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The Demon of Brownsville Road: A Pittsburgh Family's Battle with Evil in Their Home
October 1988 : Bob Cranmer buys a house in the Pittsburgh suburb he grew up in. He has no idea that his dream home is about to become his worst nightmare…
The Cranmers seemed fated to own the house at 3406 Brownsville Road. As a young boy, Bob had been drawn to the property, and, just when the family decided to move back to Brentwood, it went up for sale. Without a second thought, they purchased the house that Bob had always dreamed of owning.
But soon, the family began experiencing strange phenomena—objects moving on their own, ghostly footsteps, unsettling moaning sounds—that gradually increased in violence, escalating to physical assaults and, most disturbingly, bleeding walls. Bob, Lesa, and their four children were under attack from a malicious demon that was conjuring up terrifying manifestations to destroy their tight-knit household. They had two choices: leave or draw on their unwavering faith to exorcise the malicious fiend who haunted their home.
Now, Bob Cranmer recounts the harrowing true story of the evil presence that tormented his family and the epic spiritual war he fought to save everything he held dear…
INCLUDES PHOTOS
The Cranmers seemed fated to own the house at 3406 Brownsville Road. As a young boy, Bob had been drawn to the property, and, just when the family decided to move back to Brentwood, it went up for sale. Without a second thought, they purchased the house that Bob had always dreamed of owning.
But soon, the family began experiencing strange phenomena—objects moving on their own, ghostly footsteps, unsettling moaning sounds—that gradually increased in violence, escalating to physical assaults and, most disturbingly, bleeding walls. Bob, Lesa, and their four children were under attack from a malicious demon that was conjuring up terrifying manifestations to destroy their tight-knit household. They had two choices: leave or draw on their unwavering faith to exorcise the malicious fiend who haunted their home.
Now, Bob Cranmer recounts the harrowing true story of the evil presence that tormented his family and the epic spiritual war he fought to save everything he held dear…
INCLUDES PHOTOS
336 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 219 reviews
January 7, 2015
Before reading:
Yes, I will read this. And someone will have to take me past the house because my boyfriend is too scared. And then I will see the movie which inevitably will be made. Oh, yes. This is all very exciting.
After reading:
I'll say right off the bat that the second star is solely because of the local connection. As in it's fun to read about local happenings and adding to my knowledge of local history and folklore.
That being said, I am not a Republican and I don't live in Brentwood. In fact, I don't even know this house specifically, though the majority of the people in my office lives in the South Hills area and one coworker in particular was kind enough to take pictures with her cell phone one night on her way home from work. I still intend to drive by myself, because these sorts of stories are fascinating. At least to a certain extent.
Where these stories tend to lose me and make my eyes glaze over is all the repetitive talk of faith and religion.
Yes, I understand demons stem out of religion, but that's not what I'm reading for. I have no qualms admitting I love scary movies and books because they're fun. Stop using these stories as political and religious propaganda.
I moved to Pittsburgh after the author's stint as commissioner, so I didn't know the name until I started to read the book. What I learned very early on in the book, according to Cranmer, he was the most beloved commissioner-person ever! The first Republican commissioner of Brentwood since the 30s, he did some stuff that got a lot of positive attention, and everyone loved him... until they didn't anymore. Then a series of negative things began happening to the Cranmer family - episodes of psychosis, depression, suicidal tendencies, etc. But it's okay because all of this was because their house was infested with deeeeemons!
As the book goes on there's a lot of heavy-handed judgmental comments made that raised my ire. Cranmer watches his boys become teenagers, and comments that he wishes they would dress "normal" again, and stop listening to "black metal music". Obviously only a demon causes adolescent boys to grow their hair long and wear eyeliner and listen to loud, scary music. In the late 1990s. Obviously only a demon causes his 16-year-old daughter become pregnant. Obviously only a demon causes his 80-some-year-old aunt die in her bed under mysterious circumstances. No one just ever dies at that age. DEMON.
When he's not talking about the demon destroying his life, or his political agenda, or his unwavering faith, he's talking about protecting his home and his family and battling the demon head-on. This had the potential to be interesting, until the reader learns that one of the reasons there's all this demon activity in the house is because abortions were performed there. Gasp! This solidified that there is an agenda surrounding this entire book.
Regardless, I'm interested in these reads for the spook factor. There's the occasional spook here, though mostly shadows and figures and the home's inhabitants being thrown around a bit. Typical sorts of things. There are a few episodes of the walls bleeding, and what not. Cranmer and his family decide to battle this demon in an original way, I will admit that: They decided to play Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ on repeat for 24 hours a day for seven months straight. And Cranmer wonders why his entire family has had psychiatric issues since living in the house.
The photos included also weren't that exciting. There are some pictures of a broken crucifix, areas around the house (that don't even show any shadows or orbs or anything that could even arguably be considered paranormal, so I'm not sure why they were included), a lightbulb, and some spots on the wall that they are calling blood. (In the text, however, he says that unfortunately the flash created too much light and didn't show as much of the blood as there really was. How convenient. Dear lord, don't try taking more than one picture. I learned very early on in the 90s, before digital cameras, that it's always good to take one photo with flash and one photo without if there's any degree of uncertainty. But maybe I'm just possessed and don't know anything.)
The book could have been about half as long. Take out all the "I saved Brentwood" stuff and "I'm tight with God and ex-Pittsburgh mayor Tom Murphy, yo" stuff, and just left the haunted house stuff, and I might have enjoyed the read a bit more. Maybe. I mean, Cranmer is a politician, not a writer, and I think that's evident. He had assistance, but apparently not enough.
In any case, I will continue to hope that Cranmer will sell the rights to Hollywood so they can make a movie out of this. I will still see it. And I will still drive past the Cranmer house just because.
Yes, I will read this. And someone will have to take me past the house because my boyfriend is too scared. And then I will see the movie which inevitably will be made. Oh, yes. This is all very exciting.
After reading:
I'll say right off the bat that the second star is solely because of the local connection. As in it's fun to read about local happenings and adding to my knowledge of local history and folklore.
That being said, I am not a Republican and I don't live in Brentwood. In fact, I don't even know this house specifically, though the majority of the people in my office lives in the South Hills area and one coworker in particular was kind enough to take pictures with her cell phone one night on her way home from work. I still intend to drive by myself, because these sorts of stories are fascinating. At least to a certain extent.
Where these stories tend to lose me and make my eyes glaze over is all the repetitive talk of faith and religion.
Yes, I understand demons stem out of religion, but that's not what I'm reading for. I have no qualms admitting I love scary movies and books because they're fun. Stop using these stories as political and religious propaganda.
I moved to Pittsburgh after the author's stint as commissioner, so I didn't know the name until I started to read the book. What I learned very early on in the book, according to Cranmer, he was the most beloved commissioner-person ever! The first Republican commissioner of Brentwood since the 30s, he did some stuff that got a lot of positive attention, and everyone loved him... until they didn't anymore. Then a series of negative things began happening to the Cranmer family - episodes of psychosis, depression, suicidal tendencies, etc. But it's okay because all of this was because their house was infested with deeeeemons!
As the book goes on there's a lot of heavy-handed judgmental comments made that raised my ire. Cranmer watches his boys become teenagers, and comments that he wishes they would dress "normal" again, and stop listening to "black metal music". Obviously only a demon causes adolescent boys to grow their hair long and wear eyeliner and listen to loud, scary music. In the late 1990s. Obviously only a demon causes his 16-year-old daughter become pregnant. Obviously only a demon causes his 80-some-year-old aunt die in her bed under mysterious circumstances. No one just ever dies at that age. DEMON.
When he's not talking about the demon destroying his life, or his political agenda, or his unwavering faith, he's talking about protecting his home and his family and battling the demon head-on. This had the potential to be interesting, until the reader learns that one of the reasons there's all this demon activity in the house is because abortions were performed there. Gasp! This solidified that there is an agenda surrounding this entire book.
Regardless, I'm interested in these reads for the spook factor. There's the occasional spook here, though mostly shadows and figures and the home's inhabitants being thrown around a bit. Typical sorts of things. There are a few episodes of the walls bleeding, and what not. Cranmer and his family decide to battle this demon in an original way, I will admit that: They decided to play Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ on repeat for 24 hours a day for seven months straight. And Cranmer wonders why his entire family has had psychiatric issues since living in the house.
The photos included also weren't that exciting. There are some pictures of a broken crucifix, areas around the house (that don't even show any shadows or orbs or anything that could even arguably be considered paranormal, so I'm not sure why they were included), a lightbulb, and some spots on the wall that they are calling blood. (In the text, however, he says that unfortunately the flash created too much light and didn't show as much of the blood as there really was. How convenient. Dear lord, don't try taking more than one picture. I learned very early on in the 90s, before digital cameras, that it's always good to take one photo with flash and one photo without if there's any degree of uncertainty. But maybe I'm just possessed and don't know anything.)
The book could have been about half as long. Take out all the "I saved Brentwood" stuff and "I'm tight with God and ex-Pittsburgh mayor Tom Murphy, yo" stuff, and just left the haunted house stuff, and I might have enjoyed the read a bit more. Maybe. I mean, Cranmer is a politician, not a writer, and I think that's evident. He had assistance, but apparently not enough.
In any case, I will continue to hope that Cranmer will sell the rights to Hollywood so they can make a movie out of this. I will still see it. And I will still drive past the Cranmer house just because.
August 31, 2014
I'm from Pittsburgh and never heard of this guy. The only people who care about city politics from over 15 years ago, are the super inflated ego's who were involved in it. If you're looking for an interesting book about the paranormal, save your money. The first 1/3 of the book is simply a very boring autobiography about the author's military and political careers. Throughout the book Mr. Cranmer congratulates himself on what a great man he is. Whether or not he truly had a demonic entity living in his home, he seems to use it as an excuse for his sons' bad behavior as well as his wife's. I guess it's easier to say your kids acted badly because they were possessed by the devil rather than due to your own bad parenting. The paranormal parts of the book aren't scary or suspenseful in any way, but only mildly interesting at best.
August 13, 2014
Wanted a ghost story, but got bogged down with the the religion and politics.
September 30, 2014
I read "The Demon of..." *falls asleep.............snore............* Oh sorry there! I was bored of my own review of this extremely boring book that I actually finished reading because I hoped, I HOPED, that it would get better.
The reason I take issue with this book is not because it's written very poorly, or that the first half of the book is all about how amazing Bob Cranmer is (he starts to come off as pretty narcissistic), but because Bob Cranmer is not a nice man to his family.
Yep - this book is boring. The first half of the book is all about Bob. Bob's "historic" political career. How Bob's background in military intelligence (which to most military is an oxymoron) helped him research things...on Google. Bob loves Bob.
Bob may also love his family - he tells us many times how he would fight to the end for them - but he talks about his daughter and his wife with a sense of disappointment. There are no spoilers for this book because if you've read or seen any "true life" ghost book or tv show you know the outcome already. In the epilogue Bob talks about how his family fares. Only the young men in his family have come out on top. His daughter - well she didn't live up to his expectations. His wife - she lost the 80 pounds she gained during their years of torment.
What? Why do we need to know these things? They are totally not relevant to the story.
Heck, the book is not relevant to the story.
This might have been a better book if Mr. Cranmer and his co-author (who's not listed above...) had written the book as a based on true life experience. They could have added some punch and interest. But instead this book reads like a really bad blog About Me post. With a bit of religious stuff and some paranormal activity thrown in.
It's not scary. It's not at all suspenseful. It's sad more than anything. But not sad enough to elicit tears. It's just an all around not worth the price book. Wish I hadn't bought it - guess I was just in the Halloween mood.
Skip this book.
The reason I take issue with this book is not because it's written very poorly, or that the first half of the book is all about how amazing Bob Cranmer is (he starts to come off as pretty narcissistic), but because Bob Cranmer is not a nice man to his family.
Yep - this book is boring. The first half of the book is all about Bob. Bob's "historic" political career. How Bob's background in military intelligence (which to most military is an oxymoron) helped him research things...on Google. Bob loves Bob.
Bob may also love his family - he tells us many times how he would fight to the end for them - but he talks about his daughter and his wife with a sense of disappointment. There are no spoilers for this book because if you've read or seen any "true life" ghost book or tv show you know the outcome already. In the epilogue Bob talks about how his family fares. Only the young men in his family have come out on top. His daughter - well she didn't live up to his expectations. His wife - she lost the 80 pounds she gained during their years of torment.
What? Why do we need to know these things? They are totally not relevant to the story.
Heck, the book is not relevant to the story.
This might have been a better book if Mr. Cranmer and his co-author (who's not listed above...) had written the book as a based on true life experience. They could have added some punch and interest. But instead this book reads like a really bad blog About Me post. With a bit of religious stuff and some paranormal activity thrown in.
It's not scary. It's not at all suspenseful. It's sad more than anything. But not sad enough to elicit tears. It's just an all around not worth the price book. Wish I hadn't bought it - guess I was just in the Halloween mood.
Skip this book.
November 21, 2014
I made it halfway through but was just too bored to finish it. Plus the author seemed like someone I would think was an asshole in real life which made it even more trying to get through.
October 8, 2014
I made the mistake of browsing through some reviews of this book before I read it. Wow. people are harsh. The biggest complaint seemed to be that the author is cocky. And that there was "too much Jesus stuff". Well, yes, the author IS cocky. I think that's just his personality. And yes, there IS a lot of "Jesus stuff", but the book is about the author and his family fighting a demon in their house, and that was the route they chose to go.
I personally found the book terrifying. Some of it was a bit monotonous, but overall it scared the crap out of me. I can't imagine just living with an evil spirit because you don't know what else to do. I picked the book up because it took place in Pittsburgh, but anyone can read it and appreciate it. Great book!
I personally found the book terrifying. Some of it was a bit monotonous, but overall it scared the crap out of me. I can't imagine just living with an evil spirit because you don't know what else to do. I picked the book up because it took place in Pittsburgh, but anyone can read it and appreciate it. Great book!
June 4, 2016
this book should be called Bob Cranmer Wants You To Know How Awesome He Thinks Bob Cranmer Is. jeez. who knew a demon book could be so boring??? lots of republican nonsense, the same uninteresting 'haunting' stuff for pages and pages and pages, and then the final battle.... is less exciting than a bowling championship playing on ESPN at 2am. what a disappointment!
January 2, 2016
The first third of the book is nothing but the author's grandiose biography. The book was slow and never that interesting. The thing that bothered me most was repetition of phrases like, "the battle was far from over." He just kept repeating lines like that over and over and over...
September 22, 2014
Ugh. Horrible book. We get it. You think you're great. Nothing interesting about this book at all. Waste of time.
July 10, 2022
DNF on page 174.
I just can’t read any more. Maybe my one star rating seems a bit harsh, but there’s really nothing good about this book.
My criticisms can be broken down into three categories:
1. I chose to read this because I wanted a haunted house story. Ghost, demon or whatever it is, I expected the main focus of this book to be about spooky things going bump in the night, unexplained encounters, etc. But it’s not. It’s about the author. And what little DOES happen is boring and repetitive.
2. The author is insufferable. He brags about himself continuously. He’s obviously a legend in his own mind, and anything unpleasant that happens is due to no fault of his own. It’s because he’s being persecuted, either by corrupt people or the “demon” in his house.
Honestly, the lack of self awareness is ridiculous. He admits that due to his workaholism and ambition, he’s rarely home, leaving his wife to manage everything on her own…but when she gets depressed, it’s because of the demon. When his kids act out, it’s because of the demon. His grandson has developmental delays, must be that demon. Son quits football and starts listening to heavy metal? That never happens without a demon!
3. This is basically a work of religious fiction, and it’s not marketed as such. I don’t mind reading about religious stuff (I occasionally read books about comparative religion and theology just for fun), but I don’t like being preached at. In the afterward, he admits his motive in writing this was to proselytize. If that’s what you want, you might enjoy the book. However, it’s definitely not for me.
I just can’t read any more. Maybe my one star rating seems a bit harsh, but there’s really nothing good about this book.
My criticisms can be broken down into three categories:
1. I chose to read this because I wanted a haunted house story. Ghost, demon or whatever it is, I expected the main focus of this book to be about spooky things going bump in the night, unexplained encounters, etc. But it’s not. It’s about the author. And what little DOES happen is boring and repetitive.
2. The author is insufferable. He brags about himself continuously. He’s obviously a legend in his own mind, and anything unpleasant that happens is due to no fault of his own. It’s because he’s being persecuted, either by corrupt people or the “demon” in his house.
Honestly, the lack of self awareness is ridiculous. He admits that due to his workaholism and ambition, he’s rarely home, leaving his wife to manage everything on her own…but when she gets depressed, it’s because of the demon. When his kids act out, it’s because of the demon. His grandson has developmental delays, must be that demon. Son quits football and starts listening to heavy metal? That never happens without a demon!
3. This is basically a work of religious fiction, and it’s not marketed as such. I don’t mind reading about religious stuff (I occasionally read books about comparative religion and theology just for fun), but I don’t like being preached at. In the afterward, he admits his motive in writing this was to proselytize. If that’s what you want, you might enjoy the book. However, it’s definitely not for me.
August 6, 2014
I expected so much more. This is not a story of demons and accounts of terror...but rather a story of a man battling his faith and politics. Poorly written, but blame the editor, not the story teller. Never once was I riveted or one the edge of my seat. The listing of the prayers used sent me over the edge. You can tell this was written by a republican. If I weren't from Pittsburgh, the rating would have been 2 stars.
February 5, 2021
So the paranormal has always intrigued me. So of course the title caught my eye.
Now, the religious aspect didn’t bother me at all because the family was battling a demon in their own home. However, the author did like to fluff his own feathers in the first half and basically told his own biography in the first half of the book. I understand that he was trying to set up his background and put out his credibility there because he worked for the people.
I would give the book three stars but I changed it to four stars because of how much ridicule the author got by putting out his story out there in the open where people would be a skeptic and might be quick to judge saying that the events that happened in the house never could have occurred.
Think about it this way if demonic oppression and infestations were soo believable then there would be a direct map on how to go from a to b to remove them. Each haunting or situation is going to be different, similar to other stories people will not believe them. I enjoyed the actual situation and what they did to battle the demon in the home, his biography not so much.
Now, the religious aspect didn’t bother me at all because the family was battling a demon in their own home. However, the author did like to fluff his own feathers in the first half and basically told his own biography in the first half of the book. I understand that he was trying to set up his background and put out his credibility there because he worked for the people.
I would give the book three stars but I changed it to four stars because of how much ridicule the author got by putting out his story out there in the open where people would be a skeptic and might be quick to judge saying that the events that happened in the house never could have occurred.
Think about it this way if demonic oppression and infestations were soo believable then there would be a direct map on how to go from a to b to remove them. Each haunting or situation is going to be different, similar to other stories people will not believe them. I enjoyed the actual situation and what they did to battle the demon in the home, his biography not so much.
August 6, 2014
I will preface my review with this...
If you are from the Baldwin/Brentwood/Whitehall area, this book will read differently for you than if you are an outsider. That being said, I recommend that local readers borrow the book from a friend or a library and give it a shot.
If you are expecting this book to be ripe with the emotion and horror one might find in a traditional ghost story, you will be disappointed. Yes, there are elements of the supernatural. However, you may find the book lacking if this is your goal.
The book is not terribly well written, making it challenging to review. The first 4 chapters could be removed almost in entirety, along with much of the political commentary that threads through the book at various places.
I offered a two-star rating for this book only because it might be of interest to Pittsburgh readers. Otherwise, it would have earned one star only.
If you are from the Baldwin/Brentwood/Whitehall area, this book will read differently for you than if you are an outsider. That being said, I recommend that local readers borrow the book from a friend or a library and give it a shot.
If you are expecting this book to be ripe with the emotion and horror one might find in a traditional ghost story, you will be disappointed. Yes, there are elements of the supernatural. However, you may find the book lacking if this is your goal.
The book is not terribly well written, making it challenging to review. The first 4 chapters could be removed almost in entirety, along with much of the political commentary that threads through the book at various places.
I offered a two-star rating for this book only because it might be of interest to Pittsburgh readers. Otherwise, it would have earned one star only.
October 23, 2016
Nope.
I can't.
This book is terrible. Shamefully bad. I was going to bother writing my own review but then I found two lovely reviewers on here who had already done a fine job of summing up exactly how I feel about it, so I'm going to just going to go ahead and link to those brave souls who seem to have actually finished this travesty.
The tl;dr is this: This guy is a holier-than-thou, self-righteous, self-aggrandizing dude who maybe isn't all that terrible but isn't a great father (doesn't take a lot of reading between the lines to realize that he was basically so wrapped up in his own bullshit for 15, 20 years that he left his wife at home to deal with four children while she was also trying to have her own life) and blames all of his family issues (which are all very normal, and I'm saying this with basically no judgement) like a pregnant daughter, a moody, violent goth son (though he seems to be way more concerned about the "goth" than the "violent"), and a grandchild with possible developmental issues, as well as an overwhelmed wife, and the fact that he just lives in a big old house with big old house quirks (like, he doesn't seem to understand that water pressure can vary), on a demon.
He has a totally normal life, a totally normal family, and because he believes he has Jeebus in his life and yet for some reason his totally normal family isn't absolutely perfect, his house must be haunted by only the most malevolent of spirits trying to sabotage him and his his family.
Maybe it's you, dude.
Also, shit happens.
But - the reviews.
First this one, which is a bit long but says literally everything I was thinking when I was reading.
And then this one, which also mentions that no one could give less of a shit about decades-old local politics.
Thank you, El and Bonnie, for doing what I couldn't be bothered to do.
Two stars only because it was so bad in some points that I was honestly enjoying its badness, so if you're into that kind of thing, by all means, have a go.
I can't.
This book is terrible. Shamefully bad. I was going to bother writing my own review but then I found two lovely reviewers on here who had already done a fine job of summing up exactly how I feel about it, so I'm going to just going to go ahead and link to those brave souls who seem to have actually finished this travesty.
The tl;dr is this: This guy is a holier-than-thou, self-righteous, self-aggrandizing dude who maybe isn't all that terrible but isn't a great father (doesn't take a lot of reading between the lines to realize that he was basically so wrapped up in his own bullshit for 15, 20 years that he left his wife at home to deal with four children while she was also trying to have her own life) and blames all of his family issues (which are all very normal, and I'm saying this with basically no judgement) like a pregnant daughter, a moody, violent goth son (though he seems to be way more concerned about the "goth" than the "violent"), and a grandchild with possible developmental issues, as well as an overwhelmed wife, and the fact that he just lives in a big old house with big old house quirks (like, he doesn't seem to understand that water pressure can vary), on a demon.
He has a totally normal life, a totally normal family, and because he believes he has Jeebus in his life and yet for some reason his totally normal family isn't absolutely perfect, his house must be haunted by only the most malevolent of spirits trying to sabotage him and his his family.
Maybe it's you, dude.
Also, shit happens.
But - the reviews.
First this one, which is a bit long but says literally everything I was thinking when I was reading.
And then this one, which also mentions that no one could give less of a shit about decades-old local politics.
Thank you, El and Bonnie, for doing what I couldn't be bothered to do.
Two stars only because it was so bad in some points that I was honestly enjoying its badness, so if you're into that kind of thing, by all means, have a go.
September 27, 2017
This is a very in-depth book of the author's experiences with a true demonic force that terrorized his family for years in the home where they lived in Pittsburgh. It is fast paced and kept my attention throughout the whole book. The book gives plenty of information on what caused the demon to manifest in the home. This is a pretty creepy book and I am giving it four stars.
May 15, 2017
This guy sounds like a pompous (pardon my French) asshole. While I can appreciate that these things actually do happen in houses, it seems that his arrogant and selfish desire to "fight the demons" put his children at risk, so much so that he opted to send his boys to special schools and have them medicated, instead of just moving. And being a fan of all types of music, especially metal, I find it somewhat insulting that he puts blame on this genre for his children's wild behavior, like no normal person would like this stuff unless they were possessed. Did it ever occur to him that maybe Bobby was rebelling because he's a selfish and strict religious father?? I had strict parents and I rebelled, too. That's what teenagers do.
I also found it interesting that he found the need to mention The Amityville Horror and claim that it was nothing compared to his experience. Is this some type of competition? Or are you just jealous that the DeFeo and Lutz families got more publicity? The need to put down another family's experience instead of being understanding and empathetic makes Mr. Cranmer sound even more pretentious.
Overall, what I thought would be an interesting story, being that I live in Pittsburgh and am familiar with the area, turned out to be an irritating disappointment.
I also found it interesting that he found the need to mention The Amityville Horror and claim that it was nothing compared to his experience. Is this some type of competition? Or are you just jealous that the DeFeo and Lutz families got more publicity? The need to put down another family's experience instead of being understanding and empathetic makes Mr. Cranmer sound even more pretentious.
Overall, what I thought would be an interesting story, being that I live in Pittsburgh and am familiar with the area, turned out to be an irritating disappointment.
August 22, 2014
No spoilers!
I couldn't put this book down. I finished it easily in one afternoon!
This book recounts the hellish events and experiences of one family over the span of 2 decades in PA.
The writing isn't the best, but it reads well enough. It's told from the father's POV.
There are a lot of religious overtones. There's talk of exorcism, prayer, and Mel Gibson's Passion of the Christ. I didn't mind it, the story was compelling despite the overt Christianity. Let's be fair, if you're dealing with "a demon" then you're probably of a Catholic, or at least Christian, persuasion.
If you like first-person haunting stories, this will be a fun, terrifying, and quick read for you! If you don't like reading about children being driven mad, blood flowing down walls, or cranky priests, skip this one.
I couldn't put this book down. I finished it easily in one afternoon!
This book recounts the hellish events and experiences of one family over the span of 2 decades in PA.
The writing isn't the best, but it reads well enough. It's told from the father's POV.
There are a lot of religious overtones. There's talk of exorcism, prayer, and Mel Gibson's Passion of the Christ. I didn't mind it, the story was compelling despite the overt Christianity. Let's be fair, if you're dealing with "a demon" then you're probably of a Catholic, or at least Christian, persuasion.
If you like first-person haunting stories, this will be a fun, terrifying, and quick read for you! If you don't like reading about children being driven mad, blood flowing down walls, or cranky priests, skip this one.
April 27, 2021
This book is difficult to review. The author is clearly an unreliable narrator with a grandiose view of himself, and it was painful to see how his family suffered while he relentlessly pursued his own ambitions. The parts that mentioned the activity in the house were interesting, but they felt few and far between. I was interested in the author's explanation of religion and that he shared the actual prayers used, as well as the ending Q&A, because it's not something I'm familiar with. But ultimately I was so distressed at the author's actions and the pain his family obviously went through that it overwhelmed the alleged activity in the house. I did come away feeling like there was a demon of Brownsville Road, but more like it was a self-absorbed husband and father who turned a blind eye to his family's needs.
August 21, 2018
If you are hostile toward Christian themes and beliefs you're going to become angry while reading this book. If you stopped talking to family and friends because they don't share your progressive political philosophies you're going to give this book a 1 star rating and write an angry review. I don't want to give anything away, but if you aren't willing to approach this book with an open mind, you probably shouldn't bother reading it.
That being said, my family has experienced some of the same types of things in a house we used to own. For me it was fascinating to read about someone else having the same type of bizarre experiences. Our situation was relatively benign by way of comparison, but having gone through an infestation myself, it was edifying to read the Cranmer's story.
That being said, my family has experienced some of the same types of things in a house we used to own. For me it was fascinating to read about someone else having the same type of bizarre experiences. Our situation was relatively benign by way of comparison, but having gone through an infestation myself, it was edifying to read the Cranmer's story.
June 16, 2021
I have abandoned another book.
I am the worst.
But this guy.... This guy is terrible. The book is about a man who loves himself more than anything else in this world, and he wonders why his family is in a shambles. Kid listens to rock music? THE DEVIL!! Daughter gets pregnant as a teen? DEMON POSESSION!! Wife doesn’t want you? MUST BE SATAN.
I had to put it down. I just wanted some garden-variety satanic shenanigans, but no.
I got “I LOVE ME. THE NEIGHBORS LOVE ME. I AM ALL THINGS MAN— Wait, what? What is my family’s problem? Why can’t they be perfect? Is this... Is this SATAN IN MY HOUSE?? But anyway... Back to how great I am.”
This book isn’t about a “family’s” anything. It’s about Bob and Bob’s greatness and how his family didn’t measure up.
I am the worst.
But this guy.... This guy is terrible. The book is about a man who loves himself more than anything else in this world, and he wonders why his family is in a shambles. Kid listens to rock music? THE DEVIL!! Daughter gets pregnant as a teen? DEMON POSESSION!! Wife doesn’t want you? MUST BE SATAN.
I had to put it down. I just wanted some garden-variety satanic shenanigans, but no.
I got “I LOVE ME. THE NEIGHBORS LOVE ME. I AM ALL THINGS MAN— Wait, what? What is my family’s problem? Why can’t they be perfect? Is this... Is this SATAN IN MY HOUSE?? But anyway... Back to how great I am.”
This book isn’t about a “family’s” anything. It’s about Bob and Bob’s greatness and how his family didn’t measure up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 20, 2018
I enjoyed the presentation of the experiences here. While it was interesting what happened and the coincidences were eerie, I remained skeptical and couldn't always understand the conclusions drawn every time something bad happened. I'm not sure that one could credit ALL of these occurrences to pure evil. Pregnant teenage daughter? Must be demonic entities. Wife racked up your credit card? It's those demons again. It seems the author expects a holy, untainted life with no pitfalls and anything negative was written off as out of their hands because evil is real and their house is ruled by it. I'm well familiar with the tactic having been raised Catholic myself.
I can also attest to the different dynamic that forms when there is one household member who is frequently away; my own father was a workaholic throughout my childhood and teens, and my husband is away working a lot, now that I am grow and married. When father is away, things are different than when he is home. I intoned from the book that Cranmer may not have been fully immersed in the household life. Did his family resent him for this? Is his perfect stay-at-home wife, who handles so many responsibilities, simply not as virtuous and pure as he gives her credit? The children grew up and had rebellious, goth phases. They had to overcome depression. His family are human beings who fight their own day-to-day battles. I'm certainly not calling the author a liar and do believe the family experienced strange happenings. But at the same time, I don't believe any family is like the Cleavers, living a 1950s dream life either.
Despite the author seeming a bit out of touch with reality, this was an intriguing and enjoyable account, written in an engaging dialogue (I listened to the audiobook). Did this guy do it for the publicity? I think he didn't desired publicity at the time due to his standing but certainly he did see an opportunity in writing a book about it in recent years. I'd be interested in further learning about Connie Valenti, the intuitive from this book.
I can also attest to the different dynamic that forms when there is one household member who is frequently away; my own father was a workaholic throughout my childhood and teens, and my husband is away working a lot, now that I am grow and married. When father is away, things are different than when he is home. I intoned from the book that Cranmer may not have been fully immersed in the household life. Did his family resent him for this? Is his perfect stay-at-home wife, who handles so many responsibilities, simply not as virtuous and pure as he gives her credit? The children grew up and had rebellious, goth phases. They had to overcome depression. His family are human beings who fight their own day-to-day battles. I'm certainly not calling the author a liar and do believe the family experienced strange happenings. But at the same time, I don't believe any family is like the Cleavers, living a 1950s dream life either.
Despite the author seeming a bit out of touch with reality, this was an intriguing and enjoyable account, written in an engaging dialogue (I listened to the audiobook). Did this guy do it for the publicity? I think he didn't desired publicity at the time due to his standing but certainly he did see an opportunity in writing a book about it in recent years. I'd be interested in further learning about Connie Valenti, the intuitive from this book.
April 3, 2020
I found out about this book through Coast to Coast AM in 2014. Bob Cranmer was the guest one night discussing the haunting and his book.
In 1988, The Cranmer family moved into a house in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was Bob Cranmer's dream home. He had no idea it'd turn into a nightmare.
The house the Cranmer's moved into was built into 1909 or 1910. The land already had a tainted history. Later, illegal abortions were also performed in the house and added to the already negative energy.
The Cranmer family dealt with a demon infestation for years. Bob Cranmer never gave up and did what he had to do to rid the house of the evil that settled there.
It was an interesting read. Being that the author was a politician, the book does get very political at times. And it can also be very religious. I've seen ghosts since I was a child and have been a paranormal investigator since I was 14, so I know when dealing with a demon, religion is actually is important. It's how you get rid of them.
However, I am not religious, and while I understand, I admit the religious aspect was a little much at times.
It was a good book though. I enjoyed it.
In 1988, The Cranmer family moved into a house in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was Bob Cranmer's dream home. He had no idea it'd turn into a nightmare.
The house the Cranmer's moved into was built into 1909 or 1910. The land already had a tainted history. Later, illegal abortions were also performed in the house and added to the already negative energy.
The Cranmer family dealt with a demon infestation for years. Bob Cranmer never gave up and did what he had to do to rid the house of the evil that settled there.
It was an interesting read. Being that the author was a politician, the book does get very political at times. And it can also be very religious. I've seen ghosts since I was a child and have been a paranormal investigator since I was 14, so I know when dealing with a demon, religion is actually is important. It's how you get rid of them.
However, I am not religious, and while I understand, I admit the religious aspect was a little much at times.
It was a good book though. I enjoyed it.
February 22, 2015
I think the author spent far too much time and energy telling the reader about his accomplishments and importance. The real and untold story is how his family managed to live with a stubborn, narcissistic workaholic while dealing with problems in their home.
The "horror" in the story was quite terrifying and real but was minimized by the author to the point that you felt he wrote the story solely to prove he took on evil and won. And while he gives credit to his faith, I felt he gave more credit to himself for his stubbornness.
His coauthor's dedication page cracked me up. "I would also like to thank publishing attorney Sallie Randolph who helped Bob and me sort out contractual issues and work together productively." Read between the lines: Bob isn't just high maintenance on paper.
Overall, it felt very "self-published". And the included photos were not at all impressive. I would have preferred a map of the home layout instead.
The "horror" in the story was quite terrifying and real but was minimized by the author to the point that you felt he wrote the story solely to prove he took on evil and won. And while he gives credit to his faith, I felt he gave more credit to himself for his stubbornness.
His coauthor's dedication page cracked me up. "I would also like to thank publishing attorney Sallie Randolph who helped Bob and me sort out contractual issues and work together productively." Read between the lines: Bob isn't just high maintenance on paper.
Overall, it felt very "self-published". And the included photos were not at all impressive. I would have preferred a map of the home layout instead.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 9, 2015
There is real evil in the world. This book recounts an example of demonic infestation. There will be those who are unhappy with the book because it does not sensationalize this evil, and others who will be disappointed because it does not comport with their preconceived notions of how it should be reported or observed. It doesn't fit nicely into their pigeon-holed beliefs. Nonetheless, the events are reported from the perspective of one man and how his encounter with evil in his home impacted him and his family.
This book will have particular interest for those in the areas of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, as the author was formerly a county commissioner. Living in that area some of the details were surprising and give a new level of respect for the man whose public reputation was a bit checkered. Learning the details of what he was living through, and how it must have necessarily influenced not only his actions, but how he was perceived at the time.
This book will have particular interest for those in the areas of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, as the author was formerly a county commissioner. Living in that area some of the details were surprising and give a new level of respect for the man whose public reputation was a bit checkered. Learning the details of what he was living through, and how it must have necessarily influenced not only his actions, but how he was perceived at the time.
October 13, 2014
Like many of the reviewers before me, I thought this book would be much more interesting than it actually was. It could have been cut in half if the author had not spent so much time gushing about himself and making cryptic statements about how the demon was going to make things even worse. Seriously, show, don't tell! Shame on his cowriter for not knowing this.
Also, he made sure to make negative comments about almost everyone around him, even when they went out of their way to help him when they wouldn't personally benefit from doing so. Mr. Cranmer made it sound like he did all the 'battling' without any help, and while he DID do a lot of it, his smug writing style was distracting. What a shame. Thank goodness for libraries so I don't have to waste money on books that fail to live up to their own hype.
Also, he made sure to make negative comments about almost everyone around him, even when they went out of their way to help him when they wouldn't personally benefit from doing so. Mr. Cranmer made it sound like he did all the 'battling' without any help, and while he DID do a lot of it, his smug writing style was distracting. What a shame. Thank goodness for libraries so I don't have to waste money on books that fail to live up to their own hype.
November 5, 2020
Bailed on this one roughly halfway through, as per my rule to do so when I have to admit that I'm forcing myself to pick up the book again rather than being sincerely interested.
I'm willing to buy into the place having been haunted. However, that's overshadowed by the author's personality, which I felt contributed to events along with the demon. Basically, he came across as self-pitying and arrogant at the same time: narcissism combo.
The haunting itself was quite creepy, though almost Hollywood-esque in details; hard to believe they could put up with it as long as they did. Maybe I had trouble in that it read more like fiction? Bottom line is that I became convinced we weren't getting the whole truth: when "everyone" in town hates you, maybe it's you?
I'm willing to buy into the place having been haunted. However, that's overshadowed by the author's personality, which I felt contributed to events along with the demon. Basically, he came across as self-pitying and arrogant at the same time: narcissism combo.
The haunting itself was quite creepy, though almost Hollywood-esque in details; hard to believe they could put up with it as long as they did. Maybe I had trouble in that it read more like fiction? Bottom line is that I became convinced we weren't getting the whole truth: when "everyone" in town hates you, maybe it's you?
April 22, 2023
(Zero spoiler review) 3.25/5
I've always loved and been fascinated by the paranormal for as long as I can remember. Ok, first it was dinosaurs. But as soon as the dinosaur phase wore off, the paranormal took a firm hold on me (many years before most others) and never let go from then on. If there is one drawback to liking such an obscure subject, or what was obscure over 30 years ago when I first began delving into it, was the scarcity of enjoyable and informative reading material on the subject. Most things I came across were either rather generic collaborations, collecting dozens of stories from across the world, each given a few pages before moving into the next poorly told and researched tale. As for lengthy and detailed explorations into individual occurrences or locations, These were very few and far between. Maybe that's why I take a slightly more positive view of The Demon of Brownsville Road'. Just take a look at the front page of reviews for this book to see a level of critical vitriol I don't think I've ever experienced on this site before. I would share some of their criticisms, even if they didn't bother me anywhere near as much as it apparently did them. And yes, the book does probably focus too much on the non-paranormal aspects of their lives, and not being even slightly religious, the weight of their faith does cling rather heavily to the book, although again, it didn't bother me that much.
I found the actual paranormal occurrences to be very interesting, with a few even managing to give this unflappable reviewer a nice little dose of the creeps. When it is focusing on it's subject matter, its an entertaining read. Whether to pad the length of the book, or because the author thought more of himself than apparently many of the people who read it did, it is overly padded and could have possibly done with a slightly harsher edit. That said, the real world events occurring in the background were at worst a mild distraction for me. I've read this multiple times and always found it an enjoyable use of my time. I've certainly read worse books on the subject over the years. 3.25/5
OmniBen.
I've always loved and been fascinated by the paranormal for as long as I can remember. Ok, first it was dinosaurs. But as soon as the dinosaur phase wore off, the paranormal took a firm hold on me (many years before most others) and never let go from then on. If there is one drawback to liking such an obscure subject, or what was obscure over 30 years ago when I first began delving into it, was the scarcity of enjoyable and informative reading material on the subject. Most things I came across were either rather generic collaborations, collecting dozens of stories from across the world, each given a few pages before moving into the next poorly told and researched tale. As for lengthy and detailed explorations into individual occurrences or locations, These were very few and far between. Maybe that's why I take a slightly more positive view of The Demon of Brownsville Road'. Just take a look at the front page of reviews for this book to see a level of critical vitriol I don't think I've ever experienced on this site before. I would share some of their criticisms, even if they didn't bother me anywhere near as much as it apparently did them. And yes, the book does probably focus too much on the non-paranormal aspects of their lives, and not being even slightly religious, the weight of their faith does cling rather heavily to the book, although again, it didn't bother me that much.
I found the actual paranormal occurrences to be very interesting, with a few even managing to give this unflappable reviewer a nice little dose of the creeps. When it is focusing on it's subject matter, its an entertaining read. Whether to pad the length of the book, or because the author thought more of himself than apparently many of the people who read it did, it is overly padded and could have possibly done with a slightly harsher edit. That said, the real world events occurring in the background were at worst a mild distraction for me. I've read this multiple times and always found it an enjoyable use of my time. I've certainly read worse books on the subject over the years. 3.25/5
OmniBen.
November 27, 2025
Being from the Carrick area, and later on moving to an area further up Brownsville Road, I know of this house and some of the stories that he was telling about Brentwood. Some of the stories I didn't know, and that was interesting.
As for the rest of the book, It scared me because I know all of these things do happen.
There were a few things that I thought were strange. First off, that the Cranmers didn't know the house was haunted, especially with the fact that his mom was a real estate agent.
Secondly, I understand that he felt compelled to buy this house, but, my gosh, to put your family through all of that.
Anyway, I thought it was an interesting read, but I also thought that it could have been a bit shorter.
As for the rest of the book, It scared me because I know all of these things do happen.
There were a few things that I thought were strange. First off, that the Cranmers didn't know the house was haunted, especially with the fact that his mom was a real estate agent.
Secondly, I understand that he felt compelled to buy this house, but, my gosh, to put your family through all of that.
Anyway, I thought it was an interesting read, but I also thought that it could have been a bit shorter.
August 1, 2026
Spooky especially being based on true events but learning the history behind the home and it being in pittsburgh was so intriguing.
October 3, 2015
I first had heard of Bob Cranmer and his family's experiences with the paranormal on a few various podcasts where he was the featured guest. His story was enticing so I bought the book. The book however was not exactly what I was expecting.
I'm torn because in many ways this book seems demonstrative of the truth. A book about a haunting, but with little actual 'action.' No head spinning, levitation, voices from nowhere......this seems to give the experience real life credibility. Yet the reader in me wanted shocking details and frightening passages about demonic interactions with the family.
Overall I enjoyed listening to Mr. Cranmer speak on the podcasts so much more than the reading of the book as he was a skilled orator, but then again; he was a politician.
I'm torn because in many ways this book seems demonstrative of the truth. A book about a haunting, but with little actual 'action.' No head spinning, levitation, voices from nowhere......this seems to give the experience real life credibility. Yet the reader in me wanted shocking details and frightening passages about demonic interactions with the family.
Overall I enjoyed listening to Mr. Cranmer speak on the podcasts so much more than the reading of the book as he was a skilled orator, but then again; he was a politician.
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