{"title":"J. W. Ocker","description":"\u003cp\u003eJ. W. Ocker's works delve into the mysterious intersections of belief and reality, exploring curious topics from cryptids to cursed objects. Readers can expect a blend of captivating storytelling with a scholarly approach, uncovering the unusual within the realms of religion, spirituality, and the natural world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhether investigating eerie legends or examining the cultural impact of folklore, these books offer a compelling journey through the shadows of science and the supernatural. Ocker's narrative style invites reflection on how myths and spirituality intertwine with everyday experience.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"the-united-states-of-cryptids-by-j-w-ocker-9781683693222","title":"The United States of Cryptids","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCome and meet the monsters in our midst, from Bigfoot to Batsquatch and beyond!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWelcome to \u003cem\u003eThe United States of Cryptids\u003c\/em\u003e, where mysterious monsters lurk in the dark forests, deep lakes, and sticky swamps of all fifty states. From the infamous Jersey Devil to the obscure Snallygaster, travel writer and chronicler of the strange J. W. Ocker uncovers the bizarre stories of these creatures and investigates the ways in which communities embrace and celebrate their local cryptids.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eReaders will learn about:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBatsquatch of Washington\u003c\/strong\u003e, a winged Bigfoot that is said to have emerged from the eruption of Mount Saint Helens.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNain Rouge of Michigan\u003c\/strong\u003e, a fierce red goblin that has been spotted before every major city disaster in Detroit.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlatwoods Monster of West Virginia\u003c\/strong\u003e, a robotic extraterrestrial that crash-landed in rural Appalachia.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLizard Man of South Carolina\u003c\/strong\u003e, a reptilian mutant that attacked a teenager in the summer of 1988.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGlocester Ghoul of Rhode Island\u003c\/strong\u003e, a fire-breathing dragon that guards a hoard of pirate treasure.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eAnd many more!\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhether you believe in Bigfoot or not, this fully illustrated compendium is a fun, frightening, fascinating tour through American folklore and history, exploring the stories we tell about monsters and what those stories say about us.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46342810501356,"sku":"9781683693222","price":36.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781683693222.jpg?v=1743946133"},{"product_id":"the-smashed-man-of-dread-end-by-jw-ocker-9780062990532","title":"The Smashed Man of Dread End","description":"\u003cbr\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA chilling middle grade horror perfect for fans of R.L. Stine and Holly Black alike.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNoe Wiley couldn’t be more excited to move. After the slumber party sleepwalking \u003cem\u003eincident \u003c\/em\u003eof last year, she’s ready to make some new friends.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut Noe didn’t expect the sullen, strange girls who live on her new street. And she certainly didn’t expect the strange warning they give her—to stay \u003cem\u003eout\u003c\/em\u003e of her basement, no matter what.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNoe’s not going to let these girls boss her around. She’ll go in her own basement whenever she wants. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSo she does. And there he is.\u003c\/p\u003e     \u003cp\u003eAnd now there’s no going back.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Arotahi Agency","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46996500611308,"sku":"9780062990532","price":31.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9780062990532.jpg?v=1763128534"},{"product_id":"dont-go-there-by-j-w-ocker-9781683695028","title":"Don't Go There","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eEmbark on a guided tour of 30 of the most dangerous and mysterious locations that we simply cannot stay away from.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHave you ever visited a forest or an abandoned building and gotten a bad vibe? There are places that are rife with rumours of hauntings, monsters, and sinister phenomena that can’t be explained. And there are just as many sites that are the confirmed home of disasters, murders, and man-made mistakes. Everyone’s heard about the Bermuda Triangle, but do you know these chilling sites?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRoopkund:\u003c\/strong\u003e There’s a lake tucked high in the frozen Himalayan Mountains . . . and it’s full of skeletons.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMount Shasta:\u003c\/strong\u003e This mysterious mountain in California inspired the I AM cult and is said to host UFOs, bigfoots, and lizard people.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNahanni National Park:\u003c\/strong\u003e Called the “Valley of the Headless Men,” this national park in northern Canada is famous for legends of a hidden gold mine . . . and a series of decapitated miners.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePine Barrens:\u003c\/strong\u003e Best known as the home of the Jersey Devil, this desolate pine forest has also hosted pirates, the mafia, and moonshiners.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCiudad Blanca:\u003c\/strong\u003e This fabled pre-Columbian “Lost City of the Monkey God” in Honduras doesn’t want to be found, and explorers seeking it have met violent ends.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAward-winning travel writer and dark history expert J. W. Ocker explores these and many more locales around the world in this fascinating illustrated compendium that will ignite curiosity . . . and perhaps inspire some dubious travel plans.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Simon \u0026 Schuster NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47745247805676,"sku":"9781683695028","price":31.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781683695028-don-t-go-there.jpg?v=1781496862"},{"product_id":"cursed-objects-by-j-w-ocker-9781683692362","title":"Cursed Objects","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn illustrated compendium that reveals the true stories behind the most infamous, creepy, and bizarre real-life cursed objects throughout history. Spanning decades and continents, subjects range from the opulent Hope Diamond to the humble Busy Stoop chair.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBeware...this book is cursed!\u003c\/em\u003e These strange but true stories of the world's most infamous items will appeal to true believers as well as history buffs, horror fans, and anyone who loves a good spine-tingling tale.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThey're lurking in museums, graveyards, and private homes. Their often tragic and always bizarre stories have inspired countless horror movies, reality TV shows, novels, and campfire tales. They're cursed objects, and all they need to unleash a wave of misfortune is...you.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMany of these unfortunate items have intersected with some of the most notable events and people in history, leaving death and destruction in their wake. But never before have the true stories of these eerie oddities been compiled into a fascinating and chilling volume. Inside, readers will learn about:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eAnnabelle the Doll\u003c\/em\u003e, a Raggedy Ann doll that featured in the horror franchise The Conjuring\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eThe Unlucky Mummy\u003c\/em\u003e, which is rumoured to have sunk the Titanic and kick-started World War I\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eThe Dybbuk Box\u003c\/em\u003e, which was sold on eBay and spawned the horror film The Possession\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eThe Conjured Chest\u003c\/em\u003e, which has been blamed for fifteen deaths within a single family\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eThe Ring of Silvianus\u003c\/em\u003e, a Roman artefact believed to have inspired J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eAnd many more!\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48010577150188,"sku":"9781683692362","price":55.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781683692362-cursed-objects.jpg?v=1785151644"},{"product_id":"cult-following-by-j-w-ocker-9781683694120","title":"Cult Following","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the author of \u003cem\u003eCursed Objects\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eThe United States of Cryptids\u003c\/em\u003e, an eye-popping compendium of the most infamous, audacious, and dangerous cults in history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"A must-read.\"\u003c\/em\u003e - Publishers Weekly\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFrom weird history expert J. W. Ocker, comes an eye-popping compendium of the 30 most infamous, audacious, and dangerous cults in history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEverything you've ever wanted to know about history's most notorious cults—and the psychology of the people who join them—is packed into this accessible, engaging volume. Walk in the footsteps of those who were lured into sinister groups from Heaven's Gate to NXIVM. 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