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Trucker Ghost Stories: And Other True Tales of Haunted Highways, Weird Encounters, and Legends of the Road
In a uniquely entertaining book by a rising star, here are uncanny true tales of haunted highways, weird encounters, and legends of the road.
It may have happened to you; it's happened to almost everyone who's ever driven down a highway at night, or in the fog, or snow. Something suddenly a flash of movement, a shadow...what was it? It could be, as the true stories in this book attest, a ghost.
These are true stories from the highways and byways of America. These firsthand accounts are as varied as the storytellers themselves―some are detailed and filled with the terror and suspense that made people feel they had to share what happened to them with others; others are brief and straightforward retellings of truly chilling events.
Here is a chupacabra attack on the desert highway between L.A. and Las Vegas; ghost trains and soldiers; UFOs; the prom girl ghost of Alabama; a demon in Texas, and other accounts of the creepy, scary things that truckers and other drivers and passengers told to editor Annie Wilder.
With so many different stories, Trucker Ghost Stories moves beyond the usual haunted house to offer stories to entice any ghost story reader...and anyone who's ever wondered....
It may have happened to you; it's happened to almost everyone who's ever driven down a highway at night, or in the fog, or snow. Something suddenly a flash of movement, a shadow...what was it? It could be, as the true stories in this book attest, a ghost.
These are true stories from the highways and byways of America. These firsthand accounts are as varied as the storytellers themselves―some are detailed and filled with the terror and suspense that made people feel they had to share what happened to them with others; others are brief and straightforward retellings of truly chilling events.
Here is a chupacabra attack on the desert highway between L.A. and Las Vegas; ghost trains and soldiers; UFOs; the prom girl ghost of Alabama; a demon in Texas, and other accounts of the creepy, scary things that truckers and other drivers and passengers told to editor Annie Wilder.
With so many different stories, Trucker Ghost Stories moves beyond the usual haunted house to offer stories to entice any ghost story reader...and anyone who's ever wondered....
256 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2012
43 people are currently reading
391 people want to read
About the author
Annie Wilder
6 books21 followersAnnie Wilder is writer and proud mother of grown children who admit to seeing some strange things in their childhood home. Wilders first book House of Spirits and Whispers is a true account of her experiences living with ghosts for more than a decade. She regularly hosts haunted tea parties in her spirit-filled Victorian house nestled in a sleepy Mississippi River town in Minnesota. Her haunted house has been featured in several television and print news stories, investigated by teams of ghost hunters, and visited by a number of prominent psychics including Linda Drake and Echo Bodine.
Her new book, Spirits Out of Time, is an enchanting memoir spanning five generations of true family stories of spirits and strange experiences.
"
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
August 28, 2015
great tales, makes we want to be a trucker!
November 23, 2019
SUPER FAST REVIEW:
So I’m a skeptic about most things. I do believe in some things beyond normal, everyday life but ghosts, aliens, conspiracy theories, etc? Very skeptical for the most part. So for this collection of supernatural and strange events on the road do I think most, if not all, of them are just stories? Yeah but it’s a fun, interesting, brainless audiobook to help pass the time. Some parts are certainly better than others and it is sometimes a little slow but I mostly enjoyed it.
3/5
So I’m a skeptic about most things. I do believe in some things beyond normal, everyday life but ghosts, aliens, conspiracy theories, etc? Very skeptical for the most part. So for this collection of supernatural and strange events on the road do I think most, if not all, of them are just stories? Yeah but it’s a fun, interesting, brainless audiobook to help pass the time. Some parts are certainly better than others and it is sometimes a little slow but I mostly enjoyed it.
3/5
October 12, 2025
The best and weirdest stories here are the ones that are not mostly about the teller. The point in any “true” ghost story where the tale becomes about the teller is usually the point that credibility vanishes like a haunt in the rosy light of dawn. As folklore increasingly becomes the property of podcasts, the elements of self-promotion and click-attraction kill the ghosts faster than a professional exorcism. Still, my fascination with road ghosts, phantom hitchhikers, and high weirdness found a few treats here and this might make a fun companion next time you hit Route 666.
October 15, 2019
More like paranormal highway stories from around the world.....meh was okay.
December 6, 2012
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: A collection of ghost stories told from the people who experienced the supernatural while on the road.
The Review:
I won’t lie. I am a huge fan of ghost stories whether they make you laugh, cry, run screaming from the room or keep you awake at night. Trucker Ghost Stories is filled with first person accounts of the paranormal while on the highway, some stories range from a paragraph to several pages long. Most of the stories are told from truckers but there are a few from people just traveling in their cars and some are told in third person accounts (“my friend had this happen to them”). These stories are not told from professional writers so some do come off a little choppy (“so that’s my story” or “here’s my story” or even repeating a few points over again).
The stories are broken up into four different categories: Just Plain Weird, Messages and Assistance from the Spirit World, Haunted Highways: Legends and Lore of the Road and finally Time Slips. Just Plain Weird jumps you into the ghost story/legend experiences from being chased by a skinwalker to UFO’s to a woman who was kissed by a ghost while she was sleeping in her semi. The second category holds my favorite story, “My Guardian Angel is a Truck Driver”, this story made me cry but thinking back on it, I have a hard time believing it to be true. If it is true, I am sorry for doubting it, but it is one of the few third person stories in this collection so that adds to the could this be made up files?
The third section covers legends and lore of the road. I was kind of amazed about how many of these stories took place in Oklahoma. Since I live in Kansas I feel like I could investigate if I ever had some free time and ever felt inclined to do something like that. A lot of these stories I was familiar with from watching TV shows. I know one thing, I am never driving on Highway 666 now 393. Time Slips is probably the most scary part of the collection, some of these were about seeing ghosts dressed up from the past or losing time and being taken someplace that is not in the here and now. “Incident at Lost River” would have freaked me out so much I would never have driven that way again, let alone taken people with me to see if it would happen again!
I recommend this collection of stories for those who like a good ghost story. It will give you something to think about or look out for the next time you are on a long road trip.
FTC Advisory: Tor/Macmillan provided me with a copy of Trucker Ghost Stories: And Other True Tales of Haunted Highways, Weird Encounters, and Legends of the Road. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: A collection of ghost stories told from the people who experienced the supernatural while on the road.
The Review:
I won’t lie. I am a huge fan of ghost stories whether they make you laugh, cry, run screaming from the room or keep you awake at night. Trucker Ghost Stories is filled with first person accounts of the paranormal while on the highway, some stories range from a paragraph to several pages long. Most of the stories are told from truckers but there are a few from people just traveling in their cars and some are told in third person accounts (“my friend had this happen to them”). These stories are not told from professional writers so some do come off a little choppy (“so that’s my story” or “here’s my story” or even repeating a few points over again).
The stories are broken up into four different categories: Just Plain Weird, Messages and Assistance from the Spirit World, Haunted Highways: Legends and Lore of the Road and finally Time Slips. Just Plain Weird jumps you into the ghost story/legend experiences from being chased by a skinwalker to UFO’s to a woman who was kissed by a ghost while she was sleeping in her semi. The second category holds my favorite story, “My Guardian Angel is a Truck Driver”, this story made me cry but thinking back on it, I have a hard time believing it to be true. If it is true, I am sorry for doubting it, but it is one of the few third person stories in this collection so that adds to the could this be made up files?
The third section covers legends and lore of the road. I was kind of amazed about how many of these stories took place in Oklahoma. Since I live in Kansas I feel like I could investigate if I ever had some free time and ever felt inclined to do something like that. A lot of these stories I was familiar with from watching TV shows. I know one thing, I am never driving on Highway 666 now 393. Time Slips is probably the most scary part of the collection, some of these were about seeing ghosts dressed up from the past or losing time and being taken someplace that is not in the here and now. “Incident at Lost River” would have freaked me out so much I would never have driven that way again, let alone taken people with me to see if it would happen again!
I recommend this collection of stories for those who like a good ghost story. It will give you something to think about or look out for the next time you are on a long road trip.
FTC Advisory: Tor/Macmillan provided me with a copy of Trucker Ghost Stories: And Other True Tales of Haunted Highways, Weird Encounters, and Legends of the Road. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
September 20, 2020
Well, this is simply an anecdotal collection of really short stories as they were told by the protagonists.
Some are interesting or curious, but sadly soon enough it becomes repetitive.
I liked that there were two narrators, a woman for the stories told by women and a man for the ones told by men.
Ideal to listen when doing something else, like cooking or cleaning :P
Some are interesting or curious, but sadly soon enough it becomes repetitive.
I liked that there were two narrators, a woman for the stories told by women and a man for the ones told by men.
Ideal to listen when doing something else, like cooking or cleaning :P
November 1, 2020
A neat collection of supernatural stories from travelers of highways across the world, but overwhelmingly in America. (Despite the title, it's not limited to stories from truckers, but that isn't really a problem.) The strongest section of the collection is the first, which is dedicated to mostly short, creepy, and mysterious anecdotes; these were the most effective reads overall. Later sections delve into mostly "guardian angel" type stories, which were fine; more general urban legends of the road, like phantom hitchhikers, which were decent but well-trod ground; and "time slips", stories of trips gone odd and encounters with historical ghosts, which improved a little on the previous two. All in all, this is a worthwhile, easy read for anyone who wants some creepy short diversions. (B+)
May 13, 2020
While there are a couple of stories in here told as third-person narratives with a distinctly fictitious flare, the quorum of this book's collection is incredible first person accounts. Are they all true? Maybe not. But I'd put money down that most of them are.
June 25, 2017
This was truly a fun read. I couldn't put it down!
August 23, 2017
Most of the stories in this book lead to the phrases "what happened next" or "interesting description of lights and vague shapes". I could have watched the x-files and felt more fulfilled.
October 22, 2012
You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2012/10/...
Most of us have at least one family member that tells really good ghost stories. For me, it was my paternal grandmother. I think she maybe had all of five in her arsenal, but my 9 year old self didn’t care, and I probably heard each of them 20 times, at least. I loved all things ghost (still do), and when she told those stories, she had my full attention. As I matured, so did my level of ghost story sophistication, and even though I’m somewhat of a skeptic (I want to believe!!), there is, and always will be something about classic ghost stories, and especially those involving a long, dark, creepy stretch of night road. To this end, Trucker Ghost Stories is a pretty varied collection focusing on eerie happenings by truckers, obviously, however, if it has wheels, it’s also fair game here. Some are very short, and others are a bit longer, but all of them are pretty creepy. The editor, Annie Wilder, has plenty of ghostly experience, and she’s put it to fun use with this collection. Some of the highlights, for me, included “Skinwalker in Arizona”, which features a creature that scares the pants off of a half Hopi half Navajo little boy, enough that he remembers it years later; “UFO Encounter in Wyoming/US Highway 26” about a man that witnesses something very unusual happen to a fellow trucker; and “The Man in the Rain” about a woman who receives some ghostly assistance when she breaks down on the side of the road.
In Trucker Ghost Stories, Annie Wilder has compiled more than 60 stories of eerie happenings, and each is told in a unique voice, and also covers a pretty wide range of territory, from the deep south to clear across the world. Some will give you chills, others might even make you smile, and you’ll find yourself wanting to read just one more. Whether you are a true believer or a skeptic, Trucker Ghost Stories is the perfect way to fill a spooky October afternoon, and will certainly get you in the mood for Halloween!
Most of us have at least one family member that tells really good ghost stories. For me, it was my paternal grandmother. I think she maybe had all of five in her arsenal, but my 9 year old self didn’t care, and I probably heard each of them 20 times, at least. I loved all things ghost (still do), and when she told those stories, she had my full attention. As I matured, so did my level of ghost story sophistication, and even though I’m somewhat of a skeptic (I want to believe!!), there is, and always will be something about classic ghost stories, and especially those involving a long, dark, creepy stretch of night road. To this end, Trucker Ghost Stories is a pretty varied collection focusing on eerie happenings by truckers, obviously, however, if it has wheels, it’s also fair game here. Some are very short, and others are a bit longer, but all of them are pretty creepy. The editor, Annie Wilder, has plenty of ghostly experience, and she’s put it to fun use with this collection. Some of the highlights, for me, included “Skinwalker in Arizona”, which features a creature that scares the pants off of a half Hopi half Navajo little boy, enough that he remembers it years later; “UFO Encounter in Wyoming/US Highway 26” about a man that witnesses something very unusual happen to a fellow trucker; and “The Man in the Rain” about a woman who receives some ghostly assistance when she breaks down on the side of the road.
In Trucker Ghost Stories, Annie Wilder has compiled more than 60 stories of eerie happenings, and each is told in a unique voice, and also covers a pretty wide range of territory, from the deep south to clear across the world. Some will give you chills, others might even make you smile, and you’ll find yourself wanting to read just one more. Whether you are a true believer or a skeptic, Trucker Ghost Stories is the perfect way to fill a spooky October afternoon, and will certainly get you in the mood for Halloween!
November 3, 2012
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Dawn
I have always enjoyed reading first person accounts of scary, creepy, supernatural experiences. This book is no exception. There’s a therapeutic aspect of sharing your story. It makes you realize you aren’t crazy and you’re not the only one who has experienced something along those lines.
Annie Wilder gives a voice to all the authors included in the book. Through the stories, we find commonality.
In Part 1, Just Plain Weird, my favorite is Skinwalker in Arizona. I’ve heard of Skinwalkers, but this tale gave such a vivid description. The story is from a Navajo reservation and it’s creepy to say the least.
I also liked Hat Man on the Montreal Bridge. I got willies reading it, so freaky.
In Part 2, Messages and Assistance from the Spirit World – I am a firm believer in assistance from above or from loved ones who have passed on. It’s a very comforting thought. The Man in the Rain was my favorite from this section. At the perfect time, the author is offered help.
Part 3 Haunted Highways: Legends of the Road my favorites are both of the Highway 666 stories.
Part 4 Time Slips. My favorite is Ghost Ship in the Fog. The title speaks for itself. I also liked The Wall which was about seeing and speaking with a military man long dead.
Overall, it’s a great, fun read. I find it easier to read than novels because you don’t have to become invested in the characters.
If you’re looking for a book for your boyfriend or husband, this fits the bill. Or if you don’t mind having the crap scared out of you, this book is for you!
http://openbooksociety.com/article/tr...
I have always enjoyed reading first person accounts of scary, creepy, supernatural experiences. This book is no exception. There’s a therapeutic aspect of sharing your story. It makes you realize you aren’t crazy and you’re not the only one who has experienced something along those lines.
Annie Wilder gives a voice to all the authors included in the book. Through the stories, we find commonality.
In Part 1, Just Plain Weird, my favorite is Skinwalker in Arizona. I’ve heard of Skinwalkers, but this tale gave such a vivid description. The story is from a Navajo reservation and it’s creepy to say the least.
I also liked Hat Man on the Montreal Bridge. I got willies reading it, so freaky.
In Part 2, Messages and Assistance from the Spirit World – I am a firm believer in assistance from above or from loved ones who have passed on. It’s a very comforting thought. The Man in the Rain was my favorite from this section. At the perfect time, the author is offered help.
Part 3 Haunted Highways: Legends of the Road my favorites are both of the Highway 666 stories.
Part 4 Time Slips. My favorite is Ghost Ship in the Fog. The title speaks for itself. I also liked The Wall which was about seeing and speaking with a military man long dead.
Overall, it’s a great, fun read. I find it easier to read than novels because you don’t have to become invested in the characters.
If you’re looking for a book for your boyfriend or husband, this fits the bill. Or if you don’t mind having the crap scared out of you, this book is for you!
http://openbooksociety.com/article/tr...
October 8, 2012
As with most anthologies, there are some good stories and some not so good stories, and you just have to take the good with the bad.
All the stories within are written by the witnesses of these strange events, which adds to the variable nature the writing within. It is tough to take any of these stories as evidence of the supernatural since each is, as mentioned, is written by a single author, the "eyewitness" of the event described. As such, without any outside verification, it is tough to accept any of these stories as "true" since we know so little about each author.
Still, taken as a collection of tales from the road (whether true or not), there are enough good stories in the book to suggest that anyone curious should pick it up.
All the stories within are written by the witnesses of these strange events, which adds to the variable nature the writing within. It is tough to take any of these stories as evidence of the supernatural since each is, as mentioned, is written by a single author, the "eyewitness" of the event described. As such, without any outside verification, it is tough to accept any of these stories as "true" since we know so little about each author.
Still, taken as a collection of tales from the road (whether true or not), there are enough good stories in the book to suggest that anyone curious should pick it up.
December 9, 2014
Okay. Most of these stories leaving you with a feeling of "then what..."
The book is a reminder that the best ghost stories are not necessarily about what happens but the back story. Seeing a weird shape in the road is much more interesting to hear that on that same night years ago there was a terrible accident. Much of this book is just people recounting seeing the weird shape.
The book is a reminder that the best ghost stories are not necessarily about what happens but the back story. Seeing a weird shape in the road is much more interesting to hear that on that same night years ago there was a terrible accident. Much of this book is just people recounting seeing the weird shape.
September 16, 2024
I do wish the book had opened with a different story, but whatever. I liked the rest of it and a couple did send tingles down my spine. Well worth the money and the time listening to it.
And I liked that there were a fair number of stories from here in NM. Makes me want to go ghost hunting ...
And I liked that there were a fair number of stories from here in NM. Makes me want to go ghost hunting ...
March 29, 2016
This was a great, quick read with engaging stories. I really enjoyed the book, and will definitely be reading more from this author in the future. It's a wonderful book for this time of year.
December 1, 2018
None of these were particularly riveting, and a good chunk weren't about truckers.
June 11, 2022
**Trucker Ghosf Stories: or exactly what it says on the tin for your enjoyment** I decided to give myself an appetizer between reading all the old science fiction epics. This collection of “non-fiction“ delves into four varieties of unexplained encounters by drivers and truckers throughout the dark and winding roads of America. There’s the flying burning light variety and then there’s the mysterious hitchhiker sort followed by helpful paranormal events like the old track of someone who has passed away which starts up and makes sure everything is safe before taking it out and then finally there’s time slips and general hinky things happening. My personal favorites were where some force warns people to keep them safe. This is not really a scary collection but then I’m used to this kind of thing and I listen to it to fall asleep. The side effect of trying to get through one of these is that I nodded off several times when trying to actively experience it. It’s not amazing but it’s a good and worth 3 1/2 ghost trucks out of five.
November 12, 2018
Unusual Tales, Many Missing in Audiobook Version
This was an entertaining collection of both hauntings and UFO encounters. The author and several stories contained within appeared on the excellent short lived show on Destination America called Monsters and Mysteries in America. All sorts of weird, spooky and strange tales are shared here. I do hope there will be a follow-up.
Do note, there is an audio book version of this book that I tried to follow along with. Many of the stories in this book ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE AUDIOBOOK. The last section of Timeslips alone is missing 7 stories from the book version NOT found in the audiobook version. I hope this is fixed in the future.
This was an entertaining collection of both hauntings and UFO encounters. The author and several stories contained within appeared on the excellent short lived show on Destination America called Monsters and Mysteries in America. All sorts of weird, spooky and strange tales are shared here. I do hope there will be a follow-up.
Do note, there is an audio book version of this book that I tried to follow along with. Many of the stories in this book ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE AUDIOBOOK. The last section of Timeslips alone is missing 7 stories from the book version NOT found in the audiobook version. I hope this is fixed in the future.
October 17, 2024
First up, great cover. I found this at a used bookstore and didn't need to read the whole back blurb, it just sang to me. Well, I got hit with either a wicked allergy attack or a cold-- sneezing, runny nose, feeling woogy. Slept a lot, but couldn't sleep all the time. Didn't have the attention span for anything complicated, so I pulled this out. PERFECT. The stories are short--most are from 1-3 pages with only a few being maybe six pages. Ghosts, UFOS, cryptids, time wormholes...this is a super fun collection of road trip stories. Also made me appreciate truckers a bit more, hearing about the blizzards and awful road conditions, 3AM stops in small diners kind of thing...
If you want something spooky but not-too-scary and above all short, this is IT.
If you want something spooky but not-too-scary and above all short, this is IT.
February 10, 2016
Trucker Ghost Stories
And Other True Tales of Haunted Highways, Weird Encounters, and Legends of the Road
Editor: Annie Wilder
Publisher: TOR
Published In: New York City, NY
Date: 2012
Pgs: 254
REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
Summary:
A quiet, empty highway, middle of the night, things that shouldn’t be real, can’t be real, shouldn’t be there...but are. Stories told by truckers and those who wander alongside them along the higways and byways of North America. Millions of miles of road, millions of stories: women in white, wandering soldiers, phantom hitchhikers, the ominous, the strange, uncanny visions, mysterious apparitions, roaming spirits, angry demons, ghostly passengers, phantom highways, text messages from beyond, skinwalkers, the restless dead, ghost brides, and the Highway to Hell.
Genre:
History
Horror
Mythology
Non-fiction
Occult
Paranormal
Religion and Spirituality
Short stories
UFOs
Why this book:
Dad was a trucker. So is my brother. Love a good ghost story.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
The Girl in the Window
The Feel:
The first story in the collection that made my hair stand up and gave me goosebumps.
Favorite Scene:
Love that glancing out the window and finding “someone” staring back at you.
Pacing:
Very short, very quick story. Very creepy, Well done.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
UFO Encounter in Wyoming / US Highway 26
The Feel:
The descriptiors in this story give it a believable ring. The melted truck and burned driver...woof!
Favorite Scene:
When the narrator locks up his brakes to keep from hitting the lead truck where it stopped...was stopped in the middle of the road.
Pacing:
Very fast story.
Plot Holes/Out of Character:
Wish we found out who the burned driver was. What hospital he was taken to after the “event.”
Hmm Moments:
The description of what the UFO had done to the truck is incredible.
Why isn’t there a screenplay?
Would make a great movie, sort of a Race with the Devil only with UFOs and aliens instead of cultists/satanists.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
A Not-So-Good Night’s Rest
Favorite Scene:
When he throws back the curtain on the truck’s sleeper and looks out the passenger window only to see “something” staring back at him...at eye level.
Hmm Moments:
Wonder if the other driver started up and drove away cause he had already gotten a visitation from Sasquatch.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Red-Eyed Man on Wisconsin Highway A
The Feel:
The forcing someone off the road in the middle of nowhere and, then, chasing them after they wreck is creepy as hell.
Favorite Scene:
Getting mad and advancing on the person after the wreck only to find them with red eyes and a horror movie face and, then, being chased by themj.
Hmm Moments:
Vampire or ghost...the awakening in the hospital after it caught the driver with a vague recollection of another car finding the driver near the road. Doubt I would have been going back out there after I got out of the hospital.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Two Dead Rabbits
The Feel:
Magnum creepy.
Favorite Scene:
From the second the sunburned, heatstroked guy walks out in the road, the creepy factor jumps off the scale. What would have happened if the driver had walked out in the desert with the guy to see the “two dead rabbits.”
Plot Holes/Out of Character:
I would have been very interested in what happened, especially if I had called the County Sheriff.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Last Good-Bye
The Feel:
The smile this one brings to your face is genuine. I hope the story is true.
Favorite Scene:
When it cranks up.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Last Page Sound:
Meh.
Editorial Assessment:
More “And Other…” than Trucker Ghost Stories. Many of the stories could have been expanded and padded just a bit to give them a bit more flavor. I bet in the tellings they have been embellished to make them...more. Some pretty good ones here, but in the hands of a good storyteller, they could have shined more than they do. I respect the editor’s choice to present the stories as close to the original telling as possible. I believe the stories could have handled a retelling.
More UFOs than ghosts and haunts too. Just wanted more trucker oriented stories.
All of these could have handled a bit more ghostwriting. The whole second half could have stood a bit closer to the editor’s pen.
Knee Jerk Reaction:
not as good as I was lead to believe
Dewey Decimal System:
133.122
Wi
Would recommend to:
no one
______________________________________________________________________________
Errata:
And Other True Tales of Haunted Highways, Weird Encounters, and Legends of the Road
Editor: Annie Wilder
Publisher: TOR
Published In: New York City, NY
Date: 2012
Pgs: 254
REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
Summary:
A quiet, empty highway, middle of the night, things that shouldn’t be real, can’t be real, shouldn’t be there...but are. Stories told by truckers and those who wander alongside them along the higways and byways of North America. Millions of miles of road, millions of stories: women in white, wandering soldiers, phantom hitchhikers, the ominous, the strange, uncanny visions, mysterious apparitions, roaming spirits, angry demons, ghostly passengers, phantom highways, text messages from beyond, skinwalkers, the restless dead, ghost brides, and the Highway to Hell.
Genre:
History
Horror
Mythology
Non-fiction
Occult
Paranormal
Religion and Spirituality
Short stories
UFOs
Why this book:
Dad was a trucker. So is my brother. Love a good ghost story.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
The Girl in the Window
The Feel:
The first story in the collection that made my hair stand up and gave me goosebumps.
Favorite Scene:
Love that glancing out the window and finding “someone” staring back at you.
Pacing:
Very short, very quick story. Very creepy, Well done.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
UFO Encounter in Wyoming / US Highway 26
The Feel:
The descriptiors in this story give it a believable ring. The melted truck and burned driver...woof!
Favorite Scene:
When the narrator locks up his brakes to keep from hitting the lead truck where it stopped...was stopped in the middle of the road.
Pacing:
Very fast story.
Plot Holes/Out of Character:
Wish we found out who the burned driver was. What hospital he was taken to after the “event.”
Hmm Moments:
The description of what the UFO had done to the truck is incredible.
Why isn’t there a screenplay?
Would make a great movie, sort of a Race with the Devil only with UFOs and aliens instead of cultists/satanists.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
A Not-So-Good Night’s Rest
Favorite Scene:
When he throws back the curtain on the truck’s sleeper and looks out the passenger window only to see “something” staring back at him...at eye level.
Hmm Moments:
Wonder if the other driver started up and drove away cause he had already gotten a visitation from Sasquatch.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Red-Eyed Man on Wisconsin Highway A
The Feel:
The forcing someone off the road in the middle of nowhere and, then, chasing them after they wreck is creepy as hell.
Favorite Scene:
Getting mad and advancing on the person after the wreck only to find them with red eyes and a horror movie face and, then, being chased by themj.
Hmm Moments:
Vampire or ghost...the awakening in the hospital after it caught the driver with a vague recollection of another car finding the driver near the road. Doubt I would have been going back out there after I got out of the hospital.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Two Dead Rabbits
The Feel:
Magnum creepy.
Favorite Scene:
From the second the sunburned, heatstroked guy walks out in the road, the creepy factor jumps off the scale. What would have happened if the driver had walked out in the desert with the guy to see the “two dead rabbits.”
Plot Holes/Out of Character:
I would have been very interested in what happened, especially if I had called the County Sheriff.
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Last Good-Bye
The Feel:
The smile this one brings to your face is genuine. I hope the story is true.
Favorite Scene:
When it cranks up.
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Last Page Sound:
Meh.
Editorial Assessment:
More “And Other…” than Trucker Ghost Stories. Many of the stories could have been expanded and padded just a bit to give them a bit more flavor. I bet in the tellings they have been embellished to make them...more. Some pretty good ones here, but in the hands of a good storyteller, they could have shined more than they do. I respect the editor’s choice to present the stories as close to the original telling as possible. I believe the stories could have handled a retelling.
More UFOs than ghosts and haunts too. Just wanted more trucker oriented stories.
All of these could have handled a bit more ghostwriting. The whole second half could have stood a bit closer to the editor’s pen.
Knee Jerk Reaction:
not as good as I was lead to believe
Dewey Decimal System:
133.122
Wi
Would recommend to:
no one
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Errata:
June 23, 2020
It was okay. I think there were definitely a few very interesting stories and then others that were just "I heard one time this thing happened", which isn't nearly as exciting as first person narratives. There were also some stories that I felt could easily be attributed to less spooky things than the respective authors made them out to be. Fun little book.
August 10, 2021
2.5 stars, rounded up.
This wasn't exactly what I expected. A good chunk of this book was not ghost stories, but short accounts of lights in the sky and urban legends.
I guess I just wanted more? More in depth personal accounts, and more actual ghost stories.
Meh. Maybe podcasts have me spoiled, but this didn't give what it said it would give.
At least it was short.
*shrugs*
This wasn't exactly what I expected. A good chunk of this book was not ghost stories, but short accounts of lights in the sky and urban legends.
I guess I just wanted more? More in depth personal accounts, and more actual ghost stories.
Meh. Maybe podcasts have me spoiled, but this didn't give what it said it would give.
At least it was short.
*shrugs*
September 9, 2023
Decently well documented peek into the lives of so many men and women who’ve encountered such an array of entities and phenomenon. Easy to digest with an approachable reading style for anyone looking to dive into what lies out there on the road at night. Thank you to everyone willing to come forward and share your stories in this book, recommend to anyone interested!
February 21, 2025
A vast collection of short eye-witness accounts. Each entry can be read in a few minutes so it's a fun one to pick up but then put down for a bit. Since it's a collection of testimonials, the writing isn't always the greatest -- but I guess that's part of the charm. Many of the stories are sort of mundane but there are definitely a few gems.
August 21, 2017
3.5 stars
Mixed bag of ghostly and alien stories, mostly from the perspective of people who spend a great deal of time nearly alone on the open road. Some of the stories and anecdotes are far better than others. It is for these that this book is worth reading.
Mixed bag of ghostly and alien stories, mostly from the perspective of people who spend a great deal of time nearly alone on the open road. Some of the stories and anecdotes are far better than others. It is for these that this book is worth reading.
March 24, 2018
A quick read, full of interesting strange tales from the nation's highways. From UFO's to things that go bump in the night - at truck stops and more. Quite enjoyable if you love the paranormal. Annie Wilder never disappoints.
March 7, 2020
I don't know how to rate this book. Some of these stories I liked, and some make me scared. This book was creepier than I thought. I'm glad I read it though. I think I'm going to rate this book 3 1/2 right now. I'll have to think about it more. I might give it a 4. What a book.
April 21, 2020
Very patchy. Not all were ghost related. There were a few aliens stories though that didn’t really bother me. What did were the numerous adverts of some of the contributors websites, books and podcasts. And there were some contributions that were just rehashings of urban legends. Yawn.
November 7, 2023
I thought the stories were interesting and easy to read. Their short length made them bite sized and good for anyone who has trouble focusing when they read. The only negative is that each story was written by the person telling it, and some of them are not great writers.
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