Wrong Side of the Grave

Mothman Mysteries, Book 1

By: Bryna Butler

Narrated by: James Fouhey

Length: 4 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

When Eric Jansen takes a seat behind his drums, every girl in the place takes notice - not that he's surprised. He's had decades to practice. Still, there's that other thing....

He's an alien. Offworlder. Take me to your leader, fall from the sky, space-invading, phoning home, UFO jockey. A swipe of the tattoo on his arm will reveal his true form, which locals call Mothman, a winged creature formed of ashen gray skin and glowing red eyes. Eric is one of the last of his dwindling, offworld species.

So when the recently deceased of Point Pleasant, West Virginia, start walking and talking, the Men in Black mark Eric as suspect number one. It'll be up to Eric and his inner circle to solve the mystery before the black suits lock him up and throw away the key.

A fun listen, Wrong Side of the Grave is a fast-action teen sci-fi mystery with a paranormal twist.

Parent approved: Contains no profanity or sexual content.

©2015 Bryna Butler (P)2015 Bryna Butler

Great fun

Growing up just down the road from Point Pleasant, West Virginia, it’s impossible to not have heard about the Mothman. In fact, there are probably as many stories and theories about Mothman as there are about Bigfoot or the Jersey devil. Stories, movies, TV shows – all with various ideas about this creature’s origins. So, yes, I’ve seen and read my fair share of tales about the mysterious Mothman, but I have to say that Bryna Butler’s Wrong Side of the Grave is the most fun and entertaining that I’ve come across.
The story is fast-paced and engaging from the beginning, and it doesn’t let up. Plus, it’s totally clean. We get aliens, the dead rising from the grave, vampires, men in black, and a pretty crazy villain, and I didn’t hear one single thing that I found objectionable in any way whatsoever. Aliens and the dead rising are completely outside my wheelhouse, and I usually shy away from both, but I found myself thoroughly enjoying this one. The story reminded me a bit of the teen detective books I read when I was growing up and even made me a little nostalgic for those stories and that simpler time.
James Fouhey is the narrator for this entertaining listen, and he does a terrific job as Eric, the Mothman’s cover. He somehow manages to sound like a teenage boy while also being a creature who has been here for ages, and he does it while sounding like he’s telling us his story, not just reading us a book. In my head, that is Eric’s voice, he does it that well.
To sum it up, Butler’s story and Fouhey’s narration work wonderfully together. So well that it made for a nice little bit of escapism from this chaotic world we live in. As an added bonus, I managed to get my thirteen-year-old to listen, and he loved the story as much as I did. That’s a feat in itself, and it became an even bigger deal when he asked me get the next book in the series – not something that happens very often. Wrong Side of the Grave is a story for any age. It is a mystery, but it’s also a story of friendship, loyalty, and protecting those we care about. It’s a great listen, and I can’t recommend it enough.

Fast paced fun for the ears

We are all trapped at home this summer, hiding from killer viruses and things that sound like a dystopian world thriller that you just can't make up. So what's a book nerd to do? Find something new that is a little "out-of-this-world"! The Mothman Mysteries are just such a series - blending the best of paranormal, urban fantasy and sci-fi into a mystery thriller that your ears will delight in and your brain will gobble like candy.

Bryna Butler does an amazing job of creating a new twist on an old trope. Her world building weaves in seamlessly which is no easy feat when you are talking about something like vampires - which every PN/UF junkie feels they know inside and out. Her characters are the perfect blend of multi-dimensional, snarky but not over the top, and endearing in a "I'd hang with them" kind of way. The dialogue is snappy, keeping apace with the face moving plot and enhancing the story, rather than dragging down the character developing scenes.

For those seeking the new - the dabbles of alien, other-worldly aspect of Wrong Side of the Grave will not leave you disappointed and will capture your attention from chapter one. Living in a nearby area, the Mothman legend is part of culture so it intrigued me immediately to hear a completely alternate version of who, what, where and why? Butler kills is in this respect. It has a Joss Whedon/Chris Carter feel to it and I would say that with the story being so well crafted and appropriate that it could be YA-Adult range because it is so story/character heavy - there is an over-arching sense of responsibility and saving the world that makes the message universal. The plot is not melodramatic or overdone just because it is a mystery - it is truly a plot twister which is highly enjoyable.

Great start to the series

Butler weaves multiple genres together seamlessly in her Mothman Mysteries series. The fast-paced YA story twists supernatural beings with sci-fi technology and a dash of romance. Wrong Side of the Grave is a great start to the series.

Narrator James Fouhey does a nice job of bringing Eric Jansen and the other characters to life.