John Dean – Crime Writer

Research conducted by Scientific American magazine has shown that more than 50 per cent of people, when questioned, admit to having coulrophobia, the fear of clowns. Five per cent of them described as ‘extreme’ the fear they experience.

The findings, based on questionnaire replies from 987 people aged 18 to 77 worldwide, revealed that the fear was present across adults and children in all cultures, with women more frightened than men, something replicated with phobias about snakes and spiders.

When the 53 per cent who confirmed that they experience coulrophobia were asked why, a major reason was clowns’ make-up, which they said hid emotions and  exuded threat.

None of this will be a surprise to readers of Malcolm Beadle, whose recently-published debut novella Koki tells the story of an American sniper in the Vietnam War who paints his face as a clown before he goes out hunting Viet-kong.

Anyone looking at the striking cover produced by book designer Mark Etherington will understand why the Scientific American research into clowns rings true.

The novella can be purchased in ebook and paperback formats, and on Amazon Kindle Unlimited, all accessed through its page on Amazon, at https://www.amazon.co.uk