"Excellent background research . . . on-site investigations of mysteries ranging from crop circles and lake monsters to spiritualist mediums and stigmata." — BooklistAs a former private investigator and forensic writer, Joe Nickell has spent much of his career identifying forged documents, working undercover to infiltrate theft rings, and investigating questioned deaths. Now he turns his considerable investigative skill toward the paranormal, researching th...

"Science-based explanations for unusual happenings [and] documented solutions for more than three dozen mysteries." ― Dallas Morning NewsInvestigator Joe Nickell has spent over thirty years solving the world's most perplexing mysteries. This new casebook reveals the secrets of the Winchester Mystery House, the giant Nazca drawings of Peru, the Shroud of Turin, the "Mothman" enigma, the Amityville Horror house, the vicious goat-sucking El Chupacabra, and ma...

A "lively yet thoroughly researched" look at persistent myths and stubborn scams, and how historians try to combat them ( The Courier-Journal).Did a collector with a knack for making sensational discoveries really find the first document ever printed in America? Did Hitler actually pen a revealing set of diaries? Has Jesus' burial cloth survived the ages? Can the shocking true account of Abraham Lincoln's assassination be found in lost pages from his murde...

Fun facts, folklore, and scientific studies about what really lurks in the cold, murky depths: "A most enjoyable read." —John Kirk, author of In the Domain of the Lake MonstersFor centuries, eyewitnesses around the world—from America to Africa, Argentina to Scotland—have reported sightings of dark, mysterious creatures that surface briefly from local lakes, only to quickly disappear. While the most famous lake monsters, those living in Loch Ness and Lake C...

The man who is "the embodiment of the Mythbusters, Sherlock Holmes, and Richard Feynman" weeds out the treasures from the shams in artifact investigations (Michael Shermer, founding publisher of Skeptic magazine).Detailing how the pros determine whether an Abraham Lincoln signature is forged or if a photograph of Emily Dickinson is genuine, Nickell, a leader in forgery detection and forensic investigation, provides the essential tools necessary to identify ...

"The stories are interesting and the scientific approaches used to investigate them are fascinating." ― The Paintsville Herald (Kentucky)What constitutes historical truth is often subject to change based on new evidence. In this book, former detective Joe Nickell demonstrates the techniques used in solving some of the world's most perplexing mysteries, such as the authenticity of Abraham Lincoln's celebrated Bixby letter; the 1913 disappearance of writer a...

This comprehensive guide to forensic investigation "delivers the goods for the educated layperson . . . readers will be hard-pressed to put it down" ( USA Today).Forensic experts Joe Nickell and John Fischer introduce readers to the work of firearms experts, document examiners, fingerprint technicians, medical examiners, and forensic anthropologists. These topics are explained in clear terms without technical jargon.Nickell and Fisher describe fing...

Religious relics, defined as "either portions of or objects connected with the body of a saint or other holy person," are among the most revered items in the world. Christian relics such as the Holy Grail, the True Cross, and the Lance of Longinus are also the source of limitless controversy. Such items have incited people to bloodshed and, some say, have been a source of miracles. Relics inspire fear and hope among the faithful and yet are a perennial target for skeptics, both secular and...

The carnival sideshows of the past have left behind a fascinating legacy of mystery and intrigue. The secrets behind such daring feats as fire-eating and sword swallowing and bizarre exhibitions of human oddities as "Alligator Boys" and "Gorilla Girls" still remain, only grudgingly if ever given up by performers and carnival professionals. Working alongside the performers, Joe Nickell blows the lid off these mysteries of the midway. The author reveals the structure of the shows, specific m...

Tales of alien abductions, miraculous relics, and haunted castles have attracted believers and skeptics across the globe for centuries. Paranormal investigator Joe Nickell tackles the world's most seemingly inexplicable myths in Adventures in Paranormal Investigation.With four decades of experience in the field, Nickell employs skepticism and scientific analysis to pull truth from the mires of false evidence and trickery that surround both old and new legends and mysteries...

UFOs and space aliens are visiting Earth?! Now it's time to get the facts!Did a "flying saucer" really crash near Roswell, New Mexico, in 1947, and have we been victims of a sinister government conspiracy to hide its alien occupants in a secret facility? Is there truth behind the swirled crops phenomenon? Have humans been abducted by aliens?In an effort to counter media misinformation The UFO Invasion offers definitive, behind-the-scenes accounts of each case of extraterrestrial visitation...

What constitutes historical truth is often subject to change. Through ingenious detection, the accepted wisdom of one generation may become the discredited legend of another—or vice versa. In this wide- ranging study of historical investigation, former detective Joe Nickell allows the reader to look over his shoulder as he demonstrates the use of varied techniques in solving some of the world's most perplexing mysteries.All the major categories of historical mystery are here—ancien...