Ghost Hunt 2

July 1, 2011

This latest collection of real stories from the paranormal investigatory group The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS) has the same punch as its predecessor, Ghost Hunt (2010).

That the stories are the product of actual work conducted by the Society give them a powerful grip on readers' attention. This happened, like it or not, but probably you'll like it. The pacing is crisply staccato—"Again the eyes winked out. As if the animal had disappeared. But then there they were again. The eyes were closer. A lot closer"—and cinematic, which is understandable, as these tales have become material for a popular television series. The milieus are excellent, from a lonesome lake to a towering lighthouse to Alcatraz (D Block, where the truly rotten were incarcerated within the incarceration), then to the even more devious everyday: your backyard at night. It is the stuff of all that goes bump in the night: " 'I hear footsteps,' Dave whispered. 'They're coming closer!' Step, drag. Closer. Step, drag. Closer." Darting shadows, cold spots, phantom smells, orbs, voice phenomena—nay, apparitions!—work readers to the point of tasting the enamel flaking off their grinding teeth.

It is also great ammunition for every kid who claimed a rude presence under the bed or in the closet: I told you so. (Nonfiction. 8-15)

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

December 1, 2011

Gr 5-9-From ghostly spirits roaming Alcatraz to glowing red eyes in the woods, The Atlantic Paranormal Society (aka the popular reality television series Ghost Hunters) is back with a compilation of even more chilling and terrifying tales. Selections include a restless spirit terrorizing a house-sitting victim through her dreams, ghosts reappearing in the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, AZ, and a saddened ghost revisiting a lighthouse where her family was eradicated long ago. At first glance, the tales read as though they were fiction. A story is given, followed by the actual ghost hunt performed by TAPS. Historical facts and actual present-day locations reveal real paranormal cases. Fans of the series will be disappointed by the fictitious names given to the actual TAPS members. However, the cliff-hangers make up for it, providing suspense and character interaction. Budding ghost hunters will learn the basics of the practice, haunting, how to debunk a real-live case by taking quizzes to test cases, and the step-by-step method of the TAPS team as it seeks to find the truth about paranormal investigations. Perfect for those who crave horror/adventure series.-Krista Welz, North Bergen Public Library, NJ

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