The Clown Brigade

Written by Stephen Graham Jones

Narrated by Taylor Tutt

The following story may be disturbing and contains graphic violence which may not be appropriate for all readers/listeners.

Stephen Graham Jones has been hailed as the Jordan Peele of horror lit and is the award-winning author of genre-defying New York Times bestsellers like The Only Good Indians and My Heart Is a Chainsaw. In his Scribd Original story The Clown Brigade, he takes on the horrors of mainstream American life as only he – a literary shapeshifter and Blackfeet Native American – can, reminding us that monsters too often hide in plain sight.

It’s a brand-new day for Kyle: He’s flying across the country to meet a woman he connected with online. His last relationship still haunts him, but just because it didn’t work out with Steph, a wildly popular spin-class instructor, doesn’t mean it won’t with Jenna. When the plane hits some turbulence, Kyle feels the world go still even as the cabin’s insides churn, and he sees down the aisle, of all things, a clown – a real clown, white face paint, eyes drawn like diamonds, a wilted red wig – looking right at him and no one else. He briefly wonders if it’s some kind of an omen. He might be a fool for love, but he’s no clown, right? 

He plans to surprise Jenna and shows up at her building with a single red rose in hand. What could be more romantic, more innocent? Yet Kyle’s the one treated to surprise after surprise: Another clown, in white face and red wig – the works – pops up out of nowhere, and security on the premises isn’t as friendly as Kyle had hoped. He’s just a young guy looking for love. But looks can be deceiving, and in Jones’s hands boy-meets-girl becomes daring and darkly funny social commentary, a deeply disturbing and tragically timely Poe-esque reckoning with a culture where the fantasies of fools and clowns – in fact a whole brigade of them – too readily turn to senseless violence and end in chaos and destruction.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Everand Originals
• Release date: Oct 26, 2022
• ISBN: 9781094444420

Stephen Graham Jones

Stephen Graham Jones is the author of fifteen novels and six story collections. He has received numerous awards, including the NEA Literature Fellowship in fiction, the Texas Institute of Letters Jesse H. Jones Award for Best Work of Fiction, the Independent Publisher Book Award for Multicultural Fiction, and the This Is Horror Award, as well as making Bloody Disgusting’s Top Ten Horror Novels of the Year. Stephen was raised in West Texas. He now lives in Boulder, Colorado, with his wife and children.

Reviews for The Clown Brigade

[Cristian Diaz Basualto · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I tried to understand the story but it was hard to folllow, the book seems to be targeted to a much younger audience.

[gabrielmcneese21 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

If you've seen the movie Joker then this story kinda follows the same plot. His mental faculties aren't all there, suffering from delusions, and has an obsession with clowns. The story doesn't have a happy ending at all.

[Alex · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

WOW! I picked up a trial (might permanently sub) to Scribd/Everand just for this story and it does not disappoint. I went in totally blind. And it has all the Stephen Graham Jones qualities I am always so eager to experience: horror, humor, satire, social commentary, and the ability to take me somewhere different via a way I never thought possible.

This story feels... a little too timely. I just finished The Fall of the House of Usher, and this story has a lot of Poe-ness happening. Like... I couldn't stop thinking of it. And I am about to get on a plane where I better not see anyone (but me) flip their hair. And I am obsessively working out on my Peloton lately... and... ahhh... I just LOVED this story!

"Clowns put their grins on one smear at a time just like the rest of us."

[Nina Quartuccio · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Really good shorty. Loved it. It was moving well and held my attention...direction was always in question. Loved the narrator...he gave the right inflections to make the story believeable.

[GuStanChez Shambrez · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I can't wait to listen to more titles by the auther

[Ruby · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

i acc thought jenna was the clown or like tipping him off but that is CRAZY

[Leah Barton Tew · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Very good “horror” short that doesn’t resort to long, over-the-top and ridiculous endings (think, Stephen King).

It’s also extremely well narrated. The author’s commentary in his own voice at the end proves my point that while writers may make great writers, they’re almost universally terrible readers.

[D. D.R · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Nope. The performance was great, but the story??? I was expecting horror and it gave absolutely nothing. I was bored and confused at the end with the acknowledgments at the end, I could barely understand what the author was trying to say.

Nicely written but boring story. Men being creepy

[Liz DiBenedetto · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I’m terrified of clowns so this one was a tiny bit spooky. Also the mental illness rep was very good…I don’t condone his actions at all though.

[victoria · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent short story. Dark and compelling with excellent narration. Authors comment was great to hear.

[paul · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Well done short story. Sets you up, keeps you guessing and well narrated.

[GMunro · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really liked the author's perspective on his character at the end of this short story.
The story itself was very well narrated and the pace added to the story. It was an intriguing dive into the psyche of the main character. After listening to the author's own thoughts on this at the end, the 'meta' of his creation + the reading added another layer of contemplation.

Definitely deserves the description 'Poe-esque', it's an expertly crafted short story.

[Lyle Miller · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Riding sidecar with grinning death. I think that’s how I would describe this story.

The whimsical nature of the narration was perfect. The story was so well crafted that even though I knew where it was going from the get, I wanted to make sure it got where it was going.

The words from Jones afterwards crept along my skin as much as The Clown Brigade had done. It’s not often that we see brilliance, empathy, compassion and mindfulness of the deeds of one’s own pen all in one stroke.

I enjoyed the ride, thank you Stephen.

[Aindrea · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I definitely wish there was more to the story. Kyle's transformation though was spot on.

[Gloriana · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Excellent narration and very compelling short story. While horror stories are never typically of interest to me, I gave it a try because of the high praise this authors work garnishes. And because it’s only a short story I could endure it. But it’s very disturbing material.

[D Jones · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Quick, engaging and the disturbing sneaks up on you. Loved it!!

[Elizabeth Van Nostrand · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Best audiobook narrator ever, he really added to the story

[Michelle Okelley · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This was an okay listen it was a little different, but not especially in depth or disturbing for those that like the twisted genres. It felt unfinished.