Product Description

When journalist and ghost sceptic Will Storr heads to Philadelphia to meet Lou Gentile, a demonologist, he expects a little fun with an amusing eccentric. What he gets are terrifying experiences of spectral lights and horrific demonic growling - and all of his safe, adult preconceptions about ghosts instantly vanish. In the cold light of day, Will decides on a quest for the truth about ghosts. He meets professional paranormal investigators and takes part in seances and a vigil in the most haunted house in Britain, tries out divining rods and ouija boards, and goes on set with TV's "Most Haunted". But Will also seeks out the sceptics in clinical psychology and philosophy who ask if spirits are really just in our heads. His journey is full of bizarre, terrifying and hilarious experiences, each one a new insight into life, death and what might come after.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #182929 in Books
• Published on: 2007-02-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

Independent on Sunday
"a very amusing way to scare yourself stupid"

Word
"crisply written and rich in deadpan comedy...a rattling read!"

Daily Record
`Storr's intriguing stories will have you spellbound'

Customer Reviews

Important Investigative Journalism
This is why narrative non-fiction is so enjoyable. Take a man that doesn't believe in ghosts and then send him out to try and prove that there is no such thing as a ghost. Make sure that he is very intelligent, of sound mind and a damned good writer - then watch while he takes himself into haunted rooms and haunted places. The result? A fantastically good book which - if you don't believe in ghosts will have you question what Will finds to be a two dimensional and rather Luddite belief system and, if you already believe in ghosts will help you sort out the nonsense from the genuine supernatural phenomenon. If you are of nervous disposition and live alone then I seriously wouldn't recommend reading this book after dark... otherwise - if you like to be genuinely scared or just like a un-putdownable read.... Will Storr deserves to sell a million. Also he pretty well proves that ghosts are a reality - which, one could argue, is an important conclusion...

Life changer
I read this in less than a week, and at the end feel totally bereft. In his (initially skeptical) journey to investigate the supernatural Mr Storr discovers a strange, frightening and yet wondrous world to the one he'd anticipated - one I've always more hoped for than been entirely convinced by, one populated by several fascinating characters (and even the ones that seem silly at the outset end up making you feel guilty for judging them so - the stuff about 'the Founder' almost had me in tears). And yet the knowledge that there might be something to the supernatural isn't always comforting - the chapters that touch on possession are decidedly unsettling. Will writes fluently and to the point, and does good atmosphere. Tension is built gradually from the first pages ('You haven't heard of the Enfield Poltergeist?!?'), till at the end you're left breathless with the implications. This is one of the very best non-fiction books I have ever read.

Funny yet thought provoking
It's refreshing to read a book about the paranormal by someone who is totally open minded & has no axe to grind or anything to prove. It's a very funny & easy read & yet manages to cover a wide range of topics from poltergeists to philosphy & quantum physics - not in any depth of course but that's not what it's for. I can't recommend this book highly enough for anyone with a sense of humour & an interest in the paranormal...the two don't have to be mutually exclusive.