Sussex County Hauntings and Other Strange Phenomena: Part III

by Eleanor Wagner

Something’s stirring in the buildings of Sussex County again….
What happens to a soul, a spirit, after that final breath is taken?
Now with even more evidence of the afterlife, this chilling edition presents more firsthand accounts from residents and the author's paranormal investigators of ghosts and hauntings across Sussex County.
Special chapters dedicated to reincarnation, Bigfoot, visits from deceased loved ones, and ghost stories from around other parts of New Jersey and the country.
Enjoy the history of the county’s towns and locations and photos that accompany the stories.
See why thousands of people love to be scared by ghosts.
But be warned!
It shouldn’t be read before bedtime.

Genres: Nonfiction, Adult

232 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 15, 2022

About the author

Eleanor Wagner is an author, paranormal investigator, and podcaster. She’s the founder of The New Jersey Spirit Hunters (formerly The Lady Ghostbusters) and The North Carolina Spirit Hunters. Her first book, “Dream a Little Dream,” a psychological thriller/romance has been well-received by her reader audience. She went on to write her non-fiction hauntings series which consists of “Sussex County Hauntings and Other Strange Phenomena I, II, and II” and “Warren County Hauntings and Other Strange Phenomena.” “Jeanine Beane Meets Mavis the Camel” is the first in her children’s series. Her paranormal romance novella, "Abnormal Desires" released in 2026.

Eleanor has served twice on the Romance Panel for the Milford Readers and Writers Festival and was featured on their paranormal panel in the fall of 2022. She is the best-selling author in the local bookstores in her county.

Eleanor was featured on an episode of Paranormal Caught on Camera discussing the footage obtained during her ghostly investigation of the Sterling Hill Mining Museum in Ogdensburg, New Jersey. (This can be viewed on her Eleanor Wagner YouTube channel). She has been featured in American Paranormal Magazine, The Hopatcong News, the Advertiser News and was featured on a Halloween segment of the Channel 11 News with Marvin Scott. (This can be viewed on her Eleanor Wagner YouTube channel). She is the host of two popular podcasts: Eleanor Wagner’s Strange & Scary World podcast out of the Paranormal UK Radio Network - available wherever you get your podcasts, and Eleanor Wagner’s Creepin’ It Reel podcast out of the Coast2Coast Entertainment Network where she interviews paranormal groups from around the world. This is streamed directly through her Eleanor Wagner YouTube channel.

Eleanor Wagner was born and raised a city girl in the Bronx, New York but she has long become a country girl at heart living in the beautiful countryside of Sussex County; sharing space with horses, goats and cows and other forms of wildlife such as deer, fox, bear and rabbits. She is of a strong Christian faith. Currently, she is a snowbird moving between North Carolina and her former northern county. She spent over thirty years releasing her inner child by portraying Pennywhistle the Clown for children of all ages. Aside from writing, in her spare time she likes to read, hike, sing and spend time with her family. She has always been a daydreamer and finds joy in the simplest of things.

She’s happy when she can write, and she’ll write about anything that ignites the author within. She finds great joy in being able to take her reader along on the journey with her.

She is pleased to report, she is currently working through completing the next in her haunting series, “Morris and Sussex County Hauntings” and another book in her children's series.

Reviews

[S.S. Saywack · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I shall be avoiding Sussex County and its environs like the plague! The amount of hauntings that take place there, I’m sure makes it special. This book makes nice documentation of the events that take place there and about and makes for interesting reading. Whether you believe or not the existence of something after death, the book gives you pause to think. The book, which is well-researched, covers a wide range of events, from the strictly paranormal to ideas of reincarnation and even Bigfoot. There’s enough here to give you a chill. Nervous tales (that’s me) do not read before bedtime.

[Lucas W Mayberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part Travel Guide, Part Memoir, Part Ghost Story

This book features lots of real life ghosts story told by the author and her team of paranormal investigators. The stories are taken from across the county of Sussex in a host of towns I’ve never heard of which is why this feels partly like a travel guide. There is a lot of history involved as well with The American Revolution brought up quite a bit and the Native Americans are featured too. With all the paranormal stories this all adds up to a compelling read. Other paranormal subjects such as Big Foot and reincarnation are brought up as well. Even if you don’t believe in any of this stuff this still makes for an intriguing read. The only bit of constructive criticism I have is that I reckon the book cover doesn’t do the book any favours. There are loads of photos featured in this book where plenty of them would make for a better book cover.

[M.K. McDaniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read and enjoyed the Author's other books in this series and liked this one the best. The information gathered and shared here is amazing. I am a believer in spirits and ghosts, so appreciate the lengths the author goes to when certifying the activities she witnesses. Her "ghost gear" is fascinating and I wish I had some of it to use myself! I was thrilled that the author included information about Reincarnation and Past Life Regression, because I also have a deep interest there. Her sharing of children remembering their past lives was fascinating. I respect the meticulous background information found in this book and can imagine how important it must be for the people currently living in the areas she describes. I recommend this book for it's variety of interesting information and points of view.

[Kate L · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun read!!! I love a good ghost story and this book is full of them! Plus Bigfoot and reincarnation and more! I liked the ghost animals mentioned through the book. I really like how this author starts with a brief history of the location and then goes into stories from others and then into their own investigations at the location. It’s a great way to bring the story together and provide depth. The stories are quick but full of details and gives you chills! Loved it!

[Margie Welsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sussex County Hauntings & Other Strange Phenomenon - III

Like the other books in this series, the author leaves it to her readers to decide whether the stories in the book are real or not. For myself, she speaks a truth that I have always known, but that wasn't always accepted as I was growing up. I kept cheering her on as the book went on for describing things that also happened to me over the years. Unexplained temperature changes, electrical malfunctions, things "disappearing" and reappearing, footsteps when there was no one else in the house, whispers that you could hear, but no one around to account for them, and things falling out being swept to the floor with no apparent cause, stuck locks...and the list goes on. Like the author, and many of the people in her book, I came to understand that such things were real. College level courses in parapsychology helped define and validate a new meaning for "real" for me. 

I liked all of the stories in the book. Her ability to tell the story, and back it up with so many historical facts makes it all the more valid. I did have several favorites. The story of the artist Larson and his sense of humor made me laugh, along with the entity in another story who said he just wanted coffee. Lol. The woodworker Jacob and his favorite screwdriver made me smile. The young deacon who was run out of town for trying to protect his church made me sad. The old Cava Winery building made me want to visit and explore. Haunted Route 94 made me curious...just not curious enough to drive there at night...  The Millcreek women's store tale and the Route 23 Tudor tale made me shiver. Some entities are Dark and energy is stored in the very walls of some haunted places. 

Her concept of portals was fascinating (I'm not going to have mirrors facing each other again). The other strange phenomenon such as the Bigfoot sightings aren't something I have any personal experience with, but they seem credible. And finally, I found the chapters on reincarnation fascinating. I've also had experiences that make me wonder. I read Edgar Cayce as a young teen because of memories I had. 

I hope the author will write more books along the same lines. They are all well done and interesting to those with an inquiring mind.

[Kimberly · Rating 2 out of 5]

*2

As with other entries in this series, I think the book could do with better editing, both in grammar and content. Simple errors may have been caught with another pair of eyes - missed capitalization, misused commas, inconsistent tenses (even within the same sentences), references to The Christmas Carol rather than A Christmas Carol, inconsistent spellings (in one vignette, a name is spelt three different ways - “Vickie,” “Vicki,” and “Vicky” - all referencing the same person), and clunky sentences that could be pared down for clarity. I would also have liked to see better organization - whether by subject or geographically (taking a tour north to south throughout the county, west to east, along some arbitrary journey, etc. - and if possible, providing a map of the area in question - Sussex County - to orient the reader, whether they are familiar with the landscape or not). Personally, the author’s writing style/tone feels too informal and conversational - the asides are a bit distracting at points.

[Shirley Bear · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always sat on the fence regarding paranormal phenomena, but this author gave me a good push. The investigation of hauntings was fascinating and thought-provoking. Indeed, my favorite parts of the book were the case studies of ghostly hauntings and the reincarnation events. I would have benefitted from a summary or analysis of these investigations to provide a linkage between the vignettes. I also would have liked more explanation of the tools used for investigating paranormal phenomena but that may have been in the first book. All in all, I really enjoyed this book and I recommend it to other readers.

[Brittney Owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

I prefer to write about how I felt about a book rather than give a summary. I was given an opportunity to be a part of Eleanor's traveling book club, and I am so grateful! I've read and reviewed all of her haunting books. It amazes me how one county can be so interesting. Full of strange happenings. It's great to learn about the history of these places, even though I live no where near them! I get goosebumps reading all these stories, I even do a little research on the ones that attract me most. 🙂 This book isn't just about the hauntings of ghosts and spirits. There are different stories for all us curious minds. It has opened my mind even more, wanting to know how it all works! Must read for paranormal enthusiasts or anyone who may need some reassurance!

[Danny Bradbury · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Sussex County Hauntings. It is well written and documented with local history as well as the paranormal happenings in that area. I could tell that Eleanor Wagner enjoys researching and performing paranormal investigating from reading the book. Since I have had a paranormal experience of my own, I am a true believer which made for an entertaining read.

I highly recommend reading this book.

[Beatrice Followill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy reading History with Factual person's and incidents. I think the author is wonderful for giving the spiritual realm a place in books so people can read about them.Some Spirits stay for a reason, it's nice to learn about the building and homes they resided in when they were living .

[Jenna cas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely a book for those in love with the paranormal. I couldn’t put it down. Eleanor Wagner has a way of writing books so that you feel as if you were there in the moments and a part of it all.

[Kassidy Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part three is in fact ANOTHER great read! Love this series!

[Patricia Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for paranormal lovers. I love reading about hauntings and other paranormal happenings. It amazes me how many different types of activities Sussex County has. Eleanor tells each story with good detail and makes you feel as if you’re there.