The Haunted History of New Orleans: Ghosts of the French Quarter

by James Caskey

This book chronicles one writer's journey to New Orleans, LA, and his quest to find the most haunted locations in the French Quarter. Uncover the arcane and chilling aspects of ghosts and Voodoo in the Necropolis of the South. Tag along as he interviews eyewitnesses, historians, tour guides, and even a particularly spot-on fortune-teller in one of the most haunted cities in North America. Discover how he experienced the wrath of a long-dead Voodoo Queen, had an amazing revelation about one of New Orleans' most famous haunted spots, and even got to experience his very own haunting, right in the middle of an interview.

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

288 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

James Caskey is a tour owner, licensed guide, historian, and author in Savannah, Georgia. In 2001, he founded Cobblestone Tours, a walking ghost tour based in Savannah, Georgia. The tour company has always been devoted to telling the true history and real stories of Savannah. This search for accuracy naturally led to the world of writing: Caskey’s first book, Haunted Savannah, is a local best-seller, originally published in May 2005 (revised 2013). He has subsequently published three other books, 'The Haunted History of New Orleans: Ghosts of the French Quarter,' 'Charleston's Ghosts: Hauntings in the Holy City,' and 'St. Augustine Ghosts: Hauntings in the Ancient City,' published in 2013, 2014, and 2016, respectively.

He has been featured on the top-rated Savannah episode of TV’s 'Ghost Adventures,' as well as the Travel Channel, the New York Daily News, New York Magazine, Forbes Magazine, South Magazine, CNN, PBS, FSN, Destination America, InFlight Magazine, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Savannah Morning News, the Charleston Post & Courier, WSAV, WJCL, WSOK Radio, and local weekly ConnectSavannah.

Reviews

[Jim Dooley · Rating 3 out of 5]

After the writer's delightful book about Haunted Savannah (his home base), I had very high hopes for this one. However, this one was so different in tone. Indeed, except for a few notable exceptions, this one was more of a historical research book than one detailing the thrill of experiencing hauntings.

New Orleans is one of my favorite cities. If there is a place that is more of a "melting pot," I couldn't name it. People are free to be whoever they want to be. There is a remarkable tolerance of live and let live ... and some of the most amazing food on the planet. (For my taste, only Japan comes ahead of it.)

I had taken one of the ghost tours while there and it was a great deal of fun. The guide was a delightful storyteller ... a little like a gossipy uncle ... and I was thoroughly entertained.

The writer has taken the same laudable position that he took in his Savannah book. If a story is patently false (and, therefore, maligning innocent ... or somewhat innocent ... people), he wants to set the record straight. This was fine in his first book as he still had many goosebump-raising tales to relate along with personal encounters and those of his colleagues.

For the New Orleans book, he doesn't have all of those connections. Consequently, the vast majority of the book becomes a "here is what we're told, but here is what is true" narrative. I don't believe that is what many Readers of a Haunted History are expecting. In fact, I found only one experience that matched the best of what was found in the Savannah book, and that occurred during his visit to the Hotel Villa Convento. That one raised the goosebumps.

So, if you are looking for an extended history lesson, you've come to the right place. If you want to feel that thrilling "rush" that came from Haunted Savannah, you should probably keep looking.

[Denise Roffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

James Caskey does it again! The Haunted History of New Orleans: Ghosts of the French Quarter is one of the best books I've ever had the privilege of reading. The author takes his readers on a fascinating journey through through restaurants, bars, private residences, cemeteries, and so much more. Expertly researched, this book is incredibly informative and causes readers to look beyond the Mardi Gras atmosphere and peer deeply into the eyes of the old ghosts that reside in one of our Nation's most fascinating places.

[Tiffany Day · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've unexpectedly been able to visit NOLA twice in the last year. The latter occasion allowed me the opportunity to take one of those haunted ghost tours that are in abundance there. Upon my return home, I was asked to give a presentation on the hauntings. Well, TBH, I was well into my cups and didn't wholly remember all of the tales, let alone the details. I contacted the tour company requesting supplemental information and was advised to try this book. It was a fun journey of recollection; it contained some of the stories I'd previously heard, plus some that were new. I especially enjoyed ones about locations I'd visited without knowing of their alleged hauntings. I have fallen madly in love with The Big Easy, and this book evoked many of those memories of fun, history, and magic. The one drawback was the often unnecessary wordiness of the author. Caskey has done his research; however, there were times where he rambled on and on. Additionally, I did not always enjoy the minutiae of his own trip - just get to the ghost story already! Overall, I enjoyed the book - and my presentation was a huge success! Thanks! :) 4 stars

[Teri A. Byrd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reality at it's finest!

I definitely recommend reading this book and even bought it in paper back to use as a guide while in New Orleans! We live an hour away and was literally sick of going there because of the commercialization of the French Quarter. I've found a renewed interest because of the thoughtfulness, truthfulness and quality of the stories within! Thank you! We're giving this volume 5 gold stars!

[Dolores · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the author of this book! He loved his visits to New Orleans and it showed. This is more of a history about the legends and stories of New Orleans, so not a scary book. He could only cover a few stories, so much more haunted locations! I am sure he will do a second book. I bought a signed copy when the author pre-sold. It was worth the wait.

[Shaylee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very entertaining read! I'm so glad I picked this up on my trip to New Orleans!

[Loren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although in some respects this book is closer to a memoir than pure guidebook, every tale in this ghostly guide to New Orleans made me wish more and more that I had plans to get back to the Crescent City. You've been warned.

I've collected up a number of local ghost story collections, but this one stands out because Caskey takes great pains to document the reality behind the stories. In the process, he debunks some of the better-known houses of horrors, especially the LaLaurie Mansion and the Sultan's Palace. His commitment to historical truth makes the spooky things that happen to him personally that much scarier.

I've taken half a star off because the text occasionally becomes more enthusiastic than coherent. (An editor could have smoothed those spots.) Another half a star comes off because Stephen Davis's cartoony illustrations undercut the serious tone of the text. The photographs, when included, are good enough that I wish there had been more of them.

In the beginning, I didn't care for the author's narrative, but it grew on me as I read deeper into the book. In the end, I'm not sure one could separate the teller from the tales. This book is such an enjoyable read that I'm eager to hunt up the author's guides to Savannah and Charleston, two cities I haven't yet had the opportunity to explore.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic, quick read! I honestly could not put this book down. I love history, ghost stories, knew very little about NOLA and I always love a good book. The stories are well written, historically accurate (disproving several legends along the way) and the illustrations and photos are fantastic. When I visit the Big Easy I will definitely have this book in hand. It is a must read for anyone who loves history, ghost or the Big Easy.

[ramona ursula espiritu · Rating 4 out of 5]

. Tata for a fact finding & "gettin" it about

Enjoyed...being from NOLa, born in the Marigny, raised in the Quarter in the 40-70's..lineage going back to 1857....appreciated your style & read from front to back in one sitting/lying....Tata for the fact findings & 'gettin' it about NOLa.....

[Jesse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly great book! A travelogue and well researched stories.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read on the Crescent City, although I think the clue in the title is the word "history" rather than "haunted". Each chapter typically spends most of its pages going over the historical facts of a location or talking about an interview, and then a short mention of alleged hauntings at the very end. It was still very interesting, and I can appreciate the amount of research the author did in fact-checking local legends and combing through old documents. It just wasn't exactly what I expected.

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I love how the author separates myth from fact, as it’s often so difficult to find the truth with many legends such as Marie Laveau and the Lafitte (or, Laffite) brothers. The only problem I have with this book is that I didn’t read it BEFORE my trip to New Orleans! I did visit some of the locations mentioned in the book, but had I read it sooner I definitely would’ve put some of the locations high on my to- do list.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice and somewhat fast read. Perfect for the Halloween season even if sometimes I felt the telling of history overshadowed the ghost aspect of the book itself. It wold have been nice if some chapters had a bit more balance with the ghost and history aspect instead of mainly just history.

[Wendy Strout · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book while in New Orleans. I love how he confirms and discounts different ghost histories, including the tale of Madame Dauphine. If you love NOLA like I do and appreciate these types of stories, I recommend it.

[karlena k chambers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Takes you through new orleans' true history.

Tells the near total history of new Orleans sans smoke and mirrors. Really liked how the author separated truth from fiction without taking away her allure.

[Marisa Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I purchased this book in the French Quarter during my first trip to New Orleans. I have found it to be better than most of the other books I have purchased about paranormal activity in NOLA. I especially appreciate how James Caskey wrote from the viewpoint of someone visiting the city for the first time. It was just as much an entertaining memoir as it was a book about hauntings. I love the fact that James Caskey takes history seriously and was earnest (and honest) in his conclusions. The book is fabulous! I would love for Caskey to have a Haunted History of New Orleans Part II (hint, hint) and would love for him to some day investigate and write about San Francisco as a spectral topic. In addition to 'The Haunted History of New Orleans: Ghosts of the French Quarter' he has written 'Haunted Savannah' and 'Charleston's Ghosts, Hauntings in the Holy City', which I also own.

[Ellen Frizell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read

An enjoyable book. The history and description of people and places was interesting. I would read other books by the author I do wish the book has more pictures of the places he wrote about.

[Sage Collins · Rating 2 out of 5]

I came to this book looking for ghosts and found very few of them. Lots of history, which was cool, but more than ghosts was the author's self-insertion of his journey through New Orleans looking for those ghost stories. Had he limited himself to actual encounters he had (I did enjoy the Marie Laveau anecdote, for example), all would be well. But instead, more chapters than not opened with such tales as how sweaty he was or how exactly he found the person who told him of their experience, or included was his experience with NOLA culture (absinthe, beignets, etc.).

One such anecdote, where he talked about how he'd respond to a tall tale with something like, "I don't speak Moron," made me realize my biggest problem with this type of storytelling, other than the fact that the ghosts were lacking: The book had been set up as if congratulating himself on being so clever to figure out what was real and what wasn't. A little intro at the beginning was enough to assure us he was doing his research. I didn't need to hear the stories of how exactly he came across the stories, down to the last bead of sweat. Normally I wouldn't address the subject of an author in a review, but as he's written himself into a protagonist role, I feel justified in addressing that role, which I did not care for.

That said, I did learn a bit of history from the book. I suspect I'll be more entertained by the hauntings (even if some of them are simply legends) while I'm in New Orleans.

[Matt Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not your typical collection of ghost stories. Almost a travelogue, this book has a very personal touch of the author discovering the mystery and vibrancy of the French Quarter as he searches for ghost stories. As someone who only spent 4 days in the Big Easy, I loved the author's sense of wonder in wandering the streets of New Orleans, just as I had.

Things do drift into personal territory a little and a lot of time is spent discussing the history and origins of certain legends and hauntings, so if you want a straight collection of ghost stories this might not be for you. But if you’ve never been to New Orleans or only there briefly, this is a great introduction to an amazing city that cannot be separated from tragedy, the supernatural and an unmatched joie de vivre.

To put it another way, this book asks: Why is New Orleans so haunted? Because heaven might not be as good a time.

[Dustin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first picked up one of Caskey's works after a trip to Savannah. After it's completion, I knew I had to read his others. The verbiage used is like no other. His ability to make the reader feel as though they are instantly transported to another place - no matter how far away - exists with the turn of each page. One feels as though they can almost see, smell, and touch each area described.

This is the second book that I have read that was written by Mr. Caskey. It seems as though - given his method of writing - you almost have a personal historian actually sitting and telling you the myths, and legends, followed by truths. The legends are presented, but the facts are the focus. To quote the author, "I simply hate misinformation", and it is for this reason that as long as James Caskey publishes books, I will purchase and recommend them.

[Joann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic travelogue/mythbuster that strips away the bells and whistles of some of the legends surrounding New Orleans's most famous hauntings. Caskey (which autocorrect, coincidentally, keeps changing to "casket") doesn't try to debunk the hauntings - he is clearly a believer - but the extraneous exaggerations that have sprung up around the lives of Madame Delphine Lalaurie, Marie Laveau, and Jean and Pierre Lafitte to name but a few.

In addition to the no-nonsense tone of the book, Caskey has a wry, self-deprecating sense of humor that makes me want to knock back an Abita or three with him, or at least to take his tour in Savannah when I eventually visit.

[Carla JFCL · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable book, which I picked up after a trip to New Orleans because I wanted to learn more about the the city's legendary hauntings. It took me a long time to read it because it got a bit bogged down in the middle with a particular story/chapter that seemed to be much longer than it needed to be and, frankly, wasn't all that interesting after the first ten pages or so. Nonetheless, I'm glad I read the book and it will be very useful to me when I go back to New Orleans....which I definitely will.

[Candy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A different kind of ghost story.

I have read many collections of "true" ghost stories, but never one like this and I loved it. Mr. Caskey believes in telling the whole story. Both the legend and the facts which males this a refreshingly different kind of book. I have heard a couple of the stories before, read as many of these books as I do you're bound to hit a duplicate here and there. But hearing the factual side, the side where the legend came from I found to be a fun difference. I am looking forward to reading more from Mr. Casey!

[Carla Conant · Rating 5 out of 5]

History and entertainment

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was a story within a story of an author making a book. I liked reading about the process and the background of the interviews. The legends were intriguing and captured the essence of New Orleans, while still giving us an honest look at the facts behind the tales. I'd highly recommend this book to anyone interested in New Orleans.

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was pretty good, but it was occasionally slow and the author often came off as pretentious in his story telling, which bugged me. I don’t really care where his informant works and the layout of their office or how sweaty this guy was while walking around the city or his love for café au lait. I was expecting something spookier, almost like an extension of a ghost tour, but with more history, and that just wasn’t what this book was. Still, a decent read.

[Cheryl Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uh_huh

I liked it. Take it with a grain of salt and read it with a sense of humor and a healthy bit of skepticism but it IS a fun read. If you're planning to visit NO, it's good to know about the culture, even if it is pretty far out.

[Alixandra Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

excited for this trip!

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐. I went into this book expecting some history of places with lots of accounts of ghostly encounters but instead it turned out to be a general history of new orleans with ghost stories sprinkled throughout . A tad disappointing

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had one of my big reading pet peeves...TOO MUCH SPACING. I know that sounds like a funny thing to be annoyed by, but it was enough that it was distracting while I was trying to read this. The book for the most part is interesting and I liked how the author took ghost stories and researched the historical accuracy of them. I would have given this book three stars had it not been for his inaccurate and totally politically correct descriptions of voodoo. *I won this book in a GoodReads First Reads giveaway*

[Vanessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I craved reading this book, and I appreciated all the research the author put into the tales of New Orleans. I was expecting a little more fright, just based on the title and cover alone. It tended to read more like a history book than a ghost story, which left me kind of disappointed.