📖 Overview
Incident at Exeter investigates a series of UFO sightings that occurred in New Hampshire during 1965. The book focuses on multiple eyewitness accounts from police officers, civilians, and Air Force personnel who reported strange aerial phenomena in the skies above Exeter and surrounding towns.
Author John G. Fuller conducted interviews with witnesses and gathered documentation from official sources to piece together the events. His research includes analysis of radar data, weather conditions, and various explanations proposed by military and civilian authorities at the time.
Local law enforcement officers Eugene Bertrand and Norman Muscarello serve as central figures in the narrative, with their official police reports and firsthand experiences forming a core part of the investigation. The book examines how local and national media covered the incidents, as well as the Air Force's evolving response to the sightings.
The work presents a straightforward examination of unexplained phenomena while exploring broader questions about institutional credibility and the limits of conventional explanation. Through its focus on official documentation and multiple witnesses, the book offers a measured approach to a subject often clouded by sensationalism.
👀 Reviews
Most readers find this 1966 UFO investigation readable but dated. The book examines UFO sightings around Exeter, New Hampshire with a focus on police officer Eugene Bertrand's encounters.
Readers appreciate:
- The straightforward reporting style
- Multiple witness testimonies
- The author's skeptical yet open-minded approach
- Local historical details about 1960s New Hampshire
Common criticisms:
- Repetitive accounts
- Lack of conclusive evidence
- Outdated investigative methods
- Too much focus on minor incidents
Average ratings:
Goodreads: 3.7/5 (156 ratings)
Amazon: 4.2/5 (31 ratings)
Several reviewers note the book works better as a time capsule of early UFO research than as compelling evidence. One Amazon reviewer states: "Fuller presents the facts without sensationalism, but the mystery remains unsolved." A Goodreads reviewer comments: "The interviews and police reports provide credibility, though the conclusions feel incomplete by today's standards."
📚 Similar books
The Interrupted Journey by John G. Fuller
A detailed account of Betty and Barney Hill's reported alien abduction in New Hampshire contains similar investigative reporting of UFO encounters in New England.
The UFO Experience by J. Allen Hynek This scientific investigation of UFO cases by a former Project Blue Book researcher presents methodical analyses of encounters comparable to those in Exeter.
The Report on Unidentified Flying Objects by Edward J. Ruppelt The head of Project Blue Book documents military investigations of UFO sightings through the 1950s with a focus on credible witness testimony.
UFOs: Generals, Pilots, and Government Officials Go on the Record by Leslie Kean A collection of first-hand UFO accounts from military personnel and government officials mirrors the official documentation style of the Exeter incidents.
Project Blue Book by Brad Steiger A comprehensive examination of the U.S. Air Force's UFO investigation program contains similar military witness accounts and official documentation to the Exeter cases.
The UFO Experience by J. Allen Hynek This scientific investigation of UFO cases by a former Project Blue Book researcher presents methodical analyses of encounters comparable to those in Exeter.
The Report on Unidentified Flying Objects by Edward J. Ruppelt The head of Project Blue Book documents military investigations of UFO sightings through the 1950s with a focus on credible witness testimony.
UFOs: Generals, Pilots, and Government Officials Go on the Record by Leslie Kean A collection of first-hand UFO accounts from military personnel and government officials mirrors the official documentation style of the Exeter incidents.
Project Blue Book by Brad Steiger A comprehensive examination of the U.S. Air Force's UFO investigation program contains similar military witness accounts and official documentation to the Exeter cases.
🤔 Interesting facts
🛸 John G. Fuller spent several months in Exeter, New Hampshire personally investigating the wave of UFO sightings that occurred in 1965, conducting over 60 interviews with witnesses including police officers, air force personnel, and local residents.
📚 The book originated as an article for Look magazine, but the evidence Fuller uncovered was so extensive that it expanded into a full-length book published in 1966.
🚔 One of the key witnesses, Officer Eugene Bertrand, initially skeptical of UFO reports, became convinced after his own dramatic sighting while on patrol with fellow officer David Hunt on September 3, 1965.
✨ The "Incident at Exeter" remains one of the most thoroughly documented UFO cases in American history, with multiple witnesses observing the same phenomena on different occasions and corroborating each other's accounts.
🏛️ The United States Air Force initially dismissed the Exeter sightings as stars and planets, but later revised their position after pressure from local officials and Fuller's investigation revealed inconsistencies in the official explanation.