Ghosts of Kansas

by Beth Cooper

Meet the ghosts of Kansas! Visit with a librarian who moves books at the State Capitol and ghosts that have been known to go home with patrons at River House. Learn about the Holton House spirit seen on a thermal imaging camera. Drink a cold brew with a ghost at Fat Matt's, the Twilighter, and PJ’s Bar. Relive college days at the haunted fraternity in Manhattan, where a ghost rattles doorknobs during tours. Buy a hammer from Ghostly Grandpa at his hardware store in Shawnee. Kansas ghosts are here to thrill and entertain you!

160 pages, Paperback

First published April 28, 2010

Reviews

[J]

When it comes to ghost-telling books I am usually mostly disappointed in their presentation and format while sometimes the tellings makes them a bit more fictionalized and at other times the stories are told so dryly that it is hard to be interested in them. Barely have I found a book like this one that allows the reader to have a bit of both without overdoing it.

Unfortunately the book wasn't consistent with this presentation, which was quite disappointing. The entries gave a bit of the history about the event or events that may have led to the ghostly appearances although there were a few that just jumped into what events have happened. There were others that gave a bit of a story for these past events while others were just a bit of a summary. As a result a book that I would have been truly interested in was really just something to glance at in the passing.

Furthermore the book was illustrated with black-and-white pictures, which when it comes to geographic locations I can't stand. I want to see these buildings, homes and other sites in color so I can understand their presence to the places around them, to get to see them without needing to leave home although in this case many of the stories are quite close to where I live and to know what they look like. And then for the majority of paragraphs to have been closed off with a picture of mannequins that really didn't relate just irked me until I figured what they were and where they showed up in the actual book.

All in all a decent local ghost book and one that could help interested readers to put together their own tours or even to find a local tour that may educate them more on the history of where they are at. Otherwise just another collection of spook-lore to add to your ghost stories shelf.

[Melanie]

This book is about the history and ghosts of North East Kansas. Overall I did like this book. It is a very easy read. There are times I wished to have more information.I have been on all three of the ghost tours offered in Topeka, and they are great. Like this book it isn't just about ghosts, but about the history of Bloody Kansas.

[Lynne Burns]

Beth Cooper adds to the many ghost stories of many northeastern Kansas haunts. Some are stories that are being retold, while many others are new to this reader. The book appears to be well researched, and moves along at a fairly quick pace. It was interesting to locate some of the businesses in Lawrence, however, it was disappointing that no addresses were given. It was understandable for private residences, but it would have been a nice added touch.

[Theresa]

A native of Kansas, author Beth Cooper was raised in North Topeka, home of the spectacular ghost dubbed the Albino Lady. When Beth travels (a lot), she takes the historic and haunted tours of the visited cities. Beth and her sister, Cathy Ramirez, do tours in Kansas. Book has good Kansas ghost stories of Atchison, Holton, Kansas City, Leavenworth, Manhatten, Shawnee, and Topeka. I was looking for Wichita, but I enjoyed the book nontheless. Includes illustrations for the stories.

[Cynthia]

Some of the ghost stories I had heard before, but many I had not. Thoroughly enjoyed this book.

[Beth spooks]

I absolutely loved it. A friend of mine amd I went and visited one of the places in the book.