum. As of right now, it seems this may be a book willingly left to disappear over time.
As for my opinion, it isn’t far off from Hendrix’s. Six-year-old Laura is a damn creepy protagonist. At least three scenes made my jaw drop, and I’m not easily shocked either. Part of the surprise, I think, is Canary’s willingness to have villains and victims be of such a young age. Horror is meant to push boundaries, but even still--very young children are usually off-limits. It’s the drug-using, sex-crazed teenagers who get slashed, and the villain is typically a shadowy figure of pure evil. When the script is flipped, it feels uncomfortable and considerably more terrifying.
Laura is more complicated than simply being a creepy child, and Canary does a great job of showing innocence mixed with evil possession. The child's motivations are a blend of past-life haunting, Freudian theories, and every day jealousy. While something supernatural is going on, it’s possible to imagine Laura as an ordinary kid who happened to enter the world with a black spot on her soul.
The writing is crisp and consistently paced toward impending doom. Somewhat repetitive, to be fair, but overall extremely readable which is not always the case for ‘80s horror. Canary has a keen eye for theatrics and makes every scene dramatic. This can be tedious at times, but in a gripping, have-to-turn-the-pages sort of way. It’s a heavy story that requires mental breaks. But not for long. By the midway point the plot is so full of swirling disaster that it’s impossible to avoid clawing through the last hundred and fifty pages to find out what happens. The tumultuous conclusion does not disappoint either.
Although I’m not as well-read as Grady Hendrix, my overall opinion is that, while this is an excellently written book, I don’t know that it accomplishes anything truly spectacular. The blurb on the cover references The Exorcist, which is pretty close to what this tries to be, but it doesn’t hold a candle to a Blatty. The jaw-dropping moments in the Exorcist are fully realized and feel authentic. The shocks in here are more like WTF moments where you just can’t believe Canary would suddenly take it in that direction.
In any case, I hope Brenda will take one of the publishing offers and allow this creation to re-enter the world so readers can decide for themselves, without having to shell out $100 for a used copy.
In Paperbacks From Hell, which chronicles the publishing history of horror literature during the 1970s and 80s, Hendrix lists this book as a standout among the “creepy kids” subgenre. He goes on to say that it’s “one of the few” books to ever make his “jaw drop” (page 9).
As custodian to a genre devoted to making readers gape in shlock, Hendrix’s short review has enticed many to hunt down The Voice of the Clown, and willing to pay a premium price. If it shook Grady, what unimaginable horrors reside within these out-of-print pages?
Adding fuel to the flame are the publishers desperate to reprint the title without success. Valancourt Books says they’ve spent “countless hours” trying to contact Brenda Brown Canary about a reprinting, but never receive a response. Even outside members of her family have stayed mum. As of right now, it seems this may be a book willingly left to disappear over time.
As for my opinion, it isn’t far off from Hendrix’s. Six-year-old Laura is a damn creepy protagonist. At least three scenes made my jaw drop, and I’m not easily shocked either. Part of the surprise, I think, is Canary’s willingness to have villains and victims be of such a young age. Horror is meant to push boundaries, but even still--very young children are usually off-limits. It’s the drug-using, sex-crazed teenagers who get slashed, and the villain is typically a shadowy figure of pure evil. When the script is flipped, it feels uncomfortable and considerably more terrifying.
Laura is more complicated than simply being a creepy child, and Canary does a great job of showing innocence mixed with evil possession. The child's motivations are a blend of past-life haunting, Freudian theories, and every day jealousy. While something supernatural is going on, it’s possible to imagine Laura as an ordinary kid who happened to enter the world with a black spot on her soul.
The writing is crisp and consistently paced toward impending doom. Somewhat repetitive, to be fair, but overall extremely readable which is not always the case for ‘80s horror. Canary has a keen eye for theatrics and makes every scene dramatic. This can be tedious at times, but in a gripping, have-to-turn-the-pages sort of way. It’s a heavy story that requires mental breaks. But not for long. By the midway point the plot is so full of swirling disaster that it’s impossible to avoid clawing through the last hundred and fifty pages to find out what happens. The tumultuous conclusion does not disappoint either.
Although I’m not as well-read as Grady Hendrix, my overall opinion is that, while this is an excellently written book, I don’t know that it accomplishes anything truly spectacular. The blurb on the cover references The Exorcist, which is pretty close to what this tries to be, but it doesn’t hold a candle to a Blatty. The jaw-dropping moments in the Exorcist are fully realized and feel authentic. The shocks in here are more like WTF moments where you just can’t believe Canary would suddenly take it in that direction.
In any case, I hope Brenda will take one of the publishing offers and allow this creation to re-enter the world so readers can decide for themselves, without having to shell out $100 for a used copy.
April 6, 2017
Woo-woo Native American mysticism aside, this is the only book to ever make my jaw drop.
May 16, 2021
3.5 stars
Laura has never spoken a word. Her clown told her not to. The plan is to drive her mother crazy...and it's working.
Young Laura has her father and grandmother wrapped around her little finger and they don't believe any of the stories her mother tells them about Laura's behaviour. The behaviour in question is outlandish and no one would think such a sweet little girl could be capable of such things.
The idea of a character being made to lose her mind is an interesting one and I think it could have been much more impactful if it had been delved into a little more. I found it to be an effective part of the story though and there are some moments here that really made me feel for Kate even though she is not a likeable character.
Here we have a pretty interesting mix of creepy kid, creepy clown, revenge, gaslighting, Native American folklore and family drama. I will say the story is more creepy kid focused than creepy clown focused which is a bit of a shame as you can't go wrong with more creepy clown action.
This is the book with a scene that apparently made Grady Hendrix's jaw drop and that particular moment is rather wild. There are a few other scenes that tread similar wtf ground. My main issue with this novel is that it gets a bit bogged down in dialogue and the story gets somewhat repetitive. I would say it's worth a read if you find a copy for a good price but I wouldn't go out of my way to spend a lot of money.
Laura has never spoken a word. Her clown told her not to. The plan is to drive her mother crazy...and it's working.
Young Laura has her father and grandmother wrapped around her little finger and they don't believe any of the stories her mother tells them about Laura's behaviour. The behaviour in question is outlandish and no one would think such a sweet little girl could be capable of such things.
The idea of a character being made to lose her mind is an interesting one and I think it could have been much more impactful if it had been delved into a little more. I found it to be an effective part of the story though and there are some moments here that really made me feel for Kate even though she is not a likeable character.
Here we have a pretty interesting mix of creepy kid, creepy clown, revenge, gaslighting, Native American folklore and family drama. I will say the story is more creepy kid focused than creepy clown focused which is a bit of a shame as you can't go wrong with more creepy clown action.
This is the book with a scene that apparently made Grady Hendrix's jaw drop and that particular moment is rather wild. There are a few other scenes that tread similar wtf ground. My main issue with this novel is that it gets a bit bogged down in dialogue and the story gets somewhat repetitive. I would say it's worth a read if you find a copy for a good price but I wouldn't go out of my way to spend a lot of money.
September 11, 2025
As far as I can tell, there is exactly one copy of The Voice of the Clown in any library in Australia, and the fact that I am lucky enough to have been able to read such a sought-after cult classic absolutely contributes to my having been so thoroughly enthralled by it. This is not an unbiased review, but it's no more biased by experience than any other - I'm a firm believer that any book can be enhanced by the time and place in which you read it.
The Voice of the Clown is comped to The Exorcist and The Bad Seed, but Laura's campaign of terror against her mother, Kate, her baby sister, and her brother, Harley, reminded me much more of Rosemary's Baby. Little Laura's escalation from gaslighting and manipulation to violence is genuinely chilling to read, as is her determination to continue until not only has Kate lost her mind, but the rest of the family has been thoroughly turned against her. Only then will Laura's mission - utter annihilation of the family unit - be complete.
The horror builds to a crescendo at about page 200, culminating in the infamous "only book to ever make Grady Hendrix's jaw drop" scene, which was exactly as affecting as promised - deafening, in fact - but after that, I'll admit that much of what follows is... not great. The family drama/creepy-kid combo that was so compelling up until that point gives way to some very dated 80's Native American mysticism that, while present before (and present in, lbr, most horror of that era), had previously represented only one small narrative thread, and the entire thing overstays its welcome by about 60 pages.
The final 10 (ish) pages and the epilogue, though, are great. Depressing, disturbing, and shocking, though not surprising or unexpected - the entire upsetting tale ends exactly as it needed to.
The Voice of the Clown is comped to The Exorcist and The Bad Seed, but Laura's campaign of terror against her mother, Kate, her baby sister, and her brother, Harley, reminded me much more of Rosemary's Baby. Little Laura's escalation from gaslighting and manipulation to violence is genuinely chilling to read, as is her determination to continue until not only has Kate lost her mind, but the rest of the family has been thoroughly turned against her. Only then will Laura's mission - utter annihilation of the family unit - be complete.
The horror builds to a crescendo at about page 200, culminating in the infamous "only book to ever make Grady Hendrix's jaw drop" scene, which was exactly as affecting as promised - deafening, in fact - but after that, I'll admit that much of what follows is... not great. The family drama/creepy-kid combo that was so compelling up until that point gives way to some very dated 80's Native American mysticism that, while present before (and present in, lbr, most horror of that era), had previously represented only one small narrative thread, and the entire thing overstays its welcome by about 60 pages.
The final 10 (ish) pages and the epilogue, though, are great. Depressing, disturbing, and shocking, though not surprising or unexpected - the entire upsetting tale ends exactly as it needed to.
August 4, 2023
I’m glad I found this at a backwoods secondhand bookstore for $4 because this is not worth the scalper pricing. It doesn’t live up to the hype! This feels like an ‘80s prime time soap opera that just so happens to have an evil kid in it. The clown doesn’t even factor into the story that much. The fact that it’s a clown is irrelevant, it could have just as easily been a teddy bear or some other typical kids’ toy. It makes me wonder if the cover painting came first and the novel was reverse-engineered from there. Plus there’s a lot of supernatural malarkey thrown in throughout and as is well-documented I’m not a fan of that as a story element. If you want an evil kid book that delivers thrills and chills and such without breaking the bank, go pick up a copy of “The Bad Seed” or “The Godsend”.
February 7, 2020
People can stop pretending like this is some horrifying cult-classic masterpiece of a novel, because it's basically garbage. It is well written garbage, but doesn't become a horror novel until the last 50 or so pages, and even then it's nothing to write home about. I feel bad for the idiots who have paid more than $10 for this ever since Grady claimed it to be "the scariest thing he's ever read."
Don't waste your time.
Don't waste your time.
March 22, 2020
Ok, there are a few books that make me go “Whoa!”, and this is one of them.
Yeah, the novel does drag on a bit with the Indian mysticism, and there are some chapters that do drone on, but it is forgiven in three shocking scenes of violence and depravity. When I hit page 202, my jaw dropped at what happened. If this book was published now, instead of the early 1980’s, the reading public would be in an uproar.
Hopefully, this will be republished in the near future so other readers of horror can decide for themselves.
Worth seeking out if you can find a reasonably priced copy.
Yeah, the novel does drag on a bit with the Indian mysticism, and there are some chapters that do drone on, but it is forgiven in three shocking scenes of violence and depravity. When I hit page 202, my jaw dropped at what happened. If this book was published now, instead of the early 1980’s, the reading public would be in an uproar.
Hopefully, this will be republished in the near future so other readers of horror can decide for themselves.
Worth seeking out if you can find a reasonably priced copy.
Read
November 11, 2018Half way through this book I had to put it down and walk away. This book gave me anxiety and I felt my skin itching to move away and never come back. I eventually finished the title but it was a JOURNEY.
A JOURNEY I TELL YOU!
Shoutout to the world of Interlibrary Loans for allowing me to read this tale of madness.
A JOURNEY I TELL YOU!
Shoutout to the world of Interlibrary Loans for allowing me to read this tale of madness.
August 14, 2023
I remember this book featuring heavily in Paperbacks from Hell, but I found it difficult to get through after about 40-50 pages. It was unusually boring. After a couple of shocking twists, one of which was revealed in the book’s opening blurb to garner attention, the narrative devolved into utter unbelievability and extreme stupidity. Several overly long passages involved “psychic battles” between characters in the same room. The adults actions were not credible and the storyline was nonsensical. The novel could have easy cut 100 pages and nothing would have been missed. My guess is all the hype around this book merely involves the cover art. Not good otherwise.
February 23, 2019
I’m not sure how this one became such a shocker among some readers back in the day (other than its complete disregard for any character that has the misfortune to be put into this book, but it’s not far removed from the fates of anyone in the original Grimm Brothers fairytales). It’s basicly a non stop parade of fist-fights, face slappings, eye crawlings, and flesh tearings between a little girl and her immediate family. Oh, and there’s a side plot about her stuffed clown talking to her, but that really ends up taking a backseat to the incessant fighting and screaming in this book that takes place from beginning to end. Was expecting something unusual after hearing some discussions about this one, but it’s mostly redundant and really off-putting.
December 28, 2020
I read this book after reading about it in Grady Hendrix's Paperbacks From Hell when he wrote it was one of the few books to make his jaw drop. I too reached a point where my jaw also dropped. The Voice Of The Clown didn't disappoint. It is a riot of creepiness and horror. I doubt that any current publisher would touch it with a ten-foot pole and it remands to be seen if it would it will ever be reprinted.
May 26, 2024
Incredible. This runs a little slow in the middle, but picks back up pretty quickly with a ton of melodrama and one of the most ridiculous webs of convoluted storytelling that somehow doesn't wind up as a complete mess by the end. Deceptively simple with some moments of complete shock at the actions taken by little Laura (and to a lesser extent the other members of the family). Absolutely deserves a reprint, somehow.
June 18, 2018
At its core, this is a love story. The man loves the woman, the woman loves the man. Just because she is dead and speaking through a clown to a little girl doesn't necessarily negate that. I love this book for the creative gore, the demented sociopathic view of a 6 year old, and the happy ending.
April 12, 2024
What a privilege it was to read this rarity, purchased quite kindly by my 8th grade students who knew I collected pulp paperbacks. This book is twisted and had me truly gasping surprise at several turns. Some very dated ideas about Native Americans and body image and discipline, but that’s one of the reasons these older pulps are interesting to read; a snapshot of foregone social standards. If you can get your hands on a copy I definitely recommend. This book takes The Bad Seed to the next level, truly transgressive sequences. The entire concept is a trip.
February 21, 2024
2.5 stars rounded up because it did make me gasp a few times. I'm so lucky to have been able to read this book without having to pay for it, because I would have been so annoyed to shell out a couple hundred dollars to read...that. The prose was cringy and the dialogue was comically bad at times. The story could have been interesting if it didn't just drag between the exciting parts. Overall, I don't regret reading it.
January 30, 2024
2024 Book #1:
The Voice of the Clown (1982) by Brenda Brown Canary
A long-lost classic, or just another trashy horror paperback from the 1980s? I’m sorry to say that I lean more toward the latter. The Voice of the Clown tells the story of Laura, a six-year-old girl who may or may not be in contact with the spirit of her father’s long-dead lover. This is quintessential creepy-kid horror, a booming subgenre of the time. But it would have been much better as a novella rather than an almost 300-page novel. The writing is repetitive and mostly uninspired, and Laura is the only point-of-view character. The other characters are decently fleshed out, but they’re shockingly dumb and never suspect that Laura is gaslighting them (not a spoiler: she is). However, when the book decides to build tension, it does this pretty well. There are a couple scenes of absolutely gut-wrenching violence that punctuate the book’s otherwise soporific course. The final ten pages or so are also quite good. Certainly not the worst horror book I’ve read, but it’s also kind of forgettable. (low 3/5)
The Voice of the Clown (1982) by Brenda Brown Canary
A long-lost classic, or just another trashy horror paperback from the 1980s? I’m sorry to say that I lean more toward the latter. The Voice of the Clown tells the story of Laura, a six-year-old girl who may or may not be in contact with the spirit of her father’s long-dead lover. This is quintessential creepy-kid horror, a booming subgenre of the time. But it would have been much better as a novella rather than an almost 300-page novel. The writing is repetitive and mostly uninspired, and Laura is the only point-of-view character. The other characters are decently fleshed out, but they’re shockingly dumb and never suspect that Laura is gaslighting them (not a spoiler: she is). However, when the book decides to build tension, it does this pretty well. There are a couple scenes of absolutely gut-wrenching violence that punctuate the book’s otherwise soporific course. The final ten pages or so are also quite good. Certainly not the worst horror book I’ve read, but it’s also kind of forgettable. (low 3/5)
November 16, 2021
I paid a ridiculous amount of money for this book on ebay, especially since it says $2.95 on the cover. I enjoyed it because it reminded me of early V. C. Andrews, but I predicted the "shocking" part so my jaw did not drop and I'm a little disappointed by that.
Read
January 17, 2020This was a very, very unpleasant book. I thought it was very well written, but in the most horrible way possible. I'm glad i read it, but doubt I will ever read it again.
October 9, 2022
Wow. This is one effed up book! Paperback From Hell is right!
September 2, 2023
Lol come on now
November 28, 2022
Laura is a cute girl, who is mute, that everyone love. Except her mother, her mother think she is evil. After bringing home a new baby Laura sets out to steal her dad love for just her in some pretty awful ways. Did I mention Laura is 6?
There are 3 truly shocking segments in this book that I can think of off the top of my head and each left me gobsmacked. However after reading Tender is the Flesh these were in no way as shocking as that.
For a mass market paperback I actually thought this was a good read. Very well written but at some point the author goes in odd tangents. The characters feel fleshed out almost instantly which I really appreciate in a book, a flat character makes me disinterested in the story. The ending is also a smart way to end, no one is left in limbo and it finishes with a bang.
This isn't a literary master price but a solid 3.8
There are 3 truly shocking segments in this book that I can think of off the top of my head and each left me gobsmacked. However after reading Tender is the Flesh these were in no way as shocking as that.
For a mass market paperback I actually thought this was a good read. Very well written but at some point the author goes in odd tangents. The characters feel fleshed out almost instantly which I really appreciate in a book, a flat character makes me disinterested in the story. The ending is also a smart way to end, no one is left in limbo and it finishes with a bang.
This isn't a literary master price but a solid 3.8
Read
November 2, 2018First, I'd like to thank the Robert Morris University Library for providing this copy through inter-library loan as it seems to be the only place in the US to get a copy without spending almost $100 on Amazon.
As for the book, this is good squishy. The plot (demon child creates havoc and chaos) is familiar if you're into that thing- if not the story is pretty novel- but the main strength of this book is the drive and emotional intensity through the story.
The book starts out with a solid display of anger and inchoate rage before we get into the main character and her obsession with her father that will start a row of crazy dominoes to fall. And fall they do, it's pretty impressive that the author manages to move the whole story forward without ever making us wonder too much about certain "oddities" that crop up throughout the story. But that stuff is for the little minds that fixate on the flaws.
The Voice of the Clown is a terrific story that doesn't let you go until the end. The sense of dread that propels the book is unequaled in most fiction.
Now if someone could only convince Ms. Canary (Lawson?) to authorize a reprint, you'd all know what I'm talking about.
As for the book, this is good squishy. The plot (demon child creates havoc and chaos) is familiar if you're into that thing- if not the story is pretty novel- but the main strength of this book is the drive and emotional intensity through the story.
The book starts out with a solid display of anger and inchoate rage before we get into the main character and her obsession with her father that will start a row of crazy dominoes to fall. And fall they do, it's pretty impressive that the author manages to move the whole story forward without ever making us wonder too much about certain "oddities" that crop up throughout the story. But that stuff is for the little minds that fixate on the flaws.
The Voice of the Clown is a terrific story that doesn't let you go until the end. The sense of dread that propels the book is unequaled in most fiction.
Now if someone could only convince Ms. Canary (Lawson?) to authorize a reprint, you'd all know what I'm talking about.
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