Mr. Jacobs vs. the Demonic Clowns from the Great Beyond

Mr. Jacobs vs. the Demonic Clowns from the Great Beyond is a wildly creative, super fantastic book that will take its readers through what can only be compared to as a version of the Twilight Zone. The book starts off innocent enough, with an eccentric archaeology professor named Ed and his crazy wife, Gracy, arguing about Ed buying yet another artifact. While they are arguing, their son Billy is in the backyard with guests for his ninth birthday party. Enter the clowns. There are four of them—Dave, Chuckles, Bitsy, and Bopsy. And if creepy clowns don’t scare you now, well, they sure will after reading this book. The clowns enter Ed and Gracy’s home after Billy spits at them. Billy is, as the clowns describe him, “a psychotic hell spawn.” While on their little “break,” the clowns find Ed’s artifact. Being the idiots they are, they think it is a puzzle and start playing around with it. The artifact does, in fact, penetrate their souls, and a mass murder of everyone at the party ensues. These are no longer your run-of-the-mill birthday party clowns.

Author Jeff Folschinsky does an amazing job of keeping the plot running. Readers will wonder what will happen next, page after page. Although the book is not very lengthy, the story is rich with colorful characters who are all a bit (or a lot) off-centered. The plot is simple yet entertaining, and readers will both cringe, laugh, and cheer while reading.

Margo, a police detective, is investigating “a string of murders that looks like there might be a cult involved.” She is referred to speak to Mr. Jacobs, a rather mad scientist kind of guy who owns Mr. Jacobs’ Paranormal Learning Center. Mr. Jacobs and his crazy assistant, Penny, are both completely wackadoodle. But Margo knows they might be her best bet to finding out about the mass killings. Sometimes the conversations between Margo and these two characters are so frustrating because Mr. Jacobs and Penny both go off on tangents about random things throughout the book. It’s funny but in an unsettling way. Finally, when Margo finds out about the artifact and its history, she can start to solve the case, even though it is a strange one.

Although I am completely freaked out at killer clowns, this book was just so fascinating. It was like watching a train wreck about to occur, and I could not stop reading. Mr. Jacobs vs. the Demonic Clowns from the Great Beyond is original, clever, crazy, and scary all in one. Ancient magic, evil overlords, and Mrs. Lydia’s Mystery Spot Museum and Burrito Emporium await!