Review of Ghostly Tales in America's Jails

Ghostly Tales from America’s Jails (Review excerpted from Writing Confessions of 10 Mad Authors Blog)
Edited by Joan Upton Hall
Atriad Press LLC
ISBN: 1-933177-09-8
Trade Paperback, 240 pages, $15.00
Non-fiction Anthology/Paranormal
Available at Amazon

Reviewed by Mayra Calvani

Are you intrigued by true ghost stories? Author Joan Upton Hall has put together a collection of spooky tales that will be thoroughly enjoyed by fans of the paranormal, especially by those readers with a particular interest in old jails and prisons.

The stories, forty in all, take place in different times and locations across the United States, bringing in the flavor of each individual setting–from an old Salem Witch Jail from the 1600’s to a Charleston Civil War prison for pirates to a modern state penitentiary in the Wild West. These haunting stories written by a versatile group of authors from various backgrounds, appeal to the reader’s imagination and capture the dark mood of these jails, bringing to life the misery and violence that once took place there. The fact that many of the jails and prisons are now restaurants, inns, offices, shops and museums is interesting.

The chapters are arranged in chronological order from the oldest to the newest haunting, and each story is accompanied by an author photo and bio. Some of the authors are host hunters, psychics, and correctional officers.

How do investigators of the paranormal seek verification? What are their methods? How do they classify and study hauntings? What type of people encounter ghosts? Is there a pattern? Is this something that happens to believers—who may be easily influenced—or to skeptics as well?

If you’re a ghost hunter, the book includes addresses and contact information of the institutions, that is—as the editor notes—“if you dare.” Whether you’re a believer or a skeptic, this is an intriguing book that will tickle your sense of wonder and offer some spooky excitement on those long rainy evenings.

*****