Customer Reviews

The Ghost Next Door: True Stories of Paranormal Encounters from Everyday People

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have a fairly extensive collection of books on true ghost experiences, and The Ghost Next Door is written just the way I like them. The author prefaces each story with some interesting (and sometimes eerie) commentary. He wraps each of them up with commentary, as well. I also like that the stories come straight from the source--the person who actually had the encounter with a ghost. I couldn't put this book down, and I read most of it in one night (I was up until two in the morning, and didn't want to go to sleep because I was so creeped out!). If you're interested in ghosts and paranormal phenomena, this book is a must-have!

I ordered this book after a friend recommended it. I'm glad I did, because I enjoyed it very much. The book just happened to arrive on a day when it was raining, cold and windy outside. I curled up in front of a roaring fire and read most of this book in one evening. Very eerie reading, indeed! It had me glancing around the room as I was reading.

I've read a lot of true ghost story books, but I've never read about the particular hauntings in this book, which is great. New, original stories are always a welcome find. I also love the way this author writes. Very easy to read, and very atmospheric. He sets the mood quite well.

I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in ghosts or likes to be creeped out. I give it five stars!

Having been involved in the paranormal for many years, I have picked up, flipped through and subsequently replaced many books that have been written on this subject. I am not a regular reader of books; I do enjoy them, but I rarely have enough spare time to sit down and really get into them. I do own many ghost books, most of which have to do with famous buildings that house famous ghosts. The accounts tend to read more like local urban myths, however, and I rarely read them properly but refer back to them if I ever need to review information on a particular location.

A coworker handed me "The Ghost Next Door" and asked me to write a review of it. As soon as the book landed in my hands, I flipped it over to read the back cover. I had only to read the first paragraph to understand how interesting this book was going to be...

I'd made a decision before arriving home that I WOULD find the time to read this book and write a short review--but I also decided to be honest and not write a great review simply to be nice to the author. I was so keen by the time I got home that, despite the hour being late and myself tired, I jumped onto the sofa and kicked off my shoes, thinking, "I shall just read a few pages to see what it's about..."

The author's introduction was excellent, and I found myself in agreement with many of his theories and ideas. I also found myself launching straight into the first story...then the second. I was captivated, only eventually closing the book due to a desperate need for sleep, which was definitely not brought about by the book itself! I was actually rather surprised at how much of the book I'd already read. As I lay in bed drifting off to sleep, I thought about the book and the stories within it; these were REAL stories from everyday people. It was that which made it so interesting--and so chilling!

What I really like about this book is its simplicity. As you read, you genuinely feel as if these people are speaking directly to you. There are no long paragraphs designed solely to aid in imagining the scenery; there is simply no need for it. From the first sentence, you are there with them--these everyday people; you are in their homes, in their workplaces and, in some cases, you can sense their fear.

Having spent a night completely alone in one of the UK's most haunted houses, it's safe to say I am not easily spooked; in fact, I enjoyed it a great deal. When I hear about others' experiences with the paranormal, I sometimes think, "I wish I could have been there and witnessed it myself." In THIS book, however, (although it was my favorite story) "The Thing in the Cabin" was one encounter that I would prefer to avoid having, especially after reminding myself these are REAL people and REAL stories...so this actually happened to someone!

Having read this book twice now, the ONLY somewhat negative point I can make is that it should have been thicker; this is taking nothing away from what IS in the book, but when I reached the end, I simply wanted more.

Mark Alan Morris has gone some way to demonstrate that these "rare and elusive creatures" (ghosts) might not be so rare as we think, and that people just like you and me can (and do) suddenly and unexpectedly find themselves face to face with the unknown...

THE GHOST NEXT DOOR allows the reader an exciting peek at real life ghost encounters of everyday people.

As a ghost writer myself, (COAST TO COAST GHOSTS), I read with a critical eye. When Mark Morris sent me a copy of his book I read it from cover to cover and wanted more!

THE GHOST NEXT DOOR is filled with fascinating accounts of haunted places. A skilled writer, Mark Morris knows how to tell a story! He is climbing the charts at Amazon.com and the reason is obvious! He is fantastic!

"The Ghost Next Door: True Stories of Paranormal Encounters from Everyday People" is chock full of what you expect from the title...paranormal encounters.

Who hasn't been at a gathering at some time when the conversation turns to eerie happenings and stories about apparitions or things that go bump in the night?

Mr. Morris has obviously been to many in his day. What he presents here is 100 pages of stories of haunted hotels, spirited houses and energies not yet ready to leave our realm. The book jacket reports that Mr. Morris has studied the paranormal for many years and he comes across as quite an expert with an astonishing depth of knowledge.

Mr. Morris leaves each yarn with a number of questions that no one of this world can answer. They are thought provoking yet impossible to definitively answer. That is the true interest of his book.

Compiled by Mark Alan Morris, The Ghost Next Door is a collection of chilling stories of paranormal encounters, as told by everyday men and women. Careful description and attention to detail make these tales eerily believable and truly spooky. From the woman who was visited by her grandfather on the night of the old man's funeral; to the playground where one particular swing is always occupied by a ghost; to the home in Texas that was visited by a ghost who came all the way from Gettysburg, the tales comprising The Ghost Next Door are very strongly recommended for students of the occult.

The Ghost Next Door is a great little book to curl up with in your favorite chair on a spooky night. It really pulls you in with the author's commentary and stories that are told from the first-person perspective. I found it refreshing, since all of the stories are new, and have never been told before. It really makes you wonder if there are any ghosts around you as you're reading it!

Mark Alan Morris writes capably about the ghostly experiences of family, co-workers, and the inevitable friend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend. Despite never having seen a ghost himself, Morris avoids the skeptic's sneer, treating his eye-witnesses with respect and their stories with interest.

Yet....

This slender paperback barely breaks 100 pages, and if one were to subtract the author's unnecessary postscripts, the book's length would shrink noticeably.

Morris misses golden opportunities to make a solid read a spectacular one. Why he never investigated any of the stories himself "on-the-ground" is puzzling. For example, he might easily have booked the cabin in Joseph, Oregon, himself and related to us what the place was like. His personal description would give "The Thing in the Cabin" more authenticity. And why not include the ghostly snapshot the couple took on their honeymoon in Savannah or provide a photo of the screaming bridge? Failure to do so makes the reader wonder if these stories are all they're cracked up to be.

One last quibble. In the implausible story "A Gettysburg Ghost," Morris gives the misleading impression that the Civil War battlefields of Gettysburg and Antietam are right next to each other and that the Bloody Lane is in "the Gettysburg area." Antietam (in Maryland) and Gettysburg (in Pennsylvania) are roughly 50 miles apart. Now, had Morris paired Antietam and Harper's Ferry (a nearby and wildly haunted Civil War site), then the word "area" would work.

Still, this book is well-written and well-paced. On the whole, I'm glad I purchased it.

I just finished this book and I have to say it is a keeper! If you like to settle down in the evening with a good book about hauntings, this is for you. The stories keep you on the edge of your seat, and the really creepy thing is that they are all true. I love the way the author sets up each story with a little bit of commentary. It really sets the mood for the spooky stories that follow! This is a great little book for anyone who likes ghost stories. Be sure to add this one to your collection.

If you enjoy an easy read but want something that makes you think ... The Ghost Next Door is for you. It's short tales don't require that you invest a lot of time in each, or you can sit and read all of them at once. Either way, many of the stories are bound to give you a chill or two, especially since they are told by everyday folks about everyday ghost experiences. If you didn't believe before, you might change your mind. Even if you don't, this is a good one to cuddle up with on a cold, rainy night for a good fright!