Customer Reviews

The Ghost Chronicles: A Medium and a Paranormal Scientist Investigate 17 True Hauntings

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I just received my copy two days ago! I immediately opened it and began reading. It's been hard to put down ever since. I'm a junkie when it comes to books on the paranormal and ghosts. Ghost Chronicles is one of the best I have ever read. I really like the way it's organized. At the beginning of the chapter/case it gives you all the details about the location, history, activity and people involved in the investigation. At the end it has a results summary. It's written in both Ron and Maureen's "voices". One font for Ron and another for Maureen. I find it fascinating to read their different perspectives and points of view on each case and they have has some amazing cases! I'd recommend this book highly to anyone interested in the paranormal! It will give you chills!

There are mixed reviews on this book. The negative reviews are challenged by those who defend the authors in a manner that we really don't know them or understand their relationship dynamics.

First off I will say that the book is worth reading. I like the font changes depending upon which investigator is telling the story. The locales and types of hauntings are provocative and interesting. Both authors appear to be legitimate and to know what they are doing.

Having said that, the fact is that they do seem combative and ornery much of the time. Both come off as rather smart-alecky and Maureen leaves the impression with me that she gets coerced into going to a lot of the investigations and really would rather not be there. My biggest problem is that quite a few of the stories lack resolution and seem incomplete as to what was done to resolve the haunting and make it desist or go away or at least tell us that they were not there for resolution, but only to gather evidence.

Of course as previous commentators have pointed out, I don't know the authors and don't know their relationship dynamics, but then again, it is their job to help me understand. I only have what they write to make me understand, and much of what I got from the book to help me was wise cracking, complaining, etc. so I completely understand negative reviews to that effect.

I think this team has the experience and skill to make a much better second book if they take these criticisms into consideration.

There is not one dull moment in this book. Ron and Maureen have so much experience in exploring the paranormal that I would say this book is far superior to any other book of it's type. The stories are exciting and you really do feel like you are right there with them on a thrilling adventure!
I give 5 stars for a page turner, cannot put it down till your done book. There are plenty of interesting facts that have been highlighted which make it easy to refer back to them if you should desire.
It is so interesting to read a story and see it through two distinct views. Each chapter is a complete case file and is told by both Ron and Maureen (they each have used a different type of font so you can tell without even wondering who is talking. Maureen is a trance medium and I can't tell you how interesting it is to see what it's like through her eyes. Ron is the leader of The New England Ghost Project and he is fearless and yet very funny as he takes his team into the unknown. I literally got goosebumps while reading some of these stories! The only complaint I have is that it ended far too soon and I can't wait for the next book!

As a non-Christian I found all the "blessing" in this book off putting. What's more, I find the notion of "protecting" a car or laptop by sprinkling "holy water" on it absolutely ludicrous.

But, this pair of ghost hunters are so religious, why did they never offer to HELP any of the spirits they encountered to, y'know, HEAVEN? I found it strange that these (I guess) Catholics who never miss a chance to push the idea of blessing things never seemed to think of that.

Well, except that so many of the spirits were supposedly "demonic." But then, to a hammer, everything looks like a nail.

Another aspect of this book I found off-putting was the antagonistic relationship between the two authors. I couldn't figure out if they were partners or adversaries, as they seemed to enjoy sniping at each other - especially Ron - though almost every story did have Maureen doubled over with pain from being possessed, at which point Ron would ask her if she was all right. This happened in almost every story, and poor Maureen underwent so much agony I have to question her sanity in continuing to hunt ghosts since all her "protection" methods never seemed to protect her in that regard.

That being said, this is far from the worst book I've read. It was well-designed, typo-free (a big plus in the world of ghost books these days) and relatively well-written - almost two well-written, since Ron and Maureen had exactly the same "voice." The accounts generally never seemed to amount to much, though...unless Maureen clutching her chest and feeling her skin thrum with electricity (as also seemed to happen in every story) is your idea of a scary true ghost story account.

As someone who has gone out on investigations with Ron, Maureen, and the rest of the New England Ghost Project, I must say that this book is an excellent, accurate account of their findings, evidence, and experiences. Ron and Maureen are truly the "Burns and Allen" of the ghost hunting world...feeding off each other with humor, sarcasm, but above all else, care and concern. While some may say Maureen's "illnesses" are unreal and she shouldn't investigate for these reasons, you must realize that Maureen is empathic, as well as being a medium. She literally FEELS what another person experienced when she's connecting with the spirits. I have seen many people who claim to be psychic/medium, what have you...and Maureen Wood is the REAL DEAL. In fact, if it weren't for Maureen's guidance and mentoring to me while I researched ghost investigations for my young adult series, Ghost Huntress Book 1: The Awakening, I wouldn't have been able to pull of the realism that I do in my series. Maureen is the basis for the character Loreen Woods in Ghost Huntress Book 2: The Guidance. Ron has dedicated all his time to ghost research and while a skeptic who questions what he sees and finds, he's very protective of Maureen and what she's experiencing during investigations. As for the "religious" tone that may be offensive to some, it is what it is and it works for Ron and Maureen during their investigations. Will it work for everyone? Probably not. But it's there as an example of how they work together. Please take it as it is and just enjoy the adventures these two have experienced along the years. Their main purpose for the New England Ghost Project and this book, GHOST CHRONICLES, is to help people. Good for them...good job and I'm proud to call you my friends and mentors.

I enjoyed reading this book! I have been to several of Ron and Maureen's lectures so I have heard snippets of some of the stories in this book. This book brought it all together for me as a great tale of their adventures. And being a New Englander, I am familiar with many of the areas where their investigations took place.

If you know Maureen and Ron at all, they are the same way in person as they are in the book. Always getting on each other's nerves, but always have each other's back. It's what makes them so entertaining. This is a book you have to read a second time, to see what really makes this duo work so well together.

I bought this book last week because I listen to the Ghost Chronicles podcast. The book is very well written and is very entertaining to read.
The cases that Maureen Wood and Ron Kolek wrote about are very spooky to read about. That said I would highly recommend that people buy this
book because it is a really good book to read.

I've been listening to the New England Ghost Project podcasts, hosted by Maureen and Ron, for a few years. For those who are not used to their amicable bickering may find Ron harsh. It's not his way at all. Maureen and he are, in my opinion, the 'Honeymooners' of the paranormal crowd. They enjoy arguing, and I think it's their way of letting of steam or diffusing a tense situation, of which there are many when Maureen uses herself as 'bait', i.e. opening herself up to the local entities so as to allow Ron and the other team members to communicate with them.

My favorite investigation in the book is the one with the 'little girl' that haunts the rough guys. Ron 'forgets' to tell Maureen about the type of people they're dealing with, and she has to deal with it.

The investigations are instructive to the novice, with explanations of key terms and procedures. Investigations are not always fun or exciting. Since you're dealing with entities that can move as they will and can indeed follow you home against your will, Maureen and Ron emphasize the importance of spiritual protection. There are lots of ways of protecting yourself besides those they use themselves, so don't assume that theirs' is the only way.

Not all of the photographs turned out well enough for me to see what was being discussed. I think too that the sarcasm, although typical of Ron and Maureen's personality, could have been toned down. Not everyone has listened to their podcasts and will not be convinced of their friendship, despite the mention by each investigator of their mutual affection.

I'm looking forward to reading more investigations.

I was very disappointed in this book. True, the book is billed as a book on the investigations into various hauntings - and it IS precisely that, in a nutshell. The stories are quick - and cover highlights from the investigations and details on blessing equipment with Holy Water. The book doesn't cover background details on the hauntings, but in the authors' defense - I'm sure most mediums would prefer NOT to know backgrounds of the case before they investigate. The stories are all pretty similar, they go in, feel a presence, dab everything with Holy Water, and leave. They don't really tell you anything.

What really ruined the book & credibility for me was the chapter on the Lizzie Borden House. I just can't buy into the authors' claims about this one. Considering the fact that the Lizzie Borden House is in Massachusetts where Maureen is from - it was stated in the book that no one knew "details" of the murders, such as the name "Bridget Sullivan" (The Borden's maid), the room locations where the murders happened, etc. Give me a break. The authors Ron & Maureen are from the New England Ghost Project and I am certain that they, like everyone in this area, know these sorts of facts about this case. In the Borden case, one of the investigators (a guest from the UK) suddenly has the name "Bridget Sulliban" come to mind and - shockers - they stumble across some pictures just laying on the floor in a room and one has the name "Bridget Sullivan" on it. Granted, this investigator was from the UK - but when he announces the name, no one recognizes it. I find it HIGHLY unlikely that neither Ron (as founder of the group) nor Maureen(a Massachusetts native) had never heard this name before. Additionally, there are many claims by the investigative team of "feelings" in the rooms where the murders occurred, despite the authors' claims of not knowing the murder locations within the house.

Also, despite the authors' mentioning of some really great pictures they had taken at various cases, there are only a few pictures in the book that are actually paranormal.

Don't waste your money on this one.

With a good review from David Wells I couldn't wait to read this book.Let me just say that he is a better medium than a book critic.Every time an investigation started to get hot Maureen,the medium,got ill and ran out.If she plans to continue investigating the paranormal she needs to work with someone and learn to do some serious shielding.Ron comes off as arrogant and kind of mean.Very little ghostly evidence and a lot of illness and bickering.