Arcadia Bestsellers

Gear up for a frightful jaunt into the darkest reaches of the ancient Appalachians.

Folk deep within Appalachian hollers lean close to share stories of the inexplicable with hushed awe. Monsters rumbling in the hills. Strange lights darting through the pitch-black night sky. Horrible occurrences, almost ineffable in their bizarre tragedy. "Tall tales," you might say. But tell that to the Flatwoods monster in Braxton County, West Virginia. Or the Goat Man of Louisville--look into his humanoid eyes and let him know you don't believe. And what of those apparitions in Mammoth Cave's Corpse Rock, or the Satan-spawn known as the Jersey Devil? How do you respond when those mysteries confront? From metaphysical energy that swirls near the Serpent Mound in Ohio to Point Pleasant's Mothman legacy, Mark Muncy and Kari Schultz explore the dark history lurking in the shadows of Appalachia..

Local storyteller Jonathan Kruk shares the mysterious lore of the Hudson Valley, best known among them Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow." 

This exciting volume and its author has been featured in the Travel Channel's "Mysteries at the Museum," and helped establish the galloping goblin's origin story.

The story of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman is one of America's best known fables, but what other stories does the Hudson Valley hold? Imps cause mischief on the Hudson River, a white lady haunts Raven Rock, Major Andre's ghost seeks redemption and real headless Hessians search for their severed skulls. These mysterious and spooky tales from the region's past that inspired Irving and continues to captivate the imagination to this day.

Discover the true story of Moll Dyer and the witches of Southern Maryland... if you dare...

Despite the attention that Salem receives, they were far from the only town to organize a witch hunt in colonial America. Rebecca Fowler was tried as a witch in St. Mary’s in 1685, and in 1674, John Cowman became the only man ever charged with witchcraft in Maryland. In Moll Dyer’s case, locals took the law into their own hands. According to legend, Moll Dyer was chased from her burning home by a mob in St. Mary’s County in the year 1697, left to die in the dark and cold. Was she just an ordinary woman blamed for problems beyond her control? Or was she a witch whose curse lingers on? Author Lynn Buonviri uses period records and local lore to discover the truth behind the legend of Moll Dyer and her curse.

The stories, folklore, and history surrounding Maryland’s most haunted places. A must-read for fans of the supernatural and Maryland history.

The demon car of Seven Hills Road, the ominousHell Houseabove the Patapsco River, the mythical Snallygasterof western Maryland--these are the extraordinary tales and bizarre creatures that color Maryland's folklore.

The Blue Dog of Port Tobaccofaithfully guards his master's gold even in death, and in Cambridge, the headless ghost of Big Lizwatches over the treasure of Greenbriar Swamp. The woods of Prince George's County are home to stories of the menacing Goatman, while on stormy nights at the nearby University of Maryland, the strains of a ghostly piano float from Marie Mount Hall.

From the storied heroics of the First Maryland Regimentin the Revolutionary Warto the mystery of the Poe Toaster, folklorists Trevor J. Blank and David J. Puglia unravel the legends of Maryland.

From the Pine Barrens to the Shore, the natural beauty of southern New Jersey is shrouded in local legends and lore passed down through the generations by way of oral tradition.

Deep in the woods of Colliers Mills, the mysteries of a place called Jack Davis keeps travelers at bay in the Bermuda Triangle of the pines. The state’s most famous legendary creature, the Jersey Devil, is often described as making its home among the pines. It is said that there is a hermit of Oswego Lake who guards the pines as a great mystical white stag. In the swamps of South Jersey, local legend tells of Hessian Island, a historic secret outlaw hideout of Pine Robbers, established by renegade soldiers from the Revolutionary War. Local author William J. Lewis colorfully presents tales, legends, lore and reflections from South Jersey and the Pine Barrens.

John and Laura Leita delve in to the oddities that make Long Island unique and it may be more odd than you thought possible!

Long Island's history is well known, but often overlooked are the island's unique and bizarre stories and treasures--the most interesting locations and darkest legends. From hidden haunts and legends like the Indian Princess of Lake Ronkonkoma to well-known events like the Amityville Horror House murders, this collection chronicles the tales of restless spirits, unrequited loves and otherworldly visits that riddle the island. There is much to be seen along the roadside, too, including the beloved Big Duck, the Riverhead Indian and even the grave site of Nixon's dog, Checkers. Through history, pictures and the personal experiences of a ten-year endeavor, authors John and Laura Leita brings to life Long Island's abandoned structures, including psychiatric hospitals and other ruins waiting to be rediscovered. Join the Leitas as they go in search of the delightfully quirky side of Long Island.

In the shadows of the quiet mountain towns of Western Maryland, strange creatures are said to lurk in the woods while phantoms wander the foothills.

The Hagerstown clock tower is reportedly haunted by the ghost of a young artist killed during the Civil War, while the low summit of South Mountain was once host to a mysterious spell-caster, the Wizard Zittle. Farther west, tales of legendary hunter Meshach Browning echo among the Allegany Mountains while visitors to Deep Creek Lake may feel the chilling presence of monks who never left their former monastery. From the 1909 hoax of the monstrous Snallygaster that terrorized the Middletown Valley to the doglike Dwayyo that was spotted near Frederick in 1965, local historian Susan Fair rounds up the bizarre beasts, odd characters and unsolved mysteries that color the legends and lore of Western Maryland.

The mysteries and lore of Delmarva in Maryland are revealed here.

Between the waters of the Atlantic and the Chesapeake is Delmarva, a storied land that was once the hunting ground of Blackbeard, where ancient sea monsters lurk and wild ponies gallop along the beaches. Local author David Healey explores the lore of Delmarva, from the legends of St. Michaels--the town that escaped British cannons with a clever trick--to stories of Assateague's cannibalistic colonists and the all but forgotten history of Anna Carroll, President Lincoln's ""Dear Lady,"" who is rumored to have brilliantly advised him on strategy during the Civil War. Join Healey as he reveals the secret history and remarkable legends of Delmarva.

Thomas White spins a beguiling yarn with tales that reach from the misty hollows of the Alleghenies to the lost islands of Pittsburgh.

Oppaymolleah's Curse. General Braddock's buried gold. The original man of steel, Joe Magarac. Such legends have found a home among the rich folklore of Western Pennsylvania. White invites readers to learn the truth behind the urban legend of the Green Man, speculate on the conspiracy surrounding the lost B-25 bomber of Monongahela and shiver over the ghostly lore of Western Pennsylvania.

Hudson Valley is steeped in mysteries, from Celtic chambers resting in the deep woods of Putnam to Millbrook's abandoned Bennett College.

The beautiful, tree-spotted landscape of the Hudson Valley hides the strange and sometimes frightening stories of the region. In the Highlands, Iroquois chief Daniel Nimham gave his life for the cause of American independence. The great passenger steamship Swallow sank near the shores of Athens. And there is even one strange night in the Catskills where a legendary playwright miraculously survived a midnight plunge off the suspended Schoharie Bridge. Author Allison Guertin Marchese reveals a treasure-trove of curious tales recounting the most uncommon history of bad guys, bold girls, creepy colleges, missing mastodons and more in this wondrous region of New York.

Passed down over generations, Keystone State legends and lore provide both thrilling stories and dire warnings.

Strange creatures and tales of the supernatural thrive in Pennsylvania, from ghostly children who linger by their graves to werewolves that ambush nighttime travelers. Phantom trains chug down the now removed rails of the P&LE Railroad line on the Great Allegheny Passage. A wild ape boy is said to roam the Chester swamps, while the weeping Squonk wanders the hemlock-shrouded hills of central Pennsylvania, lamenting his hideousness. On dark nights, the ghosts of Betty Knox and her Union soldier beau still search for each other at Dunbar Creek. Join Thomas White and company as they go in search of the truth behind the legends of supernatural Pennsylvania.

Listen to the whispered legends of spirits, heroes and traitors hidden in one of New York's most captivating regions.

Like the region's first inhabitants, the ""Cat People,"" who made clothing from the mountain lions and panthers that they hunted, Western New Yorkers still savor the tradition of storytelling. Tales such as the ""Mail-Riding Mamma"" of Chautauqua County, who carried both the post and her infant child above her head as she journeyed across perilously-flooded creeks, and the Ossian Giant, who at age 19 stood 7 feet, 6 inches tall and weighed 385 pounds, are vividly narrated by Buffalo storyteller Lorna MacDonald Czarnota.

Uncanny stories, local legends and ghostly encounters from the First State.

Delaware may be small, but every corner of it is filled with strange and unusual history. Horrifying tales of ghosts haunt places both old and new. The Castle contains many stories of mysterious specters, but the mystery of the house’s first owners is the truly creepy tale. The legend of the Devil’s Road, called a myth by some, will chill your bones and make your spine tingle. In a state so close to the sea, stories of murder and mayhem include tales of piracy and maybe even cannibalism.

Delaware native and paranormal historian Josh Hitchens invites you to join him on a journey through the spooky side of the First State.

Local author Susan Peterson Gateley tracks down the real Maid of the Mist and investigates the meaning behind the names Soup Harbor, Sheba Island and the Devil's Nose.

Named by the Hurons, Ontario means Lake of Shining Waters. Beneath this gleaming surface, though, the easternmost of the Great Lakes hides enigmas from thousands of years of history. Ghosts linger on the surface, and monsters swim below, frightening sailors on the water. Smugglers used Lake Ontario during the War of 1812 and Prohibition and continue to do so today--Ontario's darkness providing the cover needed to elude law enforcement. Join Gateley as she delves deep below the waves to uncover these and other legends, lore and secrets from Lake Ontario.

The Hudson Highlands launched revolutions of independence, industry and creativity, and have long enchanted artists and hikers with countless mysteries that still thrive in the area.

Leni-Lenape legend told of an ancient giant slumbering between Storm King and Breakneck Ridge. During the Revolution, George Washington saved the new nation from a military coup by donning glasses. The ghost of the twice-hanged pirate William Kidd returns to secluded caves and hamlets in the Highlands to guard his treasure. Professional storyteller Jonathan Kruk unveils a treasure of stories of the historic, mysterious and colorful Hudson Highlands.

Born from the chilly waters of Lake Ontario and the Genesee River, Rochester, New York, has been the cradle of the modern spiritualist an anti-Masonic movements and religious sects and communes.

This unusual history has given rise to strange legends and shrouded the city in mystery. Was the corner of Main and Elm Streets - McCurdy's Department Store - cursed? Who was Captain William Morgan, and why did he suddenly disappear? What stories lie behind Rochester's first murder and the execution of William Lyman's killer? What is hoodoo, and who is the Hoodoo Doctor? Native American tales, the history of the infamous Fox sisters and the secrets of the Freemasons are woven into these and other legends of Rochester