United States of Ghosts (Book Review)

Name: United States of Ghosts 

A History of America’s Hauntings

Publisher: Visible Ink

Price: $22.95

Author: Richard Estep

Reviewed: Paul Dale Roberts, Halo Paranormal Investigations

Comments:  There are some shocking stories in this book. I heard about Houdini’s untimely death, but what I did not know is that Marcia Champney, who advertised herself as a medium by the name of Madame Marcia, glibly prophesied that Houdini would be dead by November of that same year. Madame Marcia was right and some people believed that Madame Marcia cursed Houdini. Houdini, a strong athletic man, died after being punched in the stomach by J. Gordon Whitehead. Houdini did a lot in exposing charlatans. Houdini was a skeptic to the end.

 As for ghosts, Lucille Ball died in 1989 of a ruptured aortic aneurysm. Lucille was 77 years old.  After her death, Ball’s apparition was seen gazing out of the window of her home on Roxbury Drive in Beverly Hills. This book would be great for every ghosthunter out there. I hear paranormal investigators say that they have all kinds of ghost hunting equipment, but have no place to go. I never could understand that statement, when there are thousands of places to go that are haunted. Like in this book, it talks about the very haunted Chateau Marmont.  A very haunted hotel in Hollywood. 

When I worked for the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and when they sent me to Los Angeles to work the Northridge Earthquake, I purposely stayed at the rundown Mayfair Hotel, because it had a reputation of being haunted.  I was not disappointed.  My colleagues were staying at 5 star hotels, while I stayed at haunted 1 star or 2 star hotels. This book gives you the inside scoop of the Roosevelt Hotel. The Hollywood Roosevelt is located at 7000 Hollywood Blvd in Los Angeles. This hotel has a reputation as being one of the most haunted hotels in Los Angeles. The hotel opened in 1927 and was famous for hosting the first Academy Awards. Here are two celebrities that haunt the hotel:

Marilyn Monroe. Marilyn lived at the hotel for two years during her early acting and modeling years. People say that her reflection appears in a full-length mirror that once hung in her cabana and is now kept near the lower-level elevators/manager’s offices. People even say they can smell her rose perfume. Then there is Montgomery Clift.  This actor stayed in Room 928 while filming From Here to Eternity in 1953. Guests have heard phantom bugle or trumpet playing. They hear pacing on the floor and feel cold spots around his room. 

This book has one ghost after another. I highly enjoyed the ghostly story of Mark Twain and Virginia City. I investigated Mark Twain’s Cabin in Tuolumne County.  People that live near this cabin claim that they have seen the ghost of Mark Twain. It appears from this book, Mark Twain’s ghost might be all over the place. There is so much information in this book, I could probably write a book about this book.  Let me give you some teasers on what you will find.  I really enjoyed The Haunting of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue; ghostly haunts at The Alamo; The Menger Hotel; the Queen Mary!  Richard Estep outdid himself with United States of Ghosts!  Richard Estep is a driving force of ghostly knowledge, you get the history, you get the facts and some of the stories are absolutely mind-blowing!