Three Nights in the Clown Motel

by David J. Schmidt

Before IT… Before Pennywise… Before anyone thought to peek into the sewer drains… There was the Clown Motel.


At the height of the outbreak of “creepy clown” sightings around the world, author David J. Schmidt travels to the remote Nevada desert. His to spend three nights in the haunted Clown Motel. The reality is more frightening than he could have ever

143 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 8, 2017

Reviews

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have never stayed at the Clown Motel in Tonopah, NV, but have passed it many times on our trips between Reno and Las Vegas. I know the place is a bit of a dump with a historical graveyard next door (and derelict autos in the parking lot), so we never had any desire to spend a night during our road trips. However, we had heard it was haunted (had watched the Ghost Adventures episodes in which parts of it were rigged) so was curious to read what this author experienced during his stay.

In addition to his experiences in the rundown inn, he also gave an overview of the once lively mining town of Tonopah, now a bit of a sad shell although the author was impressed with the friendliness and helpfulness of the residents. He experienced a few unusual happenings which made him believe others who talked about their paranormal experiences. He also discusses why we find clowns so scary.

Anyone who is familiar with the area will find this a quick and enjoyable read but those who have never heard of the Clown Motel (aka "The Clown") or Tonopah, or have a nasty case of coulrophobia, may wish to skip it.

[Charlie · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a book about a man who is afraid of clowns who is constantly looking for signs of the supernatural in his life only to find none at all. He tries very hard to create suspense about a place that seems pretty weird but not creepy, but there's not much here. To pad the book, he adds a lot of "wait...was that a clown up there on the street?" type stuff to his observations (spoiler: no, it was a construction worker in a construction zone).

The author is also quite fond of using background dialogue from televisions to add tension to interviews with people. It sounds something like this:

"I asked to speak to her about the haunted motel--she agreed"

In the background, a scary movie had people chanting "YES"

"Yes, I think the motel is haunted. It's hecka spooky" she whispered.

The TV made ghost noises as she spoke. I shivered.

Anyway, if you're easily impressed, I think you'd probably like this book. It's frankly derivative of "I Live in a Clown Motel" by Christopher Sebela who lived there for a month and didn't die or get creeped out by small animals in bushes.

[Tracy Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a sucker for a good ghost story and everything creepy (yet not gory). Three Nights In The Clown Motel fit the bill for me.

I had heard a bit about this clown-themed motel that happened to be in the middle of a desert pretty much in Nowhere, NV. While I have never had a fear of clowns, I know people who do, and I can understand why.

David J.Schmidt is a great storyteller. He wrote about his experiences and he interviewed motel employees and town locals. He took a midnight walk through the hundred- something year old cemetery conveniently located across the street from the motel. He wrote as though he were telling tales by the campfire. His writing was clear and professional, but it did not seem overly polished or edited. It was like listening to a friend tell a story that kept me on the edge of my seat.

I enjoyed the addition of clips of crimes committed by people dressed as clowns and the links to the videos at the end of the book. I will definitely be checking out his clips and looking for more of his books.

[Chris · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's clear this author doesn't like Trump, he brings him up multiple times. However, for him to group all Trump voters as clowns and hateful proves he doesn't do a lot of research and just listens to what mainstream media wants him too. I pick the book to read about your experience in clown motel. I don't give a fuck about your political beliefs, if I did I would have picked up a political book. He destroyed the book vibe by doing it. I wasn't able to finish it.

Just for the record, my review would be the same for any political person. So no I am not obsessed with Trump. They all are corrupt. This isn't the book for it.

[Samantha · Rating 1 out of 5]

I know this is a bit mean but all I thought at the end of this book is that it should have been called: Dramatic Doofis visits The Clown Motel.

The entire book is just a guy being overally Dramatic about everything. I have been to The Clown Motel and Tonopah quite a few times myself...it is not that bad. I rolled my eyes everytime I picked this book up. He was just so silly to me.

What is really weird was the end when he started talking all philosophical...he went from being one thing for a 120 pages and the last 20 was like a complete switch.

I don't think Schmidt should be writing. Not his strong suit. If you are looking for a good laugh, this is for you.

[Janice · Rating 3 out of 5]

No supernatural revelations here. Just a fun account of a man who stayed 3 nights in a creepy motel. Good. silly relatable fears come to life in a motel I would never stay in. Added bonus of great resources and videos to round out the experience. If nothing else this book is a great example on not taking oneself too seriously as many travel books tend to do.

[Lesley Looper · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this one more than I expected! Yes, ghost story material! Cheesy, that as well! But still, it was an interesting-to-me story, mixing travel, hotel review, and ghost story all wrapped up in one short book. Crazy! And a quick read!