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Clown in a Cornfield
(Clown in a Cornfield #1)
by
Quinn Maybrook just wants to make it until graduation. She might not make it to morning.
Quinn and her father moved to tiny, boring Kettle Springs to find a fresh start. But 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, w ...more
Quinn and her father moved to tiny, boring Kettle Springs to find a fresh start. But 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, w ...more
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Hardcover, 346 pages
Published
August 25th 2020
by HarperTeen
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Start your review of Clown in a Cornfield (Clown in a Cornfield, #1)

Quinn Maybrook moves to Kettle Springs after her Dad accepts the position as the town's new General Practitioner.
While he didn't ask for Quinn's opinion on the move, she is willing to let it slide. After everything they've been through lately, she just wants to see him happy again.

To be honest, Quinn was ready to leave Philadelphia anyway. Since her Mom's tragic, and very public death, it was difficult to be there; to deal with everyone's pitying looks.
When they arrive at their new home, they di ...more
While he didn't ask for Quinn's opinion on the move, she is willing to let it slide. After everything they've been through lately, she just wants to see him happy again.

To be honest, Quinn was ready to leave Philadelphia anyway. Since her Mom's tragic, and very public death, it was difficult to be there; to deal with everyone's pitying looks.
When they arrive at their new home, they di ...more

UPDATE: $2.99 Kindle US Today 10/25/20
What in the hell ass crazy clown did I just read!! 🤨🤡

This WAS NOT what I was expecting, not by a damn long shot! This book came out of left field. The left corn field! <- that was so corny <- omg! Corny! I can’t win on this one 🙄🤣😂

I’m seriously at a loss for words 🤔. If I open my big ass mouth, I’ll give something away! Just know this book will not be what you’re thinking it’s going to be! Take that and run with it. No seriously... RUN!

Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Read with som ...more
What in the hell ass crazy clown did I just read!! 🤨🤡

This WAS NOT what I was expecting, not by a damn long shot! This book came out of left field. The left corn field! <- that was so corny <- omg! Corny! I can’t win on this one 🙄🤣😂

I’m seriously at a loss for words 🤔. If I open my big ass mouth, I’ll give something away! Just know this book will not be what you’re thinking it’s going to be! Take that and run with it. No seriously... RUN!

Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Read with som ...more

BLOODY GORY FUN, THIS WAS EVERYTHING I WANTED!!!
SMALL TOWN + SERIAL KILLER CLOWN + TEENAGE PARTIES??? (what could go wrong?) = EVERYTHING . But in the best way possible.
This book had the highest body count I've ever read in a slasher novel. Bodies dropping left and right— slash, stick, stabby stabby, shot, burned, sliced, and diced . SCREAM could never! Entertainment value??? 10000000000000% BISH!!!!
This book was like a fun romp through a halloween horror night at the amusement park w ...more
SMALL TOWN + SERIAL KILLER CLOWN + TEENAGE PARTIES??? (what could go wrong?) = EVERYTHING . But in the best way possible.
This book had the highest body count I've ever read in a slasher novel. Bodies dropping left and right— slash, stick, stabby stabby, shot, burned, sliced, and diced . SCREAM could never! Entertainment value??? 10000000000000% BISH!!!!
This book was like a fun romp through a halloween horror night at the amusement park w ...more

Aug 27, 2020
Gabby
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
4-star-books,
horror,
arc-or-won-or-received,
read-in-2020,
own,
liked-it,
reviewed,
young-adult
3.5 stars
This was one of my most anticipated horror books of the year so I was so incredibly stoked when Adam sent me a review copy! This book follows this girl named Quinn who is moving to a small town called Kettle Springs. Her and her Dad are looking for a fresh start and this is where they decide to live, but the town is strange. She becomes friends with this group of teens who stream their pranks online and it drives the older crowd in the town insane.
This book was a fun slasher horror, it ...more
This was one of my most anticipated horror books of the year so I was so incredibly stoked when Adam sent me a review copy! This book follows this girl named Quinn who is moving to a small town called Kettle Springs. Her and her Dad are looking for a fresh start and this is where they decide to live, but the town is strange. She becomes friends with this group of teens who stream their pranks online and it drives the older crowd in the town insane.
This book was a fun slasher horror, it ...more


SPOOKTOBER CONTIIIIINUES!!!!!
oh, man, this book. i thought i knew what i was getting into and i was so wrong.
it’s YA with balls and a vintage horror cover i wanna marry, about a girl named quinn who moves from big city philly to ketttle springs, missouri—a small town saturated with its own secrets and tragedies; a town struggling to get by; a town trying to make itself great again; a town whose corn syrup mascot, frendo the not-at-all-creepy clown is part and parcel of their heartland identity ...more

Mar 19, 2020
Sadie Hartmann
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
cemetery-dance
Review originally published at Cemetery Dance:
https://www.cemeterydance.com/extras/...
The setting for Clown in a Cornfield is the fictional town of Kettle Springs, a rural town that sounds like good ol’ Nowheresville, USA. The townspeople seem caught in a time-warp where young people are to be seen and not heard, especially while the grown-ups are trying hard to “Make Kettle Springs Great Again.” Unfortunately for our protagonist, Quinn Maybrook, her father took a job in Kettle Springs and Quinn ...more
https://www.cemeterydance.com/extras/...
The setting for Clown in a Cornfield is the fictional town of Kettle Springs, a rural town that sounds like good ol’ Nowheresville, USA. The townspeople seem caught in a time-warp where young people are to be seen and not heard, especially while the grown-ups are trying hard to “Make Kettle Springs Great Again.” Unfortunately for our protagonist, Quinn Maybrook, her father took a job in Kettle Springs and Quinn ...more

CW/TW: death, murder, physical violence, gore, trauma, mental illness
"The corn itself could have been waving hello, or it could have been breathing."
Kettle Springs, USA (2020) — Following a recent family tragedy in Philadelphia, Quinn Maybrook and her father Glenn both need a brand new start. This came ideally when Kettle Springs, a small and boring town in the Midwest, is looking for an official town doctor, making Glenn accept the job in all good faith. But when Quinn attends her first day on ...more
"The corn itself could have been waving hello, or it could have been breathing."
Kettle Springs, USA (2020) — Following a recent family tragedy in Philadelphia, Quinn Maybrook and her father Glenn both need a brand new start. This came ideally when Kettle Springs, a small and boring town in the Midwest, is looking for an official town doctor, making Glenn accept the job in all good faith. But when Quinn attends her first day on ...more

"Quinn had never been scared of the dark. And before tonight, she'd never even thought to be afraid of clowns."
To give you guys some non-spoilery blurb on what this all about:
After a recent tragedy, Glenn Maybrook and her daughter, Quinn, moved from Philadelphia to Kettle Springs, a small town surrounded by this vast of cornfield. Glenn is the new doctor in town while of course, Quinn is the 'new girl'. New girl goes to her new school, Kettle Springs High. New girl meets her new set of frien ...more
To give you guys some non-spoilery blurb on what this all about:
After a recent tragedy, Glenn Maybrook and her daughter, Quinn, moved from Philadelphia to Kettle Springs, a small town surrounded by this vast of cornfield. Glenn is the new doctor in town while of course, Quinn is the 'new girl'. New girl goes to her new school, Kettle Springs High. New girl meets her new set of frien ...more

Feb 16, 2020
Rachel (TheShadesofOrange)
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
horror,
review-copy
4.0 Stars
Video Review: https://youtu.be/Jb7RBxJZjz0
Murderous Clowns & Snarky Teenagers… all the elements you need for an awesome slasher horror movie. This book pretty much demands to be adapted.
I have previously read several of Adam Cesare’s other books and I am always impressed by his range as an author. No two of his books are quite the same and this newest one, once again, feels different feels different from the rest. I have really enjoyed his previous work, but I think this one might be hi ...more
Video Review: https://youtu.be/Jb7RBxJZjz0
Murderous Clowns & Snarky Teenagers… all the elements you need for an awesome slasher horror movie. This book pretty much demands to be adapted.
I have previously read several of Adam Cesare’s other books and I am always impressed by his range as an author. No two of his books are quite the same and this newest one, once again, feels different feels different from the rest. I have really enjoyed his previous work, but I think this one might be hi ...more

I have a huge fear of clowns, so this book truly creeped me out!
Although I do have a HUGE fear of clowns, I still really enjoyed this book. Yes, it did scare me, but I was still entertained! This book has the same vibes of classic slasher horror movies such as “Scream” and I think that’s one of the reasons I liked it so much. The only reason it wasn’t a full 5 stars for me, is due to it being slightly predictable.
Overall, I would recommend to any horror/slasher movie fans! I also did a reading v ...more
Although I do have a HUGE fear of clowns, I still really enjoyed this book. Yes, it did scare me, but I was still entertained! This book has the same vibes of classic slasher horror movies such as “Scream” and I think that’s one of the reasons I liked it so much. The only reason it wasn’t a full 5 stars for me, is due to it being slightly predictable.
Overall, I would recommend to any horror/slasher movie fans! I also did a reading v ...more

Remove the killer clown and this book can be summarized in one image:

Interested in some cheesy horror fun heavily reliant on the conflict between generations with some tongue in cheek hinting at our current political climate? Well, then step right up to this crazy circus and behold: FRENDO THE CLOWN!
This was a 3.5 to 4 star book for me. It was fun to read and I was into it the whole time. I did do some groaning and eye rolling from time to time when it got a bit too silly or seemed to be forcing ...more

Interested in some cheesy horror fun heavily reliant on the conflict between generations with some tongue in cheek hinting at our current political climate? Well, then step right up to this crazy circus and behold: FRENDO THE CLOWN!
This was a 3.5 to 4 star book for me. It was fun to read and I was into it the whole time. I did do some groaning and eye rolling from time to time when it got a bit too silly or seemed to be forcing ...more

In the town of Kettle Springs Missouri, there's an abandoned factory with a big clown painted on the side. This lovely sight greets Quinn, as she looks out her bedroom window in their new home. Having lost her mother only a short time ago, Quinn promises her father she'll do her best to make a go of it in this new town, for his sake as well as her own. But something is wrong is this quiet town and it has to do with Frendo the clown. And cornfields. And twisted minds. If all this sounds good to y
...more

I have to admit that when I heard Cesare had written a horror novel in the YA genre I was both hesitant and intrigued. I don't really read very much YA at all, but I love Cesare's work, so I was super excited to pick this one up when it was released. Needless to say, I was overjoyed when Cesare reached out to me and asked if I would like to read a review copy. I answered immediately.
Quinn Maybrook is the new kid in town. Having grown up in Philadelphia, Kettle Springs is way too country for her ...more
Quinn Maybrook is the new kid in town. Having grown up in Philadelphia, Kettle Springs is way too country for her ...more

Jan 18, 2021
Claude's Bookzone
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
young-adult-book,
content-warning-see-text,
disturbing,
horror,
thriller,
body-horror,
action,
murder
CW: Violent gory deaths...lots of them!
Well I enjoyed this fun YA slasher horror!
Clowns and cornfields.
Both have frequently featured in horror books and movies and are super creepy. Kudos to Adam for successfully combining these two scary elements into a fast paced blood bath. The tension is built up nicely with an underlying sense of menace in the town, and then WHAM, it transitions into a thrilling action story with a lot of running, screaming, hacking and hiding. Surprisingly, we do actually ...more
Well I enjoyed this fun YA slasher horror!
Clowns and cornfields.
Both have frequently featured in horror books and movies and are super creepy. Kudos to Adam for successfully combining these two scary elements into a fast paced blood bath. The tension is built up nicely with an underlying sense of menace in the town, and then WHAM, it transitions into a thrilling action story with a lot of running, screaming, hacking and hiding. Surprisingly, we do actually ...more

Friendly reminder, three stars on this site means I liked it. And I did. I liked it.
The first thing I'd like to mention is, I'm fully aware this book isn't for me, and you should take that into consideration while reading this review. I've seen all this before. Where this book will shine is how it will (hopefully) get more kids into reading horror, and it might, as long as they haven't seen more than two or three slasher films. But an old dog like me saw much of this book coming, and what littl ...more
The first thing I'd like to mention is, I'm fully aware this book isn't for me, and you should take that into consideration while reading this review. I've seen all this before. Where this book will shine is how it will (hopefully) get more kids into reading horror, and it might, as long as they haven't seen more than two or three slasher films. But an old dog like me saw much of this book coming, and what littl ...more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.

With an already impressive body of work to date, this is absolutely Adam Cesare's best, elevating and showcasing not just his own considerable talents, but elevating and showcasing the best of the modern horror resurgence. A loving homage to what has come before but absolutely cutting edge and shredding the old tropes. Plus, there's a vein of dark humor that runs throughout, and that just makes the terror all the more real. Highly, highly recommended.
...more

Can I first just say how badly I want gory horror to be a standard in YA book releases? I know, I know – a few naysayers think they’re above books marketed at “young adult” audiences, and sometimes even the gory ones can be filled with an overuse of unnecessary romance (there’s a pink neon cover that springs to mind in this vein), but I’m here to tell you that those people are wrong. Sure, YA may not be for them particularly – not everything is for everyone, and that’s okay! – but please don’t l
...more

“All we have to do now is not die.”
All October I’ve been trying to find a real “slasher flick” type of read. I was hopeful that The Woods Are Always Watching would be the one to deliver, but sadly that wasn’t nearly as good as There’s Someone In Your House and so the search continued. When this selection popped up on the “Recommended to You” feature on my library’s app I decided to take a gamble. And it was EXACTLY what I was hoping it would be.
In the immortal words of Stefan . . .
The ...more
All October I’ve been trying to find a real “slasher flick” type of read. I was hopeful that The Woods Are Always Watching would be the one to deliver, but sadly that wasn’t nearly as good as There’s Someone In Your House and so the search continued. When this selection popped up on the “Recommended to You” feature on my library’s app I decided to take a gamble. And it was EXACTLY what I was hoping it would be.
In the immortal words of Stefan . . .

The ...more

Multiple murders but make it fun.
This combined all the best aspects of a teen slasher film into a literary format and whilst it didn't ever become chill-inducing for me, it remained a highly entertaining, action-focused, and binge-worthy read, throughout. I loved the small town setting, the endless murderous and blood-soaked scenes, and the concluding political focus that lent the narrative some depth. I doubt this will become my usual go-to genre, but it provided a nice change of pace from the ...more
This combined all the best aspects of a teen slasher film into a literary format and whilst it didn't ever become chill-inducing for me, it remained a highly entertaining, action-focused, and binge-worthy read, throughout. I loved the small town setting, the endless murderous and blood-soaked scenes, and the concluding political focus that lent the narrative some depth. I doubt this will become my usual go-to genre, but it provided a nice change of pace from the ...more

BRILLIANT! A young adult horror novel that is not afraid of the bloodshed.
Quinn moves with her father to Kettle Springs, a small town that is divided between old and new, and the appearance of a clown in a pork pie hat will change the lives of the teens of the town forever.
So much happens in this book that I wouldn't want to spoil it for anyone, so I'm trying to be as vague as possible, but once certain events happen, things move at a break-neck speed and doesn't stop til the very end. Carnage. ...more
Quinn moves with her father to Kettle Springs, a small town that is divided between old and new, and the appearance of a clown in a pork pie hat will change the lives of the teens of the town forever.
So much happens in this book that I wouldn't want to spoil it for anyone, so I'm trying to be as vague as possible, but once certain events happen, things move at a break-neck speed and doesn't stop til the very end. Carnage. ...more

I was sent an ARC of Clown in a Cornfield in exchange for an honest review. See my video review HERE.
As corny as it sounds, being an Ohioan means I know a lot about cornfields. Okay, maybe I don't know a lot about cornfields, I just know what it feels like to be surrounded by cornfields at all times. The majority of the houses I've lived in have been across the street from cornfields. And the scenery on the drive to town was a lot of cornfields as well. Just corn for freaking miles, and then mor ...more
As corny as it sounds, being an Ohioan means I know a lot about cornfields. Okay, maybe I don't know a lot about cornfields, I just know what it feels like to be surrounded by cornfields at all times. The majority of the houses I've lived in have been across the street from cornfields. And the scenery on the drive to town was a lot of cornfields as well. Just corn for freaking miles, and then mor ...more

This was ok. The teens were awful but didn't deserve to die! i felt it took too long to get to the slasher bits. Once it got there, it was good ol slasher fun.
...more

My review of CLOWN IN A CORNFIELD can be found at High Fever Books.
Perhaps I should admit right at the outset that, largely due to my own ignorance, I have not necessarily a bias against young adult fiction, but perhaps a presumption of what YA lit is. When it was announced that Adam Cesare was making his YA debut this summer with Clown in a Cornfield, I was both very excited for him, having read and enjoyed the hell out of several of his indie/small press titles, but also a bit skeptical. Yeah, ...more
Perhaps I should admit right at the outset that, largely due to my own ignorance, I have not necessarily a bias against young adult fiction, but perhaps a presumption of what YA lit is. When it was announced that Adam Cesare was making his YA debut this summer with Clown in a Cornfield, I was both very excited for him, having read and enjoyed the hell out of several of his indie/small press titles, but also a bit skeptical. Yeah, ...more

"The corn itself could have been waving hello, or it could have been breathing.”
There’s still plenty of time to squeeze in a good ol’ slasher book for the month of October and this book absolutely delivered on that. The best part about Clown in a Cornfield is that it’s a relatively quick read coming in at just over 300 pages but it’s extremely fast paced – I seriously could not put this down. And now I find myself on the hunt for all the gory, murder-filled YA books that I can squeeze in for ...more
There’s still plenty of time to squeeze in a good ol’ slasher book for the month of October and this book absolutely delivered on that. The best part about Clown in a Cornfield is that it’s a relatively quick read coming in at just over 300 pages but it’s extremely fast paced – I seriously could not put this down. And now I find myself on the hunt for all the gory, murder-filled YA books that I can squeeze in for ...more

3.5 stars.
I have this thing about clowns. Essentially, I hate them. The giggly laugh, the painted face, the giant knife to stab you with... I'm not a fan. So I knew that this would be a horror that I would love and hate in equal measures - making it the ideal Halloween read. Quinn and her doctor gather have moved to the small town of Kettle Springs as a fresh start following the death of Quinn's mother. However, the town seems to have an odd fascination with Frendo, the local mascot. Add in the ...more
I have this thing about clowns. Essentially, I hate them. The giggly laugh, the painted face, the giant knife to stab you with... I'm not a fan. So I knew that this would be a horror that I would love and hate in equal measures - making it the ideal Halloween read. Quinn and her doctor gather have moved to the small town of Kettle Springs as a fresh start following the death of Quinn's mother. However, the town seems to have an odd fascination with Frendo, the local mascot. Add in the ...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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2022 Reading Chal...: Clown in a Cornfield (Clown in a Cornfield #1) | 10 | 28 | Jun 17, 2022 06:26PM | |
Horror Aficionados : September 2020 Group Read #2: Clown in a Cornfield | 127 | 266 | Feb 04, 2022 10:43PM | |
Challenge Corner: Clown in a Cornfield by Adam Cesare --> Restarting October 11th, 2021 | 44 | 24 | Oct 13, 2021 04:21PM | |
Creepy Book Club: END OF BOOK DISCUSSION | 4 | 27 | May 31, 2021 10:23AM | |
Goodreads Librari...: Please Add Award | 2 | 14 | May 27, 2021 05:37PM | |
Creepy Book Club: Chapters 1 - 15 | 1 | 9 | May 03, 2021 05:10AM | |
Stephen King Fans: Clown in a Cornfield | 4 | 51 | Feb 08, 2021 07:28AM |
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Adam Cesare is a New Yorker who lives in Philadelphia. His books include Clown in a Cornfield, Video Night, The Summer Job, and Zero Lives Remaining. He’s an avid fan of horror cinema and runs Project: Black T-Shirt, a YouTube review show where he takes horror films and pairs them with reading suggestions.
Other books in the series
Clown in a Cornfield
(2 books)
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The kids are not all right! In young adult fiction, that is. The past few years have brought with them a serious spike in scary YA stories. So...
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“Quinn looked to the horizon as the cornstalks swayed with the breeze. The corn itself could have been waving hello, or it could have been breathing.”
—
3 likes
“The bones of a nice house were there—the front porch and its deck swing were charming—but what was on those bones . . . damn.”
—
1 likes
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