Douglas has grown up around the business of death. Generations of his family have run the Mortimer Family Funeral Home. The mortician and gravediggers are all his buddies. And the display room of caskets is an awesome place for hide and seek. It's business as usual in Douglas' small New England town. Until one day an incredibly out of the ordinary murder victim is brought to the funeral home. And more startling: others follow. On the cusp of Halloween,...

Welcome to the United States of Cryptids, where mysterious monsters lurk in the dark forests, deep lakes, and sticky swamps of all fifty states. From the infamous Jersey Devil to the obscure Snallygaster, travel writer and chronicler of the strange J. W. Ocker uncovers the bizarre stories of these creatures and investigates the ways in which communities embrace and celebrate their local cryptids.

"Illustrated compendium telling the stories of real-life cursed objects from throughout history ... their bizarre stories have inspired countless horror movies, reality TV shows, novels, and campfire tales. From the Raggedy Ann doll that spawned the horror franchise The Conjuring, to the mummy rumored to have sunk the Titanic and kickstarted World War I"--