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Eerie Appalachia: Smiling Man Indrid Cold, the Jersey Devil, the Legend of Mothman and More
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..
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..
144 pages, Paperback
Published June 20, 2022
16 people are currently reading
165 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
June 9, 2023
I listened to the audio book, read by the author. I've never heard someone read so fast- it really distracted from the story.
June 3, 2022
A fantastic book full of chilling tales from all over near Appalachia. As a child my dad always told me stories about the Jersey Devil, so I was uniquely interested in reading about it. A bonus? Moth man 🦋🙈. I love folklore and mythology and would highly recommend this book alongside all of Mark’s other stories from Florida!
November 13, 2025
Really enjoyed the book. I knew some of the myths of Appalachia, but I learned quite a few more. Will absolutely have to check out the other Eerie books Muncy has produced.
July 25, 2023
don’t judge me it’s on storytel
September 26, 2022
I just finished reading Eerie Appalachia and the first (literary) foray outside of the sunshine state for author/illustrator duo Mark Muncy and Kari Schultz is a fast and fascinating deep dive that picks up where their previous works left off at the Florida state border. Their latest work expands the scope of strange encounters to include not only well-known cryptids like the Moth Man, the Jersey Devil and the Sasquatch, but also hauntings, hyper-local holler legends, UFOs and one of Muncy's own personal experiences on his family's land in Kentucky. As with their previous books, Schultz's illustrations were phenomenal and Muncy was able to construct concise and well written tales from reams of research and often conflicting first-hand accounts. Whether you're new to the world of cryptids and creepy creatures, a paranormal enthusiast or a seasoned legend-tripper with your gear already stowed and ready to go, this book will give you all the reasons you need to start planning your own excursion deep into Eerie Appalachia.
November 17, 2024
1.5 stars rounded to 2 for variety of creatures and creepy places touched on.
Audiobook version, read by the author Mark Muncy.
This was a very painful audiobook. Normally I love it when authors read their own work, but this was not the case with this author. This book would’ve really benefitted from the use of an actual professional narrator. This is a little over 3 hrs and 10 min book but it felt like it took weeks to slog through. In the end it took me the better part of the day to get through between having to stop and rewind, take a break out of boredom and my head tiring, and falling asleep.
First, I have never heard someone read something so fast and consider it professional or well done. This entire book was more like one 3+ hour run on sentence with absolutely no breaks for punctuation, quotations, POV changes, creature or location changes, chapters, etc. The author read this so fast without any effort at producing something clear and enjoyable. I had to slow it down two levels just to understand what he was attempting to say. Even then parts were still too fast and it still felt like one long run on sentence.
He also read with such a boring, uninterested monotone and flubbered through words left and right it felt like I was listening more to a textbook lecture or someone reading a junior high book report aloud for the first time rather than a professionally recorded, interesting audiobook. He repeatedly stumbled over words because he was reading too fast. If a professional narrator wasn’t going to be used, at least a single edit should have been done on the recording. It felt as if he wrote it then recorded it without proofreading or practicing the narration. Examples: Quickly sounds like kickly. Police sound like bolice. Words repeated 2-3 times, stutters, and mouth sound effects.
There were also recording blips and sound errors throughout the book as if this were recorded at home with a houseful of people going about their day.
The quality of the recording, the authors sped and mistakes were so distracting I couldn’t focus and the book failed to hold my attention. Towards the end I found myself just wanting it to be over because I was bored to tears and the quality so poor. I can’t DNF a book so it really does become painful. The was the biggest reason for a low rating.
The writing appears to be subpar. I’ll say appears because I’m not sure if it’s completely poorly written or if the authors poor narration was more to blame. There were many times the author used the incorrect tense in sentences where he’d be speaking in the present tense yet use a past tense verb or he would be speaking about a single person and say things like are or theirs. There’s so much repetition not only do the chapters drag on, but had it been cut out with proper editing, the book would’ve likely been half the length. The cover states read by “the authors,” but it’s only read by Mark Muncy. His wife seems to have been the illustrator. While not a big deal, it’s an example of poor writing and lack of editing. I did not enjoy the writing style of this author at all. I cannot speak to the illustrations since I listened to the audio version. The cover art was nice.
The way the chapters are broken down was also odd. We have the conclusion of the book then nearly 45 min to an hour left in the book where the author then tells about 3 more stories plus more history. They are listed as Part 1 Chapter (however many remaining chapters there was) and Part Two Chapters 38-41. The author says he has to include his own tale, yet he really repeats two previous creature histories, location description and history, tales from his cousin, father, uncle, and others, details on his families trailer where they “roughed it” camping, and then his story. He also calls this an appendix. It was just further evidence he really didn’t know how to publish a well written book and did not do any sort of editing on his own, phone a friend, or utilize a professional.
Lastly, I found many factual errors in this book. There seems to have been subpar research done on the stories and locations discussed in this book. Many are common knowledge so it’s easy to know what the errors are and also easy to give a little leeway since they are legends and stories. The locations however should’ve been better fact checked for publication. This too was distracting and detracted from the quality and interest in this book. One example was Loveland Castle/Chateau Laroche. Harry, the boy scout troop leader who built the castle didn’t sell the newspaper subscriptions himself as the author boldly claims. The local newspaper gave a plot of land to anyone who paid a 6 mo subscription in full. One of his Sunday School students/Boy Scouts’ parents bought a subscription and sold the lot to Harry and the Scouts per the Castle’s website. The castle is a museum so it does have a professional website with the detailed facts of the location and man who built it. This was just one glaring example I found, but there were so many factual errors throughout the book.
While there are a variety of stories, legends, creatures, locations, and history included, this book just fell short for me. It had great potential and would’ve really benefitted from the use of a pro narrator and editor. A little more research and fact checking, fine tuning, and for the love all that is holy, a different narrator, would’ve made this a much better published piece and more enjoyable book. I won’t read this author again, definitely won’t listen to, and I can’t recommend this book. These are common tales for the area and there are so many higher quality books/audios out there to get the same content.
Audiobook version, read by the author Mark Muncy.
This was a very painful audiobook. Normally I love it when authors read their own work, but this was not the case with this author. This book would’ve really benefitted from the use of an actual professional narrator. This is a little over 3 hrs and 10 min book but it felt like it took weeks to slog through. In the end it took me the better part of the day to get through between having to stop and rewind, take a break out of boredom and my head tiring, and falling asleep.
First, I have never heard someone read something so fast and consider it professional or well done. This entire book was more like one 3+ hour run on sentence with absolutely no breaks for punctuation, quotations, POV changes, creature or location changes, chapters, etc. The author read this so fast without any effort at producing something clear and enjoyable. I had to slow it down two levels just to understand what he was attempting to say. Even then parts were still too fast and it still felt like one long run on sentence.
He also read with such a boring, uninterested monotone and flubbered through words left and right it felt like I was listening more to a textbook lecture or someone reading a junior high book report aloud for the first time rather than a professionally recorded, interesting audiobook. He repeatedly stumbled over words because he was reading too fast. If a professional narrator wasn’t going to be used, at least a single edit should have been done on the recording. It felt as if he wrote it then recorded it without proofreading or practicing the narration. Examples: Quickly sounds like kickly. Police sound like bolice. Words repeated 2-3 times, stutters, and mouth sound effects.
There were also recording blips and sound errors throughout the book as if this were recorded at home with a houseful of people going about their day.
The quality of the recording, the authors sped and mistakes were so distracting I couldn’t focus and the book failed to hold my attention. Towards the end I found myself just wanting it to be over because I was bored to tears and the quality so poor. I can’t DNF a book so it really does become painful. The was the biggest reason for a low rating.
The writing appears to be subpar. I’ll say appears because I’m not sure if it’s completely poorly written or if the authors poor narration was more to blame. There were many times the author used the incorrect tense in sentences where he’d be speaking in the present tense yet use a past tense verb or he would be speaking about a single person and say things like are or theirs. There’s so much repetition not only do the chapters drag on, but had it been cut out with proper editing, the book would’ve likely been half the length. The cover states read by “the authors,” but it’s only read by Mark Muncy. His wife seems to have been the illustrator. While not a big deal, it’s an example of poor writing and lack of editing. I did not enjoy the writing style of this author at all. I cannot speak to the illustrations since I listened to the audio version. The cover art was nice.
The way the chapters are broken down was also odd. We have the conclusion of the book then nearly 45 min to an hour left in the book where the author then tells about 3 more stories plus more history. They are listed as Part 1 Chapter (however many remaining chapters there was) and Part Two Chapters 38-41. The author says he has to include his own tale, yet he really repeats two previous creature histories, location description and history, tales from his cousin, father, uncle, and others, details on his families trailer where they “roughed it” camping, and then his story. He also calls this an appendix. It was just further evidence he really didn’t know how to publish a well written book and did not do any sort of editing on his own, phone a friend, or utilize a professional.
Lastly, I found many factual errors in this book. There seems to have been subpar research done on the stories and locations discussed in this book. Many are common knowledge so it’s easy to know what the errors are and also easy to give a little leeway since they are legends and stories. The locations however should’ve been better fact checked for publication. This too was distracting and detracted from the quality and interest in this book. One example was Loveland Castle/Chateau Laroche. Harry, the boy scout troop leader who built the castle didn’t sell the newspaper subscriptions himself as the author boldly claims. The local newspaper gave a plot of land to anyone who paid a 6 mo subscription in full. One of his Sunday School students/Boy Scouts’ parents bought a subscription and sold the lot to Harry and the Scouts per the Castle’s website. The castle is a museum so it does have a professional website with the detailed facts of the location and man who built it. This was just one glaring example I found, but there were so many factual errors throughout the book.
While there are a variety of stories, legends, creatures, locations, and history included, this book just fell short for me. It had great potential and would’ve really benefitted from the use of a pro narrator and editor. A little more research and fact checking, fine tuning, and for the love all that is holy, a different narrator, would’ve made this a much better published piece and more enjoyable book. I won’t read this author again, definitely won’t listen to, and I can’t recommend this book. These are common tales for the area and there are so many higher quality books/audios out there to get the same content.
August 7, 2025
Book review - Eerie Appalachia by Marc Muncy
Eerie Appalachia sets out to explore the haunted hollers, mysterious creatures, and unsettling legends woven throughout the Appalachian region. From ghostly miners and mountain witches to cryptids and UFO sightings, the book promises a journey through the spine chilling folklore that defines this rugged part of America.
While the concept is compelling and the region is ripe with eerie material, the execution falls short. The stories often feel rushed and lack the rich detail or atmosphere that would make them truly memorable. Much of the book reads like a casual overview, rather than a deep or immersive exploration. Some tales are intriguing, but they’re presented so briefly and without context that they lose their impact.
Fans of regional folklore might still find a few nuggets of interest, but overall, Eerie Appalachia feels more like a scattered collection of campfire stories than a cohesive or captivating book. A great idea that sadly doesn’t live up to its potential.
Eerie Appalachia sets out to explore the haunted hollers, mysterious creatures, and unsettling legends woven throughout the Appalachian region. From ghostly miners and mountain witches to cryptids and UFO sightings, the book promises a journey through the spine chilling folklore that defines this rugged part of America.
While the concept is compelling and the region is ripe with eerie material, the execution falls short. The stories often feel rushed and lack the rich detail or atmosphere that would make them truly memorable. Much of the book reads like a casual overview, rather than a deep or immersive exploration. Some tales are intriguing, but they’re presented so briefly and without context that they lose their impact.
Fans of regional folklore might still find a few nuggets of interest, but overall, Eerie Appalachia feels more like a scattered collection of campfire stories than a cohesive or captivating book. A great idea that sadly doesn’t live up to its potential.
October 24, 2025
An entertaining collection of folk tales from my neck of the woods. They are very brief, but that makes this book quick and easy to get through - it's not intended to be an encyclopedia. Some stories are about very well known cryptids (Mothman/Cold, Jersey Devil) but some stories I've never heard before nor could I even find any additional information about them (Hudson Valley barn spider). The author is clearly very into his work, and his enthusiasm shows through, but he presents the stories as... stories, without the bias of a crazy person (I'm referring John Keel since I just read the Mothman Prophecies).
November 3, 2023
Finished 6.19.23
This was pretty bad. Felt way longer than 3 hours, and took me days to finish.
The audio quality was poor. Sounded like it was recorded at home, and there are times when words or partial sentences would be repeated. Bad editing?
Also, the author as narrator wasn’t the best choice. He had a voice more for a beginner podcaster than a narrator, yes, there’s a difference.
The stories weren’t very interesting or memorable.
This was pretty bad. Felt way longer than 3 hours, and took me days to finish.
The audio quality was poor. Sounded like it was recorded at home, and there are times when words or partial sentences would be repeated. Bad editing?
Also, the author as narrator wasn’t the best choice. He had a voice more for a beginner podcaster than a narrator, yes, there’s a difference.
The stories weren’t very interesting or memorable.
July 28, 2025
A concise and understandable telling of some great stories. It was very obvious to me the the author had done a great amount of research and is truly passionate about the subject of cryptids, aliens and the other unexplainable events documented in this book.
Indrid Cold is the story that stuck out to me, having never heard of it. I thought the author did a good job of catching me up on all of the known details of this story.
Indrid Cold is the story that stuck out to me, having never heard of it. I thought the author did a good job of catching me up on all of the known details of this story.
October 29, 2024
I really enjoyed this little book. It was professional and well written, and had plenty of legends that I had not heard of before. Sure, the volume has some well known items, like the ones in the subtitle, but there were plenty of others. I especially liked the Holler Creatures section, but the book as a whole was a big win.
November 27, 2023
I thought it was overall a very good collection of local lore. I enjoyed the pictures and artwork from the authors wife as well. I also really love a husband and wife team so it was five star for me.
March 27, 2025
While the content was interesting, I think the book could have used some proofreading. Spelling errors and what seemed like typos were not a rarity and I think pages worth of content could have been omitted, as the information was never tied into the point of the story.
July 29, 2025
Definitely recommend a physical copy. I have a feeling that there were pictures or diagrams that I missed out on.
I wasn’t a huge fan of the audiobook available on Spotify. A lot of awkward pauses and phrasing disconnection, but the author was the narrator so I really don’t fault him on that.
I wasn’t a huge fan of the audiobook available on Spotify. A lot of awkward pauses and phrasing disconnection, but the author was the narrator so I really don’t fault him on that.
August 5, 2025
This is a brief overview of the cryptids in the Appalachia area and how they came to be. I really enjoyed this book. It was a fast read and recommends other authors of a more in-depth look at all of the monsters. I highly recommend it.
October 11, 2025
Found the audiobook very hard to get through. It was read by the author and he sounded almost uninterested in his own work, like reading it was a chore. Could even hear him stifle yawns at some points.
October 20, 2025
This is a great introduction to various myths and cryptids that are known to frequent the Appalachian region of the US. There is sufficient information to get you started in your search, allowing you to find out more as you wish.
February 2, 2023
Really well done retelling of all the favorite Appalachian tales, with some newer ones tossed in for good measure. The author and illustrator clearly love folktales just as much as I do.
July 3, 2024
Awesome collection of folk tales. If you're into folk tales, this is a great volume to pick up. I like the non-dismissive journalist tone of the narrator as well.
January 18, 2025
good folklore
The book gives a wide breadth of folklore for the region. Not deep but wide. Enjoyed the book and the stories.
The book gives a wide breadth of folklore for the region. Not deep but wide. Enjoyed the book and the stories.
June 15, 2025
3.5 stars rounded up
July 18, 2025
I’m much more of a ghost story gal than an aliens gal, but this was still fun!
August 6, 2025
spooky fun but damn the narrator for the audiobook reads too fast
September 16, 2025
Is it great? No. Is it fun? Yes. Spooky? Most definitely
October 27, 2025
If you are a fan of local folklore and learning about the different parts of the United States, this is a great little read. It puts you in the Halloween spirit. at least for me.
October 29, 2025
A super fun and informative read that only took a couple of hours
September 10, 2025
This works better as a starting place for further research into Appalachian lore than a good overview. I think the intent was for the book’s sources to come from local voices, but sources were often not sited, and frequently necessary details were missing. It often seemed rushed.
August 21, 2025
Listened to this as an audiobook after becoming fascinated with the stories of Appalachia. Easy, short and interesting read!
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews