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Mothman: Sightings and Investigations of the Iconic Flying Cryptid
Two paranormal experts examine the history and sightings of one of America's favorite flying cryptids.
The world was officially introduced to the Mothman in 1966 when a sighting of a large black creature with glowing red eyes was reported in the Point Pleasant Register. Ever since, the winged humanoid has captivated the world.
Richard Estep and renowned Mothman researcher Tobias Wayland document first-hand witness accounts and conduct investigations of the sightings with the hope of seeing the famous flying cryptid themselves. Their discoveries include large concentrations of sightings in the Chicago and Lake Michigan area which allude to where the mysterious Mothman may reside and travel.
Mothman is a collection of creepy encounters of a large flying cryptid with menacing red eyes that every witness never forgets. Explore the fascinating files from investigators who have searched for the mythical Mothman.
The world was officially introduced to the Mothman in 1966 when a sighting of a large black creature with glowing red eyes was reported in the Point Pleasant Register. Ever since, the winged humanoid has captivated the world.
Richard Estep and renowned Mothman researcher Tobias Wayland document first-hand witness accounts and conduct investigations of the sightings with the hope of seeing the famous flying cryptid themselves. Their discoveries include large concentrations of sightings in the Chicago and Lake Michigan area which allude to where the mysterious Mothman may reside and travel.
Mothman is a collection of creepy encounters of a large flying cryptid with menacing red eyes that every witness never forgets. Explore the fascinating files from investigators who have searched for the mythical Mothman.
304 pages, Paperback
Published September 8, 2025
8 people are currently reading
28 people want to read
About the author
Richard Estep
72 books198 followersI'm a 48-year-old child who has no plans to ever actually grow up.
I make my living as a paramedic, clinical educator, for a busy hospital system and work as a street medic in a 911 system.
In my free time, I serve as the director of the Boulder County Paranormal Research Society, and investigate claims of haunted properties, people, and objects on both sides of the Atlantic. I love to read, particularly SF/Fantasy, history and historical fiction, the paranormal, and basically anything that piques my interest. I appear on the TV shows Haunted Hospitals, Paranormal 911, Paranormal Night Shift, Haunted Case Files, and several others.
I am an avid video gamer, table-top gamer, and love to build Lego. My wife and I are the proud humans of five adopted rescue cats and one smelly but adorable dog.
I make my living as a paramedic, clinical educator, for a busy hospital system and work as a street medic in a 911 system.
In my free time, I serve as the director of the Boulder County Paranormal Research Society, and investigate claims of haunted properties, people, and objects on both sides of the Atlantic. I love to read, particularly SF/Fantasy, history and historical fiction, the paranormal, and basically anything that piques my interest. I appear on the TV shows Haunted Hospitals, Paranormal 911, Paranormal Night Shift, Haunted Case Files, and several others.
I am an avid video gamer, table-top gamer, and love to build Lego. My wife and I are the proud humans of five adopted rescue cats and one smelly but adorable dog.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 4, 2025
Book Review: Mothman: Sightings and Investigations of the Iconic Flying Cryptid by Richard Estep & Tobias Wayland (Foreword by David Weatherly)
Rating: 4.5/5
Reactions & Emotional Impact
As a West Virginia native familiar with the Mothman legend, I approached this book with equal parts skepticism and nostalgic curiosity—but emerged utterly captivated. Estep and Wayland masterfully balance scholarly rigor with the chilling thrill of a campfire tale. Their documentation of firsthand accounts (like the infamous Dufield Pond encounter) sent shivers down my spine, not just for their supernatural elements but for their psychological weight. The authors’ palpable enthusiasm—whether chasing leads in Chicago or analyzing wing-span physics—is infectious, transforming what could be dry cryptozoology into a human story about our need to explain the unexplainable. The foreword by David Weatherly grounds the work in broader folklore context, adding scholarly heft.
Strengths
-Methodological Rigor: The authors treat sightings as anthropological data, cross-referencing timelines, weather conditions, and witness credibility—a refreshing departure from sensationalism.
-Geographical Breadth: While honoring Point Pleasant’s legacy, they reveal startling Midwest clusters (Chicago/Lake Michigan), challenging the myth’s regional confines.
-Interdisciplinary Approach: Blends forensic analysis (e.g., red-eye glow explanations) with cultural studies (why Mothman endures as a modern archetype).
-Narrative Craft: Chapters oscillate between clinical reportage and pulse-quickening storytelling, mirroring the tension between myth and evidence.
Constructive Criticism
-Theoretical Gaps: A deeper dive into why certain communities spawn cryptid lore (e.g., post-industrial trauma in West Virginia) could enrich the sociological lens.
-Visual Aids: Maps of sighting hotspots or comparative illustrations of global “winged humanoid” myths would bolster the investigative narrative.
-Counterarguments: While thorough, the book occasionally leans credulous; a dedicated chapter debunking hoaxes would strengthen its academic balance.
Final Thoughts
This isn’t just a book about a monster—it’s a meditation on how fear and wonder shape collective memory. Estep and Wayland don’t demand belief; they invite engagement, making this essential for folklorists, paranormal enthusiasts, and anyone who’s ever glimpsed something inexplicable in the dark.
Gratitude:
Thank you to the Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd and Edelweiss for the gifted copy—this was a haunting homecoming to Appalachian mystery, and a testament to legends that refuse to die.
Why 4.5?
Docked slightly for craving more critical analysis, but Mothman soars as both a tribute to regional lore and a template for ethical cryptid research.
Related Themes for Further Study:
Cryptids as cultural coping mechanisms
The science of mass hallucination
Appalachian folklore’s intersection with industry
Media’s role in mythmaking (from 1966 newspapers to TikTok)
Comparative global “flying humanoid” legends (e.g., Indonesia’s Orang Bati)
Rating: 4.5/5
Reactions & Emotional Impact
As a West Virginia native familiar with the Mothman legend, I approached this book with equal parts skepticism and nostalgic curiosity—but emerged utterly captivated. Estep and Wayland masterfully balance scholarly rigor with the chilling thrill of a campfire tale. Their documentation of firsthand accounts (like the infamous Dufield Pond encounter) sent shivers down my spine, not just for their supernatural elements but for their psychological weight. The authors’ palpable enthusiasm—whether chasing leads in Chicago or analyzing wing-span physics—is infectious, transforming what could be dry cryptozoology into a human story about our need to explain the unexplainable. The foreword by David Weatherly grounds the work in broader folklore context, adding scholarly heft.
Strengths
-Methodological Rigor: The authors treat sightings as anthropological data, cross-referencing timelines, weather conditions, and witness credibility—a refreshing departure from sensationalism.
-Geographical Breadth: While honoring Point Pleasant’s legacy, they reveal startling Midwest clusters (Chicago/Lake Michigan), challenging the myth’s regional confines.
-Interdisciplinary Approach: Blends forensic analysis (e.g., red-eye glow explanations) with cultural studies (why Mothman endures as a modern archetype).
-Narrative Craft: Chapters oscillate between clinical reportage and pulse-quickening storytelling, mirroring the tension between myth and evidence.
Constructive Criticism
-Theoretical Gaps: A deeper dive into why certain communities spawn cryptid lore (e.g., post-industrial trauma in West Virginia) could enrich the sociological lens.
-Visual Aids: Maps of sighting hotspots or comparative illustrations of global “winged humanoid” myths would bolster the investigative narrative.
-Counterarguments: While thorough, the book occasionally leans credulous; a dedicated chapter debunking hoaxes would strengthen its academic balance.
Final Thoughts
This isn’t just a book about a monster—it’s a meditation on how fear and wonder shape collective memory. Estep and Wayland don’t demand belief; they invite engagement, making this essential for folklorists, paranormal enthusiasts, and anyone who’s ever glimpsed something inexplicable in the dark.
Gratitude:
Thank you to the Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd and Edelweiss for the gifted copy—this was a haunting homecoming to Appalachian mystery, and a testament to legends that refuse to die.
Why 4.5?
Docked slightly for craving more critical analysis, but Mothman soars as both a tribute to regional lore and a template for ethical cryptid research.
Related Themes for Further Study:
Cryptids as cultural coping mechanisms
The science of mass hallucination
Appalachian folklore’s intersection with industry
Media’s role in mythmaking (from 1966 newspapers to TikTok)
Comparative global “flying humanoid” legends (e.g., Indonesia’s Orang Bati)
October 1, 2025
Is there more to Mothman than a string of midcentury sightings in Point Pleasant, WV? What can the larger winged humanoid phenomena tell us about the nature of the paranormal?
In Mothman: Sightings and Investigations of the Iconic Flying Cryptid, Richard Estep and Tobias Wayland take readers in search of high strangeness throughout the United States exploring John Keel’s theories alongside new and old winged humanoid sightings. A welcome addition to the Mothman literature, this book is perfect for readers new to the phenomenon with an excellent introduction to Forteana and comprehensive overview of the traditional Mothman story. But researchers familiar with the phenomenon will also find it full of new information and connections to other phenomena around the United States, including widespread sightings in the Chicagoland area. Estep and Wayland expertly weave together Mothman lore with lesser-known phenomenon like the Van Meter Visitor and leave readers with an excellent foundation in Forteana alongside and interviews with Joshua Cutchin and ?Ken Gerhard. It’s hard to overstate just how much was packed into this little book.
Having recently read Keel’s Mothman Prophecies, this was an excellent expansion on that formative work and further convinced me of the need to pick up a copy of The Eighth Tower. Having finished Estep and Wayland’s book, I’m even less sure how to explain Mothman, but as Cutchin says, “[with Forteana] there is a certain resistance to categorization and conclusion that [isn’t] seen across a lot of other modern paranormal thinkers.”
5🪰/5 seriously cannot recommend this one enough.
Thank you to Llewellyn Books for the review copy!
In Mothman: Sightings and Investigations of the Iconic Flying Cryptid, Richard Estep and Tobias Wayland take readers in search of high strangeness throughout the United States exploring John Keel’s theories alongside new and old winged humanoid sightings. A welcome addition to the Mothman literature, this book is perfect for readers new to the phenomenon with an excellent introduction to Forteana and comprehensive overview of the traditional Mothman story. But researchers familiar with the phenomenon will also find it full of new information and connections to other phenomena around the United States, including widespread sightings in the Chicagoland area. Estep and Wayland expertly weave together Mothman lore with lesser-known phenomenon like the Van Meter Visitor and leave readers with an excellent foundation in Forteana alongside and interviews with Joshua Cutchin and ?Ken Gerhard. It’s hard to overstate just how much was packed into this little book.
Having recently read Keel’s Mothman Prophecies, this was an excellent expansion on that formative work and further convinced me of the need to pick up a copy of The Eighth Tower. Having finished Estep and Wayland’s book, I’m even less sure how to explain Mothman, but as Cutchin says, “[with Forteana] there is a certain resistance to categorization and conclusion that [isn’t] seen across a lot of other modern paranormal thinkers.”
5🪰/5 seriously cannot recommend this one enough.
Thank you to Llewellyn Books for the review copy!
December 31, 2025
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