The World of Lore: Monstrous Creatures

Mahnke (Grave Suspicion) offers an entertaining miscellanea of spooky folklore based on his popular podcast, Lore. This first of a projected trilogy concentrates on tales of monsters from prehistory up through the present. It examines the origin stories of well-known denizens of the night, including accounts of Mothman, the Jersey Devil, and Spring-Heeled Jack, as well as obscure creatures, such as Robert, a frightening animated doll from Key West, and the Beast of Bray Road from rural Wisconsin. The book generally sticks to examples from Europe and North America, but even so, there are some surprising omissions: Bigfoot and Loch Ness Monster are oddly absent. At one point, Mahnke wonders whether “centuries of firsthand accounts serve as proof” or “highlight our incredible, cross-cultural, nearly genetic predisposition to gullibility.” Readers who enjoy folklore will appreciate Mahnke’s enthusiasm for the material. (Oct.)