Atlas of Paranormal Places: A Journey to the World's Most Supernatural Places

by Evelyn Hollow

Uncover fascinating paranormal activity on this chilling, nerve-wracking global tour of over 50 paranormal locations, with a brilliant foreword from award-winning writer, Danny Robins.

Set out on a uniquely dark armchair journey, and witness the shocking supernatural events, ghosts and unexplained phenomena that have captivated humankind for as long as we have told stories to each other, looked to the skies, and wondered whether we really are alone…

The paranormal places include
The Chase Vault, a 200-year-old crypt in Barbados with moving coffins
Charleville Castle, the haunted castle in Ireland used by secret societies
The witch market (El Mercado De Las Brujas) in La Paz, Bolivia
Gunnuhver Mud Pool in Iceland, infected by the spirit of a maddened criminal
Turkmenistan’s Door to Hell, an infernal crater still blazing after half a century

Legends about spirits that rise from the dead, places where the crops don’t grow, or sites where strange lights are seen at night… glaciers that bleed, ghost towns, crumbling castles, disused (and active) cemeteries, eerie forests, and freak nature patterns…

This cursed collection covers these sites in all their mysterious glory, and recounts what happened, what continues to happen, and what may explain these phenomena. Hauntings, aliens, and all manner of paranormal activity are covered, in manmade as well as natural surroundings.

You may not want to read it when you are alone…

Genres: Nonfiction, Paranormal, Travel, Horror, History, Occult, Supernatural

224 pages, Hardcover

First published September 26, 2024

Reviews

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Following the same format, and written by an author who is apparently very well-respected in the field, Atlas of Paranormal Places: A Journey to the World's Most Supernatural Places is a worthy addition to the 'Atlas of ... Places' canon. I learned more about some places I was already familiar with, as well as discovering many new ones at which to marvel.

This book includes 38 entries from six continents, divided into six different categories: haunted places, witchcraft, sacred sites, myths & legends, strange nature and cryptids & creatures. The entries range from 4-8 pages, including photographs, maps and even floorplans where relevant, alongside the author's engaging description. It was all interesting, but Strange Nature is the one that really appealed to me.

Some of my favourites were the Chase Vault in Barbados (haunted), Pendle Hill in England (witchcraft), Borobudur Temple in Indonesia (sacred site), Gunnuhver in Iceland (strange nature) and Gangkhar Puensum in Bhutan (cryptids & creatures).

This would be a great book to gift to someone with an interest in the paranormal, or just one to have sitting on the coffeetable, to dip into on rainy days.

With thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group - Ivy Press for an eARC to read and review.

[Rusha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Alas did not slap as other atlas' did

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very well-written book with lots of excellent information about the history of the places featured, as well as an exploration of the most popular purported hauntings believed to have occurred at each location. There are also many excellent photographs. Overall, an excellent book. My only problem was that, at certain points, the formatting was a bit wonky, but I suspect that will be fixed before the book is released for publication.

[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Be prepared to take an eerie trip to 100 global sites of paranormal activity. Splendid photos and spooky stories will take you from Paris to New Zealand, the US to South America to Africa, and Ukraine to India and Japan. Absolutely intriguing, but don't read it at night!

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really neat book! This is all about various creepy places throughout the world. There are photos throughout that are great. If you enjoy creepy places and atmospheres, I think you would enjoy this! Special Thank You to Evelyn Hollow, Quarto Publishing Group and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Aileen · Rating 3 out of 5]

…rounded up. Another book that could have benefited fron much more editing.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

First and foremost, this is a gorgeously presented book, with pages and pages of incredible maps and photographs. Shamelessly, that’s definitely one of the main reasons I bought it in the first place.

The book gives high-level overviews of thirty-eight of the world’s most ‘paranormal’ places, which range from individual buildings or monuments, to whole regions of a country. There’s an impressive geographical spread, and coverage of a huge range of different cultures, religions and belief systems.

I preferred the chapters about paranormal places that have a particular story behind them, for example, the haunted manors or castles that had previous owners with intriguing lives (and deaths). One or two of the chapters were mainly just descriptions of a particular place associated with witchcraft or burials (for example), but, without a twisty backstory featuring one or two prominent people or families, they failed to interest me as much. But perhaps that’s personal preference.

I also liked the brief suggestions/explanations of why people perceive certain places to be paranormal, and would have liked to have read more about this.

All in all, this is an engaging introduction to paranormal places around the world, and I imagine that you could easily use it as a starting point to identify particular elements of the paranormal that interest you enough to warrant further research.

[Luke Bishop · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting work at various places worldwide that have some kind of folklore associated with them, whether due to ghosts, strange creatures, religious significance, or just beautiful nature. The pictures helped really convey the richness and beauty of the areas being described, although I felt that the actual places picked were a bit odd at times. It was quite Euro-centric, as Africa was hardly represented at all. Still, it was an interesting and informative. I think my personal favorite was Ganghkar Puensum, the sacred mountain of Bhutan that is the world's highest unclimbed mountain.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

great info, very fair look at a lot of myths and legends from around the world! disappointed by encountering a few spelling errors tho.

[Carly]

My review is for the hardback cover book that has a purple cover.
I just started reading this book, for a hardcover book it has very tiny text, which makes reading book annoying.
It's awkward to hold the book and read the tiny text, but I appreciate that this book has images included of the haunted locations mentioned.
I hate how non-believers act like they are expert about the paranormal when they don't believe in the paranormal & don't fully understand it or they have zero knowledge of ancient civilizations and their spiritual beliefs, practices & various types of religions, types of witchcraft that have existed for centuries.
At least do in-depth research before you judge any culture, or any spiritual beliefs, religions when your ignorant and judgemental of what you don't understand or have knowledge about.

[Milan Buno · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sedíte pohodlne? Ste si istí, že v miestnosti nie je trochu chladno napriek tomu, že sú všetky okná zatvorené? A odkiaľ sa berú tie nevysvetliteľné zimomriavky, čo vám naskakujú na chrbte? Možno je to tým, že sa chystáte začítať do knihy plnej živých opisov (údajne) najstrašidelnejších miest na svete, ktorú napísala jedna z najväčších britských odborníčok na paranormálne javy....
Je tu novinka Atlas paranormálnych miest.

Jedna z najväčších britských odborníčok na paranormálne javy Evelyn Hollow vás zavedie do tajomných miest, šikovne povzbudí vašu zvedavosť a túžbu po neznámom.
Od čarodejníckeho festivalu v Mexiku cez neslávne známe parížske katakomby, zavedie vás na strašidelnú faru vo Švédsku, ktorá dnes slúži ako penzión pre odvážlivcov. Na karibskom ostrove Barbados objavíte dvesto-ročnú hrobku s pohybujúcimi sa rakvami.
Pristanete na morovom ostrove Poveglia v benátskom zálive, z ktorého sa stal ústav pre duševne chorých. Nazriete do chrámu Borobudur uprostred Jávy, je to najväčší budhistický chrám na svete, ktorý je však z nevysvetliteľných príčin opustený.
V Škótsku zasa vystúpite na hrad Goblin Ha patriaci legendárnemu čarodejníkovi, ktorý radil Alexandrovi tretiemu, škótskemu kráľovi.

A pozor, v knihe nájdete aj Čachtický hrad, ktorý bol kedysi väzením krvavej grófky Alžbety Bátoriovej. Ako autorka píše, „grófka Alžbeta Bátoriová sa stala známou ako „ženský Drakula“. V Guinnessovej knihe rekordov je dodnes zapísaná ako sériová vrahyňa s najvyšším počtom obetí v histórii. Nuž, ak je niečo z toho predsa len pravda, koľko jej obetí sa ešte stále potuluje po Čachtickom hrade a jeho areáli?“

Evelyn Hollow rozdelila knihu na 6 kapitol – Strašidelné miesta, Čarodejníctvo, Posvätné miesta, Mýty a legendy, Podivná príroda a Tajomné tvory.

Kniha Atlas paranormálnych miest pekne zapadá do obľúbenej série Atlasy kuriozít.
V uplynulých rokoch v nej vyšli Atlas temných miest, tiež zabudnutých miest, miznúcich miest alebo Atlas neuveriteľných miest. Spolu s týmito najnovšími paranormálnymi miestami tak tvoria ideálne knihy, ak radi cestujete aspoň takto virtuálne prostredníctvom zaujímavých príbehov.

[Bernie Gourley · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I'm not much of a believer in the paranormal, I am always curious to learn more about the beliefs, folklore, and backstories of various destinations. Such information, even when immensely interesting, often remains hidden from the casual traveler. For example, had a not read this book I wouldn't have known that Siquijor Island in the Philippines (a place I've been to) had a thriving witch market. I read this book not only because of an interest relevant to places I've been and also places I intend to go (e.g. Bhangarh Fort,) but -- most importantly -- to learn about new and fascinating locations that were not yet on my radar. The book did not disappoint.

The almost forty entries in this atlas are divided among six categories (ghosts, witches, sacred, mythic, nature, and cryptid/creatures.) It is a broad and varied selection of locations from around the world and will most certainly offer even vagabonds some new sites for their "to travel" lists.

I appreciated the thoughtfulness of this book. I noticed this with the discussion of Báthori Erzsébet, a Hungarian noblewoman who was accused of mass murder and - literal - blood baths. Many paranormal authors, either out of an intense need to believe strange things or because of a desire to sell more books, would ignore the extensive evidence that Báthori was framed for purely political motives. Hollow presents said evidence despite the fact that it kind of undercuts her argument that Cachtice Castle is a locus of supernatural happenings.

I found this book compelling, well-written, and illustrated with fine maps and photographs. If you're interested in the folklore and ghost stories of various locations, I'd check it out.

[Theediscerning · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pretty impressive selection of spiritual, ghostly and downright weird places, from Venezuela's lake that takes more than its share of the world's lightning, to UFO sighting hotspots in America and Australia, and from Irish and Scottish country houses to the lore of Bhutan. Each get four to eight pages, with map, and photos, and a decently written mini-essay. These don't prove for one bit that the author has been to any of the sites, but they're also written well enough to prove this doesn't matter – when you know your stuff you can get it across with the conviction it needs, and this author can discuss the Japanese spirit world behind a forest riddled with suicides, just as she can talk vampires and other such demonic characters. That's fine, but I did tire of all the photos being through a silly, washed-out blue filter – it was clearly a bright sunny day when the photographer went to La Recoleta cemetery to show us Argentina's relationship with her dead, but it looks greyer than Spitting Image's John Major puppet instead here. Daft, when the writing can give us all the chills a serious reference book should need to give.

Ultimately that stops this getting high grades, as of course does this sitting in the weird middle ground between personal selection of the author's favourites and all-encompassing encyclopaedia. It's too far from either to really work, but it does tell the person with an average Fortean knowledge (such as me) a fair bit that's new, and ground all this in serious discussion of the science behind the spookiness. That's almost enough to make me think three and a half stars too tight – but that's what it's getting today.

[Midnight.reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

- 38 strašidelných lokalít
- svedectvá a historický kontext
- mapy, fotografie, ilustrácie
- známe aj menej známe miesta
- pútavý a sugestívny štýl textu
- otvorená interpretácia

Od tejto knihy som dostala presne to, čo som od nej očakávala – tajomno, napätie a pocit, že svet je plný nevysvetliteľných javov, ktoré si zaslúžia našu pozornosť. Čítanie knihy bolo ako cestovanie po miestach, kde sa realita prelína s legendami a históriou.

Kniha predstavuje 38 lokalít z celého sveta, pričom každá kapitola je akýmsi miniatúrnym príbehom plným podivných udalostí a desivých svedectiev. Nevenuje sa len strašidelným legendám, ale prináša aj historické fakty, ktoré celému textu dodávajú väčší pocit reálnosti .

Práve preto sa mi na knihe páčilo, že sa nesnaží čitateľa presvedčiť o existencii paranormálnych javov, ale skôr mu necháva priestor na vlastné úvahy. Čo sa týka textu, ten je písaný pútavo, no zároveň informatívne. Ak máte radi paranormálne javy a miesta s temnou minulosťou, táto kniha by sa vám mohla trafiť do vkusu.

Atlas paranormálnych miest nie je len zbierka strašidelných príbehov. Je to pútavo napísaná kniha, ktorá vás donúti pozerať sa na niektoré miesta sveta úplne inými očami. A možno vás aj inšpiruje k návšteve niektorého z nich. Ak si samozrejme, trúfate.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Atlas of Paranormal Places is an introduction to different places across the world and different variations of paranormal activity. From ghosts, UFOs and demons to vampires Hollow touches on a wide range of paranormal activity, myth and history. I'm not particularly superstitious but I find this interesting and I appreciate how fair the approach is to both sides of the spectrum. It isn't a book to try to convince you that ghosts are real but more an investigation into how these places came to be, what stories go along with them and human history.

It gives a detailed look into the history of the places, the people or the lore and what is made up and what can be explained by natural phenomena. It talks about the difference between cultural and religious vs superstition and has a open and compassionate voice when speaking of this.

My main gripe is the blue filter ala the first twilight movie on all the pictures but the photography is great, the maps are functional and the writing is captivating - no matter how you feel about the paranormal.

[Lillie Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

When picking up the Atlas of Paranormal Places I was expecting a touch more fact and more about the locations themselves and a bit less about the ghost stories that haunt them. Based on the description I assumed this would be more on par with the Lore podcast, and instead got a delightful book with lots of ghost stories and local legends, but very little historical fact.

While I enjoyed this book and found a couple new sites in it I would not recommend it as much beyond a great coffee table read/book, as while it has some amazing photos of the locations and a good mix of facts about the locations and ghost stories it doesn't do a great job at making the line where fact ends and fiction beings clear.

I would pick this up if you want a spooky coffee table book or are just getting into learning about dark tourism and spooky locations but not if you already have any information on the matter.

I received an advance review copy of this book, and I am leaving this review voluntarily and all thoughts and opinions are wholly my own and unbiased.

[Mackenzie Busalacchi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Atlas of Paranormal Places is a fascinating travel book that provides insight into some of the most strange, haunting, and unexplainable places in the world. The author does a fantastic job of balancing history with myth/legend. The accompanying photos are gorgeous. As I read, I took multiple notes for my future travels. In particular, I loved the section on the strange places found in nature. My only issue with this book is that in the summary/book description, it says that the book provides a look into 100 different places; however, there are only 38 sites described. I had really been looking forward to reading a few of the advertised locations (the tree of dolls and the St Augustine lighthouse); however, they were not included. Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed Atlas of Paranormal Places and can't wait to visit some of these super eerie and unique locations.

[Jessie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I love about this new book from author Evelyn Hollow is that it is well-curated, and nothing is undercooked. If I was looking for more information on a spooky place, and I knew it was in this book, I would pick up the book first, before going to Google and Wiki, which is saying a lot from this Gen-Zer.

My favorite touch is the maps of each supernatural area, which perfectly painted a picture alongside the beautifully-evocative writings to create something that truly gave an informational and thrilling read.

Chapters include haunted places, witchcraft, sacred sites, myths & legends, strange nature, and cryptids & creatures. In addition to the maps, there are a plethora of photos so you can perfectly visualize being there.

Read our author interview here:

https://www.wanderingeducators.com/bo...

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Ivy Press and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was really interesting to me, as I'm not familiar with paranormal studies at all and usually also avoid non-fiction. As a newbie to the field, Atlas of Paranormal Places gave a great overview of some incredibly fascinating places all over the world. The six chapters focused on different aspects of paranormal places and came together beautifully. The illustrations and photos were also great!

Some minor critique: Another round of fact-checking would be great before publishing. Minor details such as a hanbok being referred to as funeral attire.

All in all a great informational read! Would recommend to anyone interested in the field of study!

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating read about some of the most haunted places across the globe. Descriptions were atmospheric and beautiful, albeit creepy, full colour photos really helped bring the entries to ‘life’. I especially liked how the author grouped the content into themes such as haunted places, witchcraft, cryptids and creatures etc. as this helped to navigate between interests easily. I found this is a satisfying read as my curiosity was often piqued which, in turn, made me want to investigate these places in more detail. Overall, the book would be great starting resource for beginners interested in the topic.

Thanks to Evelyn Hollow, the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.

[Faryal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has to be the most historically accurate and full of details book of horror tales I have ever read. The pictures only add to the spine chilling shivers, the more accurately you can see a location, the more real it gets. All the tales were written so well-researched, and so well-written, I actually felt it’s loss when I finished reading it.
The writing is clear, strong, and engages you in this world of mystery where everything can happen. All the locations being actual places makes this book even more scary. Because if it can happen to someone somewhere in India or France, why can’t it happen to you?
Thanks to NetGalley, the author, Ivy Press Publishing for the ARC.

[Onceuponaplace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a big fan of guides to haunted places, and this one totally met my expectations! It’s captivating and not your typical read, featuring a cool mix of spots from all around the world—just right for adding some new ones my list. You can see that the author put a lot of effort into the research and details. What makes Atlas of the Paranormal stand out from other books is Hollow’s awesome, descriptive writing. Instead of just going for shock value, she takes her time with each story, letting readers soak up the unique feel of every spot.
I’m definitely on the hunt for a physical copy; this is the perfect coffee table book for me!

Thanks Netgalley for my ARC.

[Michael Jacobs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely a cool book! It details 38 haunted locations from all over the world. The description says 100 haunted locations, but it's definitely only 38. It doesn't go super in depth, which I actually like, but it gives a short history of the place, along with paranormal experiences. It also includes pictures of the locations, which I think is a wonderful addition. It's an easy and really fun read, especially if you're into the paranomal or just spooky places.

I'd definitely recommend it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this

[Cindi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author, publisher and Net Galley for providing a free e-ARC edition of this title in exchange for my reviews.

This was an amazing book, and one I would love to hold in my hands as a printed book. The information was well researched and well organized, it was interesting to read, and I wanted to visit all of the locations!

Any other paranormal/cryptid fans out there would probably also really enjoy doing some armchair traveling and sightseeing with this book!

5 stars for Loved it, want a copy for my shelf, will recommend and will probably purchase a printed copy!

[Ty Henderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a lover of paranormal shows and anything with ghosts, this book created a whole atmosphere with well researched material alongside maps, pictures and essays. Sometimes, I don't want just the glamour of hunting the ghosts, but more history associated with the why and how behind them. This is also a great travel book as well. It gives insight on places that you might never think about going and gives you an extra layer to enjoy.
This was very well written, and you can really tell that the author took time preparing this because it is unlike anything else on the market.

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Atlas of Paranormal Places is such a treat for those who love the spooky and superstitious. Covering everything from hauntings to cryptids with accompanying maps and color photographs, it's a captivating and informative way to immerse yourself in these supernatural places -- without leaving the comfort of your couch!

(Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.)

[Mellissa Bushby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ooooh, creepy creepy!

Atlas of Paranormal Places is a look at over 100 places that have experienced supernatural events. It includes witchcraft, hauntings, mythical landmarks and mysterious phenomena from all over the globe, and is a great gift for anyone interested in the strange and unusual.

It's also well-researched and has an element of folklore that I quite liked. Some of the photos could have been left out.

3 and a half spooky stars.

[Rebekah Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has been a really interesting read. Some places I already knew about, some were new to me. The photos included were also key to understanding the vibes and paranormal histories of the places. I feel it was a well rounded look into some of the world's most paranormal places and not a book of spooky tall stories just for the sake of it. The cover incidentally is also beautiful, and the hard copy I purchased feels really good quality and nice to hold and read.

[Santa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This could seriously use some more proofreading and editing - if I took a shot each time I saw a typo in this book, I'd be on the verge of passing out.

Was not a fan of the heavily filtered photos as well. And the categorization of the places seemed a bit questionable and arbitrary.

Other than that, the selection of locations was nice and diverse, and their stories were told in a very engaging manner. A great book to use as an inspiration for one's own theorizing and storytelling.

[Chloe · Rating 3 out of 5]

An intriguing, spooky, yet very superficial world tour. There were some introduced concepts such as paranormal theories, ancient histories and cultural concepts that I would have loved a bit more depth into. The writing could have done with a lot more editing - it read more like an amateur blog or a first draft, and some of the turns of phrase took a few re-reads. However, I did enjoy it and learned a lot.