Clown in a Cornfield by Adam Cesare

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, 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. 



17 year old Quinn and her dad have packed up what's left of their lives and moved to the small town of Kettle Springs after the devastating loss of her mom. Almost immediately, Quinn notices some animosity from the adults in town, mainly directed at herself, but also overflowing onto her dad. Not much later she notices that most of the adults are a bit hostile towards all younger people, especially her new friends who are known to be a bit on the wild side.
I don't normally read YA horror but this one looked like fun and it doesn't hurt to check in on occasion and see what's available for younger horror fans while still being able to point out to others that just because there are no graphic sex scenes does not mean a story can't be downright scary. You don't need to be afraid of clowns to get some thrills and chills from Clown In A Cornfield, especially considering that nobody is safe in this book whether they venture into said cornfield or not! This was a fun slasher type horror with enough murder and mayhem to satisfy horror fans young and old alike.
4 out of 5 stars

I received an advance copy for review.

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About the author
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.