For Readers: Blog

Sasquatch Spring

Now that the sun is shining and the flowers are blooming, it’s time to hit the outdoors! Have a picnic, lounge at the lake, take a hike. But while you’re out there, be sure to keep an eye out and make sure there’s not any unwelcome creatures lurking around. Bigfoot has captured the imagination of Americans, and the world at large, for ages. Many cultures’ stories feature some sort of creature that resembles a mythical ape-man. Take a peek at some of his literary legacy.

What do you get when you mix The Bachelor and Bigfoot? Patricia Wants to Cuddle by Samantha Allen! The four finalists of The Catch are carted off to a mysterious and beautiful PNW island to film the finale of their show. Each of the women came on the show for different reasons, and they can see their prizes at the end of the finish line. However, before they can cross it, they must first make it through the night. Their chic set up makes it seem easy…until people start disappearing. There’s something in the woods, and she’s not pleased with The Catch. Disarmingly funny and charming, this horror-comedy is a romp. [e-book | print]

In Max Brooks’ Devolution, an isolated village is nestled deep in the wilderness at the base of Rainier. Greenloop is a sustainable haven, a “green” utopia. However, when Mount Rainier erupts, chaos ensues. The roads are impassable, the animals are fleeing, and people are trapped with no way out of the area. Unfortunately for the residents of Greenloop, one of the fleeing animals is a troop of Sasquatches. And they’re territorial. Told in an epistolary style, as an uncovered journal from a survivor of the event, readers are dropped directly into the action. Devolution is a thrilling and atmospheric survival story. [print]

The Ursulina by Brian Freeman is a suspenseful thriller about a young deputy who is searching for a killer who has left devastation in their wake. Is it a serial killer who has taken on the identity of the Ursulina—a local iteration of Bigfoot—or the beast itself? The story touches on the difficulty of the case and the difficulty being a working woman in a small town entrenched in strict gender roles. Rebecca Colder has to navigate the monsters in her investigation and the ones much closer to home. If you’re looking for a fast-paced and gripping procedural (with a monster twist), this one is perfect. For fans of Harlan Coben and Taylor Adams. [print]

Death in the Dark Woods by Annelise Ryan is the second Monster Hunter Mystery, starring Morgan Carter—a Wisconsinite and amateur cryptozoologist. The first, A Death in Door County, is also highly recommended, but don’t feel the need to wait if you need another Bigfoot hit. In the nearby national forest, there have been sightings of a mysterious creature, resembling Bigfoot. Morgan is skeptical, but when she’s called into the investigation by the park, she obliges. What she uncovers may just be enough to convince her. If you like cozy mysteries and want to try something new and local-ish, check this one out! [print]

And don’t forget the nonfiction! The Secret History of Bigfoot by John O’Connor is a book that wears many hats. It is—all at once—a travelogue across the country, a history of the evolution of the Bigfoot legend, and a cultural analysis of the Bigfooter community and the disenfranchised individuals that find themselves drawn to it. O’Connor chats with scientists, skeptics, and enthusiasts alike, all in the hopes of fleshing out the legend of the classic cryptid. Whether you’re a believer or not, this is a fascinating perspective to read about under the dappled sunlight beneath a tree. [e-book | print]

In I Know What I Saw, investigative journalist Linda S. Godfrey sets out to answer the question of cryptids, monsters, and legends. Godfrey dedicated her journalistic endeavors to covering monsters and myths. In her latest book, she interviews individuals from eye-witness accounts of encounters with all sorts of mysterious creatures. Werewolves, Bigfoot, the chupacabra – you name it. Since the book is not designed to convince or debunk any of the stories, readers can have fun determining what they make of each tale. Fact of fiction? Imagination or reality? You decide. [print]

⏤Emily