In Quest of Ghosts

by Hans Holzer

The host of NBC TV's In Search of describes how he became a psychic investigator and invites young readers along on his extraordinary quests for ghosts.

Genres: Horror, Nonfiction, Ghosts

Mass Market Paperback

First published September 1, 1993

About the author

Hans Holzer, whose investigations into the paranormal took him to haunted houses and other sites all over the world, wrote more than 140 books on ghosts, the afterlife, witchcraft, extraterrestrial beings, and other phenomena associated with the realm he called “the other side.” Among his famous subjects was the Long Island house that inspired The Amityville Horror book and film adaptations. Holzer studied at the University of Vienna, Austria, and at Columbia University, New York, earning a master’s degree in comparative religion. He taught parapsychology at the New York Institute of Technology. Holzer died in 2009.

Reviews

[♥Milica♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hurray, my first Hans Holzer book!!! It definitely won't be my last.

The Holzer Files recently started airing in my country and I've been seated for it every weekend. That's what got me to finally check out Hans's books and here I am.

This one was a collection of several stories, some longer, some shorter. A few were stories about ghostly encounters that other people experienced, and some were ones he investigated himself. I'm partial to the latter, but the former were fun to read about too.

I even remember a few of the cases that I've seen on the show, but I'm guessing those few were probably expanded on somewhere?

For example the Ocean-Born Mary case/legend. When I saw that in the contents I was excited, but it turned out to be a shorter overview of the legend, rather than Holzer's investigation of the house.

What I liked most of all were the little tidbits of Hans's life, and that of his medium friends who appeared throughout the book. They all sound like such fascinating people.

I also love the writing style, and the humour (like the first paragraph in chapter 3).

Now that I started reading Holzer, there's no way back. My very own quest, to read most (or all) of his books has just begun. Stay tuned (and check out Mr. Holzer's books by yourself meanwhile)!

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a cover! The stories inside seemed to be true encounters but didn't blow me off the rocker: ghosts of the American war of independence, hauntings at the White House, a ghost in Brooklyn, Glen Cove, the ghostly usher, the Belleville ghost, the ghost of the California sailor, the ghost on the porch, a ghost in Maine, ghost of Betsy Jumel, the Haunted Stagecoach Inn, a ghost in the closet... well ghosts are people too in the authors opinion. It was an okay read but nothing too extraordinary.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the very first Hans Holzer, as well as ghost story, book that I ever read. My momma wouldn't let me read stuff like this, but it just so happened that we had a book fair at school and I had money for it so I bought this book. I kept it for years and was by far my favorite book. This book set into motion a lifelong desire to learn as much as possible about all things paranormal, but especially ghosts and hauntings. I would highly recommend it to anyone!

[R.Z. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just a series of anecdotes. Mildly interesting. I think Holzer banged out this book just to add to his prolific writings. I certainly didn't learn much.