Customer Reviews

Dark Woods, Chill Waters: Ghost Tales from Down East Maine

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There's nothing I enjoy more than a book about true ghost experiences, especially when they're set in one specific area. This one has lots of Maine history, the stories are well written, and a couple of them (The Demon Family in particular) made my hair stand on end.
I really enjoyed this one. Excellent!

One of the best collections of ghost stories ever put together. It is a book that will actually send chills up your spine.

A fast, easy read of some interesting "true cases" of ghosts, haunted houses, and possessed relics and antiques. I particularly enjoyed the tales of the terrifying fog of Jonesboro, the tragedy inside the haunted house in Dennysville, and tales surrounding the bad little water falls of Machias. The author also writes of the former Victorian-styled Robinson House in East Machias and "America's most famous ghost," Nelly Butler. My favorite was the creepy and fascinating curse of "The Mask of Bali," about the unfortunate mishaps that befall the owners of an imported carved wooden mask.

This book was well-written, scary, and nicely designed.

At first I was afraid it was going to be one of those dreaded cop-out "people say"-type ghost books, but most of the stories that seemed to begin that way did quickly bring in personally investigated contemporary accounts, which is something I have never seen any other author do, even though I have read hundreds of ghost books.

I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys readings personally investigated true ghost story accounts.

The beautiful state of Maine, so pristine and classically New England. Down East brings to mind crisp air, rocky shoreline, clam bakes, and sea-faring towns. Majestic lighthouses stand watch over rough coastline. And ghosts seem to loom around every corner. Author Marcus LiBrizzi gives us a look at another side of this historic state. Folklore has always been a part of the rich heritage of Maine, but is there any credibility to local legend and lore? Well, sometimes, where there's smoke, there's fire.

Mr. LiBrizzi has assembled his own ghost-hunting team who set forth seeking regional, contemporary tales as witnessed by local residents. As I know from experience, mention ghosts, and people you'd never expect come out of the woodwork, eager to tell their own stories. The folks Down East are no exception. The team found plenty of great spooky, chilling tales.

Many classic legends have some basis in fact, although the exact details may be long lost. More impressive than simply researching these legends, the author has found first-hand accounts from people who can attest to having had encounters with these legendary specters themselves, with their own two eyes. Consider: It is rumored that a young woman haunts a desolate stretch of Route 182, asking for a ride to Bar Harbor. She has been encountered recently in two separate instances by people traveling that stretch of road at night. It has been said that the mysterious fog that rolls in over Fort Sullivan, Eastport, sweeps in with it the forlorn image of a long-ago soldier standing at attention, his musket by his side. He was witnessed several times by a husband and wife who live nearby. Recently, an invisible phantom left fresh footprints in the sand behind two women who walked alone on a deserted beach. The legend of this Roque Bluffs "follower" has been around for a long time.

In addition to legends with contemporary witnesses, Mr. LiBrizzi and his team have gathered many first-hand eye-witness accounts of unknown hauntings of all types from local residents. A haunted falls in Machias, a haunted painting in Columbia, and a ghost with a fetish for all things sharp in Milbridge are among the offerings. Most fascinating to me are the unearthly spirit orbs, white, blue, and green orbs of light, in and around the Addison area, which have been witnesses by dozens of people over the years, as recently as 2001. I've heard of spirit orbs before, even saw two small ones myself, but these are so well documented and frequent that they have been studied by the likes of the Federal Aviation Administration, The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, The National Weather Service, and the state's geologist & climatologist. They remain a mystery to science.

Many things about hauntings will always remain a mystery. Why do they stay? Some say tragedy or an untimely death keeps them here. Do they see us? Some evidence points to an affirmative answer. The young ones seem able to play with our children. They can call out our name. How much of an effect can they really have on us? They can instill dread, startle us, amuse us, and sometimes just really creep us out. They can even portend a death. But yet they will remain a mystery. Mr. LiBrizzi has given us a peek into the lives of those who regularly live with that mystery, for good or for bad. I am always excited to find a book like this: local hunter and team uncover loads of local haunts. One thing you won't find in this book is embellishment, making the stories that much more believable. I think Down East Maine can feel confident calling itself one of the most haunted places in New England. You may want to leave an extra light on while reading this one.

Even though Diane is not my real name. Intriguing story about this mask. I remember when Joanne bought it from us and indeed we did have a run of bad luck while the mask was in our possession, though not exactly how it is outlined in the story. But I guess I did not connect this to the mask, because we do have a huge collection of mask and artifacts in our shop.

The Balinese do believe that certain trees and woods are inhabited by spirits, usually not this albesia wood that this mask is carved from, but woods and trees that are considered holy, such as pule, ylang ylang and ficus.

After I read this story a few years ago I consulted with a friend of mine who is a Balinese shaman and he told me that most mask that have life or "Taksu" are made by special people who only carve mask for rituals. These objects have been blessed with elaborate ceramonies and have incantations written on the openings in ancient Sanskrit. Many offerings are made to the tree to appease the tree spirits before cutting the selected chunk of wood from a living tree and also once the mask is complete, to bring the character of the mask to life when a dancer wears it. This skull mask was not this type of mask, (cheap junk really) and that is why I laughed it off when Joanne related the story to me. Whatever was haunting it, was part of the wood and not caste on the mask as a spell or charm, but a really truly evil spirit that somehow made it to Trenton , Maine from Bali Indonesia in our shipment residing in the wood of this mask.