The Demon of Brownsville Road

A Pittsburgh Family's Battle with Evil in Their Home

By: Bob Cranmer, Erica Manfred

Narrated by: Michael Prichard

Length: 7 hrs and 52 mins

Publisher's Summary

The Cranmers seemed fated to own the house at 3406 Brownsville Road. As a young boy, Bob had been drawn to the property, and, just when the family decided to move back to Brentwood, it went up for sale. Without a second thought, they purchased the house that Bob had always dreamed of owning.

But the family soon began experiencing strange phenomena - objects moving on their own, ghostly footsteps, unsettling moaning sounds - that gradually increased in violence, escalating to physical assaults and, most disturbingly, bleeding walls. Bob, Lesa, and their four children were under attack from a malicious demon that was conjuring up terrifying manifestations to destroy their tight-knit household. They had two choices: leave or draw on their unwavering faith to exorcise the malicious fiend who haunted their home.

Now Bob Cranmer recounts the harrowing true story of the evil presence that tormented his family and the epic spiritual war he fought to save everything he held dear.

©2014 Bob Cranmer and Erica Manfred (P)2014 Tantor

Critic Reviews

"I would say it's one of the scariest places on Earth!" ( People

Off topic and self-aggrandizing

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

I think you'd enjoy it more than I did if you really love aimless memoirs, if you don't mind this man "tooting his own horn," so to speak.

Don't misunderstand me. I don't have to have a book about the paranormal be intense and terrifying. I loved Gary Jansen's "Holy Ghosts," and it didn't contain anything about malevolent forces. But it was because Jansen drew some pretty thoughtful and surprising conclusions about the haunting in his home. I don't feel like Cranmer did in "The Demon of Brownsville Road." He spent so much of this book recounting his family's and his own accomplishments in the military, politics, and religion as if he were trying to "buy" credibility to his story.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Maybe "Paranormal Intruder," or "A Sudden Light."

Which scene was your favorite?

The only story out of this book that really was worth reading to me was his son's first encounter with many entities in his bedroom, the "blue room" that seems to be the heaviest spot of activity. His description of their appearance was interesting, but it only took up one very short paragraph.

What character would you cut from The Demon of Brownsville Road?

The author. I don't think I would get along with this man very well. He is so caught up in telling the reader about how much he has accomplished in life. I am patient with authors seemingly going off-topic for a bit in order to tie it in and clarify their meaning or further polish their story. Cranmer didn't. He wasted practically the whole first half of the book telling you how amazing he was in the military, how he could have been a great clergyman (or really a great "anything" he wanted to be), how he made enemies by cleaning up the corrupt police force, how he almost single-handedly stopped an illegal gambling ring in his hometown. He gives proof of his own ego in how, in one moment of family drama, he and his son got into a fight one night that was "instigated" by the demon. He is just embarrassed to death that all of the local news crews showed up on his lawn to document his arrest. But by his description of it, he is almost proud of the fact that he is such an important person that the news crews would even show up at all, that he gets so much attention, even if it is negative attention.

For this reason, I almost feel cheated. I feel like he should have titled it "Bob Cranmer: A Memoir" or something to that effect. I bought it because I wanted a story about a haunting, and it only half (or less) that. It was about his life, and he gave so much unnecessary and exhaustive context. It just felt useless.

Any additional comments?

I don't feel better or satisfied for having listened to this audiobook.

Blaming demons won't fix your troubled family.

Boomer guy's family falls apart. He blames evil spirits conjured by a jazz-age abortionist. The author spends most of the book talking about himself. He also spends time untangling light switch cords and rosary beads left twisted up by what must be the least ambitious demon in the history of haunted houses. I feel a lot of compassion for this family and their many troubles, but the only demons here seem to be in the minds of unhappy parents and children who desperately need a therapist--not an exorcist. I found this book very depressing and frustratingly paced. The narration reminded me of every dreary educational film I saw in high school. Thumbs down.

Awesome Book

Loved it! The end where Bob explains and re-sums up the story really makes it worth the wait. I am a disabled veteran from the Iraqi war and have had some spiritual experiences myself. God is GOOD!

Scary, disturbing, believable story!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, I would highly recommend it. I didn't agree with the other reviews that said he was preachy; I thought he was just telling the facts and what he believed, I didn't feel like he was trying to talk anyone into converting to his religion.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I liked them all for different reasons. They were a family in turmoil but their love for each other was very evident.

What does Michael Prichard bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He wasn't too dramatic; just stating the facts.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I loved that the family and even the dog and cat stuck together and fought together. I also liked that he gave the history of himself, his family, the house and the land.

Any additional comments?

It's a good mix of history, love, and horror.

BORING

I am on chapter 5 of this book and I am still waiting for something exciting to happen. Too much background information on things that are not relevant. This is a great book to fall asleep to.

An immodest life story

Essentially this is a vehicle for the author to proselytize his biblically based message. He has made a number of unresolved attempts at being a preacher in his life so it would seem this book afforded him a platform to realize that long desired goal. Secondary to the many witnessings to the power of Jesus are the rather cringe inducing plaudits he finds time to lavish on himself. It will suffice to note his claim in an interview that owing to his stance in a tragic case of police brutality on the behalf of the black victim, he is; "a hero in the Black community to this day!" I felt that I had paid ( the price of the book) for not a lot more than the privilege of reading the ins and outs of this man's ego. I got the strong sense of the authors honesty with regard to the details and his sense of personal integrity, an admirable quality so sorely lacking in many modern people but though I admire his sense of personal honor and decency, this does not, for me make especially entertaining or satisfying reading.

Fascinating, horrifying, and ultimately inspiring

Would you consider the audio edition of The Demon of Brownsville Road to be better than the print version?

I haven't read the print version, but I was quite UNimpressed with the narration. I'm actually wishing I'd just gotten the print version of the book, since it seems fairly well written. Difficult to tell from this performance, however.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

The narrator's reading style is extremely monotonous, lacking in inflection in a most unnatural way. Every sentence sounds exactly the same, regardless of its structure or emotion. I made it through the audiobook because the story was very interesting, and because the dry, robotic style of the narrator allowed me to tune him out for most of the book, but there were still many points where I was jarred out of the story by his odd inflection, or lack thereof.

What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?

I was fascinated by the author's description of the Passionist convent and order

Any additional comments?

This is a wonderful story, and appears to be decently written, but I simply cannot imagine why/how they cast this narrator.

Preachy, people with religious problems

What would have made The Demon of Brownsville Road better?

Can't say, could only stand about 40 minutes of it. Too preachy. Felt like I was at a fundamental service. Some things bothered me, like a bit of xenophobia or problems with any one who is not white, and I am a white person.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Not this. But, if you are the type that likes to take about how religious you are and how much better you are to other people, this is the book for you. The background story was ok, but show me a kid who doesn't rebel and I'll show you a person who more than likely never be respected in life.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

As well as one could.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

No. I felt like I was watching the 700 club, Pat Robertson or any other religious nut job. I don't care what people want to believe, but I felt as if it was trying to convert me and I hear enough about this crap from the right-wing nut Congress.

Any additional comments?

While I do not believe it is bad to have a belief system, I kept getting the feeling that it was a bit elitist in it's talk about religiousness. I have my own faith, but I do not like anything that is preachy and I don't go around talking about my spiritual belief and how my way is the only way and that any one who does not think like me is wrong. Also, I was in the Army Intel and it is not like the guys states, it is probably one of the most corrupt of the areas to go into with the upper enlisted and officers just as messed up, backwards and without morals than the worst kind of anti religious person one can meet. Maybe he was an ok guy, but I really do not like to listen to an Army officer who has no idea about being enlisted. Plus, it is not as if his rebellion was a satanic thing, it is more of a privileged of youth.

Good story. Interesting to listen to.

The overall story is very well written and narrated. Although, you have to get used to the narrator's voice, which sounds a bit mechanical at first.
As a traditional Roman Catholic Priest I would have counseled differently and gone right away to the so called Leonine Exorcism from the very beginning.
Nevertheless, I am impressed and glad that the Cranmer Family was so persistent and used the help of the Church.

Loved it!

Narrator is decent, story is fascinating, I've listened to it 3 times over the years.