The Demonologist: The Extraordinary Career of Ed and Lorraine Warren

by Gerald Daniel Brittle

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Paperback

Published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Jessica Carr · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book from the library right after the Conjuring* came out. I liked the movie, but I'd read about the lawsuit contesting the veracity of the events depicted in the movie. It was filed by the then owner of the Conjuring farmhouse, stating that the movie destroyed her property values and enticed ghost hunters to trespass on her property. She also claimed the house wasn't haunted and never was*. I also read an editorial on Salon by a descendent of the "witch" identified in the movie as an evil baby killer. The writer claimed that her descendent was wrongly accused and murdered during the Salem Witch Trials*, and that she had no connection to witchcraft, infanticide or the Conjuring farmhouse. So I decided to read the "true" version of what really happened in this book. I was disappointed to find out the Conjuring haunting isn't actually included in this book. I don't know how true this book is, but it was fun and scary. Most nonfiction accounts of hauntings are very dry and not very frightening, but that's not the case with this novel. Since I've read this novel maybe fifteen years ago, there have been even more lawsuits surrounding the Warren's cases including against the author of this book. It's scarier to read about a haunting when it's "based on a true story". You just have to take it with a grain of salt. The Warren's used the publicity around their cases to proselytize their brand of conservative Roman Catholicism, and they weren't shy about stating their motives. Whether those motives and biases affected their perception of what occured is up for debate. As I've said, almost all of the Warren's most infamous cases have been litigated, debunked and disputed. The famous real life haunting of all time is the Amityville Horror. The house was the site of a real life mass shooting where the perpetrator claimed to be possessed by they devil (the jury didn't buy it). The subsequent owners, the Lutz's, claimed that the house was so demonically possessed they were forced to flee after less than a month and leave all their possessions behind. Even though the Lutz's were caught ON TAPE conspiring with their lawyer to embellish the incident, the Warren's maintain the "authenticity" of the haunting. The Warren's participated in a seance with other psychics and paranormal investigators and Lorraine claims to have "felt" the presence of demonic entities. Like the Conjuring case, subsequent owners of the property have maintained that the house IS NOT HAUNTED. The famous The Devil Made Me Do It case has been disputed by the family of a young boy portrayed as being demonically possessed. They say he was never possessed and suffered from schizophrenia. The author of this book was sued for another book he wrote about the case seeking for that book to be taken off the shelves. Like the Amityville case, the jury also didn't buy The Devil Made Me Do It defense. The young girl depicted in the Bridgeport poltergeist case admitted to the cops that she made it up (which hasn't stopped yet another author from proclaiming it the world's most haunted house). Ed Warren has portrayed the skepticism around his cases as being the work of the literal Devil. In Ed's estimation, the Devil is more powerful if people don't believe in him. I think the opposite is the case. "Real life" cases of possession sky rocketed after the release of the Exorcist and subsequent demonically themed movies. Whether the stories in this book actually happened as depicted (which is doubtful), they sure are entertaining. This is the most frightening "nonfiction" horror that I've ever read.
*As I said the Conjuring case is not included in this book. I mention it because it was the impetus for me reading the book. It also illustrates the amount of skepticism around the Warren's cases. Whether the events really happened (which I doubt), the movie is still effective.
*The Conjuring farmhouse was subsequently sold and the current owner rents out the property to people who want to experience a "real life" ghost encounter. I read an account from a paranormal investigator who stayed in the house that confirmed there was some sort of supernatural activity (unexplained noises and moving shadows).
*The women murdered during the Salem Witch Trials have been exonerated by official decree by Massachusetts officials. Numerous legal scholars, historians and authors have looked at the "evidence" used to convict the women and unanimously concluded that no witchcraft took place. The Warren's used the Salem Witch Trials as "proof" that an evil witch was possessing the mother in the movie. The Salem Witch Trials were a hoax that murdered dozens of innocent women (and at least one man). If the Trials are the Warren's "proof" of possession that would put the whole case in serious doubt. I've read that Eileen pulled the name of the witch from thin air during one of her induced trances. I guess someone who's been dead for centuries can't sue for defamation.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scary! Don't read this at night! I made that mistake and could not sleep, even had to stop reading it for awhile. Unlike other horror stories, this one strives to maintain a factual presentation of events. It isn't so much that the story is scary as the ideas behind it. How easy it can be to invite a demon into your life, and whether demons actually exist. I mean, who hasn't at one point in their life messed around with Ouija boards or played Bloody Mary or that "light as a feather stiff as a board" parlor game. It was just something fun to do when you were a kid. My friends and I were obsessed with scary movies and games, dares to go into haunted houses. One night we were having a slumber party with a house full of girls and tried summoning the devil on the Ouija board. There was a terrible storm outside and it was late at night, and suddenly all the lights went out. This book will have you thinking about all those dumb things you've done like that, and questioning whether that was such a good idea.

Annabelle the doll is a Raggedy Ann doll. It includes a real picture of her in the book. Am I alone in thinking this is actually scarier than the one they use in the movies? Plus way more plausible. How many people thought during those movies "what the heck is wrong w people wanting to own a doll that LOOKS like that?" But a Raggedy Ann doll has nostalgia, and you can def believe a mom buying that for her daughter. Maybe they were afraid of making these movies too real.

[Tonya Berry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very interesting and informative read about Ed and Loraine’s relationship, work and life. However if you are watching the conjuring universe at all do not read this until you are done due to there are many spoilers in this book.

[Bruna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmmm

[Bradley Meduna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book! Ed and Lorraine Warren led extraordinary lives!

[Jeff Dreiling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Riveting and quite eye-opening. The situations and accounts in this book are terrifying.