Review by Brad Gischia
Have you ever seen a UFO? Perhaps your grandmother told you a scary story as a child and you later found out that it was true? Ever been for a walk in the woods and felt those little hairs on the back of your neck stand at attention, then turn around to see something darting off, something that you can’t explain?
If any of your answers to those questions is “yes” then you may enjoy reading Great Lakes Monsters and Mysteries, published last year by Visionary Living Press. Authors Tim Ellis and Brad Blair are Upper Peninsula natives hailing from Sault Ste. Marie, and longtime researchers in the realm of the paranormal.
In 1998 the pair, along with Steve LaPlaunt, formed the Upper Peninsula Paranormal Research Society. The UPPRS is dedicated to exploring the paranormal and all things strange and unusual, from Bigfoot sightings to reports of BEK. (Black Eyed Kids. Creepy.) They have spent the last twenty plus years doing just that across the U.P. They also founded The Michigan Paranormal Convention, one of the largest paranormal gatherings in the United States.
In their latest book, Ellis and Blair expand their area of interest, stretching their paranormal research across the entire great lakes region, and enveloping more than just ghosts and cryptids. (A cryptid, for those who don’t know, is a creature for which there is no physical or scientific evidence, but still has people who believe it exists. The most popular of these being the Loch Ness Monster and Bigfoot.)
They take an approach with this book that makes it stand out from others I’ve read in the same genre, by mixing the historical research they’ve done with seemingly unbelievable tales. I’ve lived my whole life here and never heard some of the stories, which I really appreciated. I like being able to learn a little bit about the actual history of the area while I’m trying to scare myself silly.
Did you know that there was a UFO sighting in the Upper Peninsula in 1953? It is known in those circles as “the Kinross Incident” and was widely reported at the time. Near Kinross Air Force Base in the Eastern U.P. something was seen in the sky and a fighter jet was scrambled to go find it. The pilot and plane were never seen nor heard from again. There are numerous sightings of ghost ships and haunted locations discussed in the book, but each one is introduced with historical research in regards to what was claimed to have been seen.
Even the portions of the book that I’d heard of before, the Fox Sisters for example, were well-written and added some information that I didn’t know, which is always appreciated when reading things that others have researched.
The range of subjects they cover keeps the book from seeming too formulaic, and right near the end they add some “listener stories”, creepy stories that devotees to their podcast The Creaking Door Paranormal Radio sent in. If you’re into this kind of stuff I would also recommend you listen in.
Their approach to the more fantastical elements of the book is healthy skepticism. They don’t state whether or not they believe in a thing, but they make sure that the information is there, and the reader can take it for what it is. I’m always happy when I can read a book by a local author and really enjoy it, and Tim Ellis and Brad Blair are going on my bookshelf and wish list as well. Their research is good and their passion evident.
The book was entertaining for me and will be for many kinds of readers. If you’re reading it because you live or love the Great Lakes, or you’re an enthusiast of the paranormal, if you’ve had an experience, or if you’re just looking to read some spooky tales, Great Lakes Monster and Mysteries has got a little of everything.
Just remember to lock your doors and sleep with the light on.
Great Lakes Monsters and Mysteries
By Brad Blair and Tim Ellis
Visionary Living Publishing- 2021
