Wicked Strange: Your Guide to Ghosts, Monsters, Oddities, and Urban Legends from New England
Coming to booksellers everywhere September 2, 2025!
“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, costar of Kindred Spirits and bestselling author of Food to Die For
“Jeff Belanger’s new book, Wicked Strange, is smart, sensitive, and contemporary. A surprising sense of humor accompanies a detailed exploration of the unexplained in a special corner of our country!”
—Loren Coleman, director of the International Cryptozoology Museum
“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
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Go legend hunting with explorer of the unexplained Jeff Belanger and photographer Frank Grace, visiting haunted places, where monsters lurk, and other roadside oddities.
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.
Published:
September 2, 2025
ISBN 978-1637480212
New Page Books
U.S. $23.95
240 pages
Paperback / Full Color