Wicked Strange: Your Guide to Ghosts, Monsters, Oddities, and Urban Legends from New England — Folk Magic

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Wicked Strange: Your Guide to Ghosts, Monsters, Oddities, and Urban Legends from New England

Name: Wicked Strange: Your Guide to Ghosts, Monsters, Oddities, and Urban Legends from New England
Price: 23.95 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9781637480212

✍️ Belanger, Jeff

Reader Score

4.6

(1 review)

$23.95

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

Jeff Belanger's "Wicked Strange" is an essential compendium for anyone fascinated by New England's lesser-known, often unsettling, narratives. This volume meticulously guides readers through haunted locales, unearths sightings of mysterious creatures, and chronicles peculiar events that defy easy explanation. Far from a mere travelogue, it's a vibrant celebration of the region's enduring, unique identity, showcasing how these deeply rooted stories resist the homogenizing forces of modern life. Belanger expertly reveals the strange realities and folklore passed down through generations, often found just beneath the surface of familiar landscapes.

Belanger, Jeff

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Folk Magic

Praise for this book

“Legends have always run deep in New England--thankfully, Jeff Belanger is here to uncover them and bring them to life. Partnered with the stunning photography of Frank Grace, this collection of mysteries, secrets, and folklore from America's birthplace is as illuminating as it is fascinating. Get ready for a weird tour of the northeast like no other. So get cozy, light a crackling fire, and maybe lock the front door . . . just to be safe.”

— Josh Gates, explorer, host of Discovery's Expedition Unknown

“I can't think of anyone more qualified to take us through the incredibly curious and weird past of New England than Jeff Belanger. From haunted lighthouses to forgotten folklore, Wicked Strange is a deep dive into the unusual history of the region, accompanied by gorgeous photography by Frank Grace. This book uncovers peculiar tales that have shaped the region's identity and it is perfect for history buffs and lovers of the uncanny alike.”

— Amy Bruni

“Belanger knows New England. He knows weird history. And if you live in or love New England or just dig the kind of weird history that you can jump in a car and see for yourself, you need this beautiful book in your life.”

— J.W. Ocker, nationally bestselling author of The United States of Cryptids

🏛 New Page Books 📅 2025 📖 240 pages 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781637480212

Fun Fact

Jeff Belanger's "Wicked Strange" masterfully captures the eerie and enchanting essence of New England's peculiar heritage. Its strength lies in presenting these tales not as mere curiosities, but as vital cultural markers. Readers seeking a purely academic treatise on folklore might be disappointed, but those desiring an engaging, accessible guide to the region's enduring oddities will be utterly charmed. It stands as an indispensable companion for anyone exploring the intersection of history, mystery, and local identity within America's oldest corners.

📝 Description: Wicked Strange: Your Guide to Ghosts, Monsters, Oddities, and Urban Legends from New England

Gold Winner--Travel, IBPA Book Awards 2026 Go legend hunting with explorer of the unexplained Jeff Belanger, visiting haunted places, where monsters lurk, and other roadside oddities. "Legends have always run deep in New England--thankfully, Jeff Belanger is here to uncover them and bring them to life. This collection of mysteries, secrets, and folklore from America's birthplace is as illuminating as it is fascinating." --Josh Gates, explorer, host of Discovery's Expedition Unknown Wicked Strange is a journey and a celebration of all the things that make New England like no other place on earth. In a time when so much of the world is becoming homogenized--as big-box stores and chain restaurants move in and so many communities lose their identity--we still have these legends. They belong to specific towns and streets. These are stories locals will share with you . . . if they trust you. This travel guide takes readers on a journey to the strange and frequently unseen world that is often right under their noses. Covering numerous haunted places, environs where mysterious creatures have been spotted, areas where unusual events have happened, eccentric locals, and roadside oddities to explore, noted expert of the strange Jeff Belanger is your guide to all that's local and strange. Haunted locations from all over New England are covered: The Haunting of Conimicut Lighthouse--Warwick, Rhode Island Maine's Sistine Chapel--South Solon, Maine Edith Wharton's Haunted Mansion, The Mount--Lenox, Massachusetts Emily's Haunted Bridge--Stowe, Vermont The Sleeping Giant--Hamden, Connecticut The Haunted Mt. Washington Hotel--Bretton Woods, New Hampshire New England is also full of monsters and devils that lurk in the woods, lakes, and seas. Explored are some of the best known and most obscure, including Lake Champlain's Champ; the Cumberland Vampire of Rhode Island; Gloucester's Sea Serpent; the Black Dog of West Peak in Meriden, Connecticut; and the Flying Moose of Maine. Also covered are unusual events, such as UFO sightings (Connecticut's UFO crash at Bantam Lake / Betty and Barney Hill's UFO experience), and roadside oddities, such as the World's Tallest Filing Cabinet (Burlington, VT), Boston's Big Steaming Tea Kettle, and the literal Fork in the Road of Westport, MA. Wicked Strange takes you off the beaten path, revealing a hidden world right under your nose. Come journey through the towns, hamlets, and hills that hide the strangest of history. Uncover the wickedly strange.

💎 Expert review

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💎

Esoterica Books editorial team

Occult literature desk

Jeff Belanger delivers a meticulous guide that acts as both a travelogue and a cultural archive for New England's unsettling narratives. The book excels in showcasing how local legends maintain their unique character against modern forces. However, it may not suit readers seeking academic rigor or those who prefer straightforward, non-supernatural historical accounts. Skeptics looking for debunking rather than celebration might find the tone too accepting of phantoms and cryptids. It is best for enthusiasts who value atmosphere and local identity over factual verification. The work stands as a testament to the power of storytelling in defining regional character.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers deeply fascinated by the hidden history of New England will find this book to be an irresistible companion. It is perfect for those who enjoy exploring haunted locales and unearthing sightings of mysterious creatures that defy easy explanation. If you appreciate peculiar events that challenge our understanding of reality, this volume offers a vibrant celebration of the region's enduring identity. It serves as an essential compendium for anyone interested in how these deeply rooted stories resist homogenization. You will gain access to strange realities passed down through generations, revealing the bizarre local lore just beneath familiar landscapes. It is a must-read for ghost enthusiasts and folklore collectors alike.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Esoterica Books —

⭐ Esoterica editorial review Editorial rating 4.6/5

★★★★★

For the curious seeker, the armchair explorer, or anyone captivated by local legends and paranormal phenomena, this book offers an unparalleled journey. If you yearn to connect with the authentic, unsettling spirit of New England beyond its historical sites, "Wicked Strange" is your indispensable…

Reader rating

4.6

Based on 1 reviews

Esoterica Books editorial team

Jeff Belanger delivers a meticulous guide that acts as both a travelogue and a cultural archive for New England's unsettling narratives. The book excels in showcasing how local legends maintain their unique character against modern forces. However, it may not suit readers seeking academic rigor or those who prefer straightforward, non-supernatural historical accounts. Skeptics looking for debunking rather than celebration might find the tone too accepting of phantoms and cryptids. It is best for enthusiasts who value atmosphere and local identity over factual verification. The work stands as a testament to the power of storytelling in defining regional character.

❓ Frequently asked questions

While it certainly features spine-tingling tales, "Wicked Strange" is more profoundly an exploration of regional identity through its unique folklore, oddities, and unexplained occurrences.

Absolutely not! Anyone with an interest in local history, the paranormal, or how unique cultural narratives persist in a globalized world will find this journey through New England captivating.

📖 Who should read this

🎯 Key themes and symbolism

Preserving Local Peculiarities

This book acts as a guardian of New England's distinct cultural fabric, meticulously gathering the odd, the eerie, and the unexplained. It highlights how these deeply personal stories, often shared whispered among locals, are vital threads in the region's unique tapestry, resisting the erosion of identity in an increasingly uniform world.

Exploring the Unseen Northeast

Belanger invites readers on an intimate journey beyond tourist traps, into the shadowy corners where strange phenomena persist. From spectral apparitions in colonial homes to cryptids lurking in secluded woodlands, the book unveils the hidden supernatural landscape, challenging perceptions of what truly lies beneath New England's picturesque facade.

Folklore as Identity

More than just tales, the legends explored here serve as anchors for community identity. The book posits that these specific, localized stories—whether of ghosts, monsters, or eccentric characters—are what truly distinguish New England towns. They are cultural touchstones, revealing the enduring spirit and peculiar character of America's oldest region.

📜 Historical context

"Wicked Strange" stands firmly within the venerable tradition of regional folklore collections and paranormal travelogues. It channels the spirit of earlier chroniclers who documented local superstitions and strange happenings, particularly in a region as historically rich and mythologically fertile as New England. This work bridges the gap between historical oddities and contemporary roadside curiosities, continuing a legacy of preserving localized supernatural narratives.

📚 Glossary

Urban Legend
Folklore
Cryptid

📔 Questions to reflect on

What local legend or unexplained phenomenon from your own region resonates with you most, and what might it reveal about your community's identity?
Consider how the "unseen" or bizarre elements of a place contribute to its unique character, resisting the uniformity of modern life.
If you were to embark on your own expedition into the strange, what kind of oddities or mysterious locations would you seek out first?