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A Haunted Love Story: The Ghosts of the Allen House
When Mark Spencer and his family moved into the beautiful old Allen House in Monticello, Arkansas, they were aware of its notorious reputation for being haunted. According to local lore, the troubled spirit of society belle Ladell Allen, who had mysteriously committed suicide in the master bedroom in 1948, still roamed the grand historic mansion. Yet, Mark remained skeptical—until he and his family began encountering faceless phantoms, a doppelganger spirit, and other paranormal phenomena. Ensuing ghost investigations offered convincing evidence that six spirits, including Ladell, inhabited their home. But the most shocking event occurred the day Mark followed a strange urge to explore the attic and found, crammed under a floorboard, secret love letters that touchingly depict Ladell Allen's forbidden, heart-searing romance—and shed light on her tragic end.
This haunting true ghost story includes several photographs of the Allen House.
This haunting true ghost story includes several photographs of the Allen House.
242 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2012
103 people are currently reading
1902 people want to read
About the author
Mark Spencer
228 books79 followersIn addition to his new novel, An Untimely Frost, Mark Spencer is the author of the novels Ghost Walking, Love and Reruns in Adams County, The Weary Motel, A Haunted Love Story, and The Masked Demon, as well as the short-story collections Wedlock and Trespassers and a history book, Images of America: Monticello.
His work has received the Faulkner Society Faulkner Award, the Omaha Prize for the Novel, The Bradshaw Book Award, the St. Andrews Press Short Fiction Prize, and four Special Mentions in Pushcart Prize. Over 100 of his novellas, short stories, and articles have appeared in a wide variety of national and international literary magazines.
Mark is the Dean of the School of Arts and Humanities at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, as well as Professor of Creative Writing in the MFA program there.
He and his family live in the famously haunted Allen House, the setting of his books A Haunted Love Story and Ghost Walking, as well as the basis for five TV shows and a forthcoming feature film, The Perfect Host: A Southern Gothic Tale.
His work has received the Faulkner Society Faulkner Award, the Omaha Prize for the Novel, The Bradshaw Book Award, the St. Andrews Press Short Fiction Prize, and four Special Mentions in Pushcart Prize. Over 100 of his novellas, short stories, and articles have appeared in a wide variety of national and international literary magazines.
Mark is the Dean of the School of Arts and Humanities at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, as well as Professor of Creative Writing in the MFA program there.
He and his family live in the famously haunted Allen House, the setting of his books A Haunted Love Story and Ghost Walking, as well as the basis for five TV shows and a forthcoming feature film, The Perfect Host: A Southern Gothic Tale.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
August 23, 2012
I may have been a biased reader, as this home was not far from my childhood home in Monticello, Arkansas. When I walked home from elementary school, I would pass this house every day and stop and gaze at it. I also passed it pretty much every day of my "home years", any time I went to town. My dad even did an oil painting of the mansion. Rumors were that it was haunted and I had to wonder about that. On a dare, as a child, several of us went to the door to trick or treat on Halloween. We didn't think it was inhabited at the time, so wanted a chance to peek into the window. We got more than we bargained for. After seeing an orb float to the window where we were standing, we ran screaming all the way home. This included the rough and tumble guys in our group!! Later got to visit when a friend rented one of the apartments, decades before the author bought the house. I do not know the author, as I have been away from Monticello for a long, long time. However, knowing the Allen House made this book such an interesting read. For those who don't believe this story, what can I say...it is true. The author filled in many gaps for me about the history, especially of the house's most famed ghost...Ladell Allen. The popular thoughts have always been that she committed suicide because she was depressed after the death of her adult son. The letters that Spencer found hidden in the attic tell a different story. Ladell had a secret that she kept from family and friends, and these letters point to a totally unrelated reason why Ladell was so depressed that Christmas when she took the cyanide poisoning. I won't spoil it....read for yourself! Just keep an open mind.
October 6, 2012
I liked this book. While it was not packed with anecdotes of haunting activity, it did due diligence to the happenings in the house. However, the book focused mainly on the story behind the haunting, and that made it a fascinating read. Some of the reviews on this site complain about this, but as an avid reader of ghost stories, true and otherwise, I found it refreshing. So many books in this genre rely on the technology of ghost-hunting to tell their tales, resulting in stories that read more like a how-to guide to using your EMF detector. Mr. Spencer treats the investigators who visited his house respectfully, but doesn't rely on technology or a psychic medium to interpret his haunting. He pieces the story together based on the letters he found, and what the house has shared with him over the years. Readers should not look to this book to verify whether or not the Allen House is haunted (there are many haunted house directories out there that can fill you in on the details). This book allows a glimpse into the history of the people behind the haunting, and I think it's wonderful.
Also, I'm grateful to Mr. Spencer (or his publisher) for editing this book properly. So many good stories are lost to bad copyediting.
Also, I'm grateful to Mr. Spencer (or his publisher) for editing this book properly. So many good stories are lost to bad copyediting.
September 18, 2014
Me thinketh thou doth protest too much--about people wanting to see your house and find out if it is really haunted. What an intrusion. Wait we could do ghost tours! Opinion stated. Okay, I'm done. Now on to the review.
Mark Spencer has written an interesting book with a lot of answers to questions the locals of Monticello, Arkansas have harboured for years. There is no doubt that many of the facts he relayed have quieted curious minds in the area.
I didn't think this was a bad book at all. I appreciated that the author did not embellish everything to the tenth power and make the "hauntings" so unbelievable that the book seemed silly. I felt he was pretty down to earth about their various experiences there and really got the impression that he cared about the lives of the former owners as well.
The book is written in an easy going and conversational style that made it a quick and rather enjoyable read. His filling in of the gaps in between the letters between Ladell and her love interest were handled with charm.
What I did find, whilst reading this book, was that the author seemed to lose himself in his own feelings for the house and the past tenants occasionally, perhaps forgetting that we are not all in the same situation. Often times, the letters and his impressions of them came up a bit dry. I also thought it was interesting that he added his own speculation to the reason for the suicide of Ladell. The letters did not exactly confirm her reasoning and I found it a bit of a jump for the author to do so.
I felt closer to this tale than some others, as much of the letters have to do with being separated from someone you love, a feeling I know well.
Overall I thought this was good writing and an interesting inside look at one of "the most haunted houses" in America. If you enjoy ghost stories and are looking for something that will offer a glimpse of history at the same time, this would be a good one to pick up.
Mark Spencer has written an interesting book with a lot of answers to questions the locals of Monticello, Arkansas have harboured for years. There is no doubt that many of the facts he relayed have quieted curious minds in the area.
I didn't think this was a bad book at all. I appreciated that the author did not embellish everything to the tenth power and make the "hauntings" so unbelievable that the book seemed silly. I felt he was pretty down to earth about their various experiences there and really got the impression that he cared about the lives of the former owners as well.
The book is written in an easy going and conversational style that made it a quick and rather enjoyable read. His filling in of the gaps in between the letters between Ladell and her love interest were handled with charm.
What I did find, whilst reading this book, was that the author seemed to lose himself in his own feelings for the house and the past tenants occasionally, perhaps forgetting that we are not all in the same situation. Often times, the letters and his impressions of them came up a bit dry. I also thought it was interesting that he added his own speculation to the reason for the suicide of Ladell. The letters did not exactly confirm her reasoning and I found it a bit of a jump for the author to do so.
I felt closer to this tale than some others, as much of the letters have to do with being separated from someone you love, a feeling I know well.
Overall I thought this was good writing and an interesting inside look at one of "the most haunted houses" in America. If you enjoy ghost stories and are looking for something that will offer a glimpse of history at the same time, this would be a good one to pick up.
February 8, 2017
Deserves 5 stars for sure.
I truly enjoyed this book. Very interesting. This is the true story of The Allen House in Arkansas. Its full of the kind of thing I wish I could do with my own Victorian home. Pulling up boards and finding hidden stash or treasures from decades before. Finding out who lived in the home previously, what was the home like back then when all things were new.
A couple move into an old Victorian, the home is known on one paranormal list as the MOST HAUNTED HOUSE IN AMERICA. Though upon moving in the couple are not aware of that fact but do hear snippets from towns folk as well as the owner they are purchasing it through, that the house has "stories" and is chock full of ghosts.
This book is the owners attempt at putting together, using facts, and found items hidden throughout the house, upon why the ghosts are haunting the place. Though some people in the country are angry at what the owner does and some are thrilled to find something new to whisper about concerning the well known "haunted Allen house".
I really loved hearing all of the mischievous antics preformed by the spooks that reside at the Allen House.
I deff recommend to ghost hunters and lovers alike.
I truly enjoyed this book. Very interesting. This is the true story of The Allen House in Arkansas. Its full of the kind of thing I wish I could do with my own Victorian home. Pulling up boards and finding hidden stash or treasures from decades before. Finding out who lived in the home previously, what was the home like back then when all things were new.
A couple move into an old Victorian, the home is known on one paranormal list as the MOST HAUNTED HOUSE IN AMERICA. Though upon moving in the couple are not aware of that fact but do hear snippets from towns folk as well as the owner they are purchasing it through, that the house has "stories" and is chock full of ghosts.
This book is the owners attempt at putting together, using facts, and found items hidden throughout the house, upon why the ghosts are haunting the place. Though some people in the country are angry at what the owner does and some are thrilled to find something new to whisper about concerning the well known "haunted Allen house".
I really loved hearing all of the mischievous antics preformed by the spooks that reside at the Allen House.
I deff recommend to ghost hunters and lovers alike.
July 13, 2012
Awful, simply awful. The only good parts of the book were the touching letters that were "found" by the author. I don't believe a jot of the story. It was contrived around the letters written by the original owners of the house.
The book is an advertisement for the tours the author and his wife offer to the public. Throughout the book, the reader is told that people are constantly arriving at his house to see inside. He complains about the intrusion and insists that this is a private residence. I thought this was a bit too much protestation, so I googled Allen House, only to find that tours are offered for $10 per person ($5 per child)!
The photos of the house are lovely. Professors must get paid a great deal in order for him to afford this house....or perhaps, tours pay better.
Skip this book, unless you are looking for a place to take a "ghost" tour.
The book is an advertisement for the tours the author and his wife offer to the public. Throughout the book, the reader is told that people are constantly arriving at his house to see inside. He complains about the intrusion and insists that this is a private residence. I thought this was a bit too much protestation, so I googled Allen House, only to find that tours are offered for $10 per person ($5 per child)!
The photos of the house are lovely. Professors must get paid a great deal in order for him to afford this house....or perhaps, tours pay better.
Skip this book, unless you are looking for a place to take a "ghost" tour.
February 13, 2012
I was disappointed in this book, mostly because it wasn't what I was expecting. I was expecting a drama-filled ghost story with a scandalous love story revealed. Instead it was a dry auto-biography of Mark Spencer's time owning the Allen House and the very mild ghost encounters he has while living there (for 1/2 the book he's in denial that his house is actually haunted). Not horrible, but not very entertaining either.
December 25, 2012
This book was my sacrificial lamb. I just read the most amazing, beautifully written piece of literature (A Winter's Tale) and I knew whatever I read next would pale in comparison. Since the paranormal is my guilty pleasure and I didn't have high expectations I went with this. It was ok. I finished it. Quick, amusing read if you're intrigued by the supernatural.
January 22, 2013
This book seemed extremely fake. The only thing that seemed real were the letters the author found. He seemed to fill in the blanks as to what he thought happened. It was an ok book. Very sad book but I didn't feel as if I could connect to the characters. The letters were interesting but just not enough to give this book a better rating.
May 2, 2012
Mark Spencer's "A Haunted Love Story: The Ghosts of the Allen House" is not quite your typical horror/ghost story. The tale is part autobiographical & part non-fiction as he explores the history of the famous Allen House in Monticello, Arkansas which he himself has lived in for the past 5 years. There is a nice mixture of the struggles he had obtaining the house & also of trying to fend off people who wanted to visit this haunted residence. However, the gem in the tale is the story that leads to why the house is haunted. Spencer does an above average job with that piece of the tale & also includes pictures of the actual Allen House where he resides. This is definitely not your average book on a lot of different genres & is also something quite enjoyable to read whether you're looking for a good ghost story or love story, this book is worth the money.
September 24, 2014
A Haunted Love Story: The Ghosts of the Allen House is a well-written, fast-paced read. I was already familiar with the basics of the Allen house "haunting" from watching a television show a couple of years ago but really appreciated the more in-depth historical research done by author Mark Spencer (a university professor and current owner of the Allen house).
I especially enjoyed the inclusion of the correspondence of Ladell Allen Bonner (who attempted suicide shortly after Christmas 1948 and died January 1949). Spencer did an admirable job fleshing out the crucial few months of Ladell's last summer and autumn using the information culled from those letters (pairing his imagination with a bit of reading between-the-lines). A very tragic story . . .
I especially enjoyed the inclusion of the correspondence of Ladell Allen Bonner (who attempted suicide shortly after Christmas 1948 and died January 1949). Spencer did an admirable job fleshing out the crucial few months of Ladell's last summer and autumn using the information culled from those letters (pairing his imagination with a bit of reading between-the-lines). A very tragic story . . .
September 8, 2013
The beginning the of this book is very interesting, concerning the initial haunting and all they discover in the house. Then, after discovering some letters, the author decides to put together a whole love story fabricating and adding to what he "assumes" is missing in the letters. Thats when he lost me. He could be right as to how the love affair went, but he also could be adding feelings etc that were not there. How would anyone know. It was ok.
November 12, 2014
I was expecting more about the activity in the house, not exactly a history lesson of the family, although the letters and the affair were a nice touch.
May 18, 2016
Let's just say that I hope all the sales of his book pay for all the renovations on his house. When your wife and kids are being possessed it's time to rethink your real estate market.
February 18, 2018
I'm glad I finally read this book. What a very neat story about homeowners buying a haunted house and not only learning to live with their ghosts, but discovering the stories of their lives...and possible cause of the suicide in at least one of the ghost's cases. The writing was such a great blend of personal experiences mixed with history. It took me forever to pick this book up (because I had been gifted it and at first thought it was fiction; didn't think I'd like the non-fiction), but I'm so glad I did. It was a fast read that sucked me in.
May 6, 2024
Oops, I didn't know this was supposed to be a non-fiction. I tried to read it as a fiction, but it definitely isn't written that way (i.e. not very well done). I still found the author's experiences in the house interesting, but unfortunately not so much the story of the previous inhabitants (mainly the letters). The house looks gorgeous though, and I'm sure the b/w photos inside plus the cover that through a 2024 lens looks like AI doesn't do it justice. The book also mentions The Scent of Lilacs by Carolyn Wilson / Schisler which is based on the house, that might be a better read.
January 21, 2018
Straightforward as a documentary, this book convinces the reader that ghosts do indeed inhabit the Allen house. The weight of evidence is undeniable, and Spencer's tone allows us to accept incredible events with calm. Loved that quality of the book.
January 23, 2020
A lite history or biography of a house with a ghost story attached. Spencer loving tells the story of Allen House offering a history of the buildings, community it sits in and residence past and present (some blurred lines on that one). It's earnest, straight reporting of the lives of those who lived in the house, may still reside in the house and his family's experience since taking up residence there themselves.
Picked it up for a book on a haunted house, got a love story. Though I should have anticipated that I guess. It is beautifully written but not the story I was looking for.
Picked it up for a book on a haunted house, got a love story. Though I should have anticipated that I guess. It is beautifully written but not the story I was looking for.
July 12, 2012
When I found this book in the nonfiction section of the library, I immediately picked it up out of curiosity and skepticism. Hauntings, ghosts, and a super creepy house on the cover? This has got to be a joke.
But Mark Spencer does a brilliant job pulling the reader into his story and establishing trust with his honest voice. Only after explaining how he and his wife came to own the house does he begin to recount stories of weird sightings. The entire family can vouch for the fact that they saw a woman in an upstairs window. Many unexplained sightings occur - for instance, the author and his wife see their son downstairs, only to discover that he has been upstairs all day. The book is riddled with examples of similar circumstances that his family, friends, and strangers attest to experiencing. Spencer tells these facts in a way that draws the reader into the mystery and truly makes them believe him.
In addition to recounting the hauntings, Spencer goes on to explain exactly who haunts the house. He researches historical records and discovers artifacts in the home, eventually discovering - a hundred years later - why one of the house's inhabitants committed suicide. The story that unfolds keeps you turning the pages, but begins to lose momentum in the last couple chapters.
This was an easy read that should be read with some suspension of disbelief. I was especially skeptical of the paranormal investigators. They would ask questions and use devices to pick up ghostly answers. Spencer would put these answers into context and attribute them to certain Allen ghosts. Being a good story-teller, Spencer could come up with an explanation for anything. I do think some of this was his invention, but it was still a very entertaining read for anyone looking for something a little different.
But Mark Spencer does a brilliant job pulling the reader into his story and establishing trust with his honest voice. Only after explaining how he and his wife came to own the house does he begin to recount stories of weird sightings. The entire family can vouch for the fact that they saw a woman in an upstairs window. Many unexplained sightings occur - for instance, the author and his wife see their son downstairs, only to discover that he has been upstairs all day. The book is riddled with examples of similar circumstances that his family, friends, and strangers attest to experiencing. Spencer tells these facts in a way that draws the reader into the mystery and truly makes them believe him.
In addition to recounting the hauntings, Spencer goes on to explain exactly who haunts the house. He researches historical records and discovers artifacts in the home, eventually discovering - a hundred years later - why one of the house's inhabitants committed suicide. The story that unfolds keeps you turning the pages, but begins to lose momentum in the last couple chapters.
This was an easy read that should be read with some suspension of disbelief. I was especially skeptical of the paranormal investigators. They would ask questions and use devices to pick up ghostly answers. Spencer would put these answers into context and attribute them to certain Allen ghosts. Being a good story-teller, Spencer could come up with an explanation for anything. I do think some of this was his invention, but it was still a very entertaining read for anyone looking for something a little different.
February 1, 2013
This little story was pretty good--better than I expected. It's the nonfiction account of a family that willingly moves into a haunted house. At first Mark and his wife scoffed at the stories about hauntings but they eventually became believers. In addition to their own personal anecdotes of seeing and hearing unusual things, they have accounts from ghost investigators who tried to use science to prove the existence of ghosts in the house.
I was already a believer. I lived in a haunted apartment a few years ago where the friendly resident ghost would turn on the oven, set my VCR clock, and move the bookmarks in my books (I like to think she was reading them). Yes, it could have been one of my multiple personalities or a creepy person who lived in the attic, but it wasn't. And it was the same with the Spencer family: they could try to explain things away but after a while, the only reasonable explanation was that their house was haunted. Luckily the ghosts were friendly.
Eventually the family found some old letters in the attic and at least one of the ghost stories was uncovered. Ladell Allen had an affair with a married man and, when he wouldn't leave his wife, she committed suicide. The author is very sympathetic and keeps talking about this being the great love and great disappointment of Ladell's life. I was far less sympathetic and thought that perhaps if she hadn't fallen in love with and had an affair with a married man, she wouldn't have been quite so disappointed. I found Ladell's afterlife much more interesting than her life on earth. Not only did she remain behind to haunt a house, she appears to have convinced her parents and her son to haunt it with her.
The book was short and sweet, not a compelling page-turner but one to fill the time between other books.
I was already a believer. I lived in a haunted apartment a few years ago where the friendly resident ghost would turn on the oven, set my VCR clock, and move the bookmarks in my books (I like to think she was reading them). Yes, it could have been one of my multiple personalities or a creepy person who lived in the attic, but it wasn't. And it was the same with the Spencer family: they could try to explain things away but after a while, the only reasonable explanation was that their house was haunted. Luckily the ghosts were friendly.
Eventually the family found some old letters in the attic and at least one of the ghost stories was uncovered. Ladell Allen had an affair with a married man and, when he wouldn't leave his wife, she committed suicide. The author is very sympathetic and keeps talking about this being the great love and great disappointment of Ladell's life. I was far less sympathetic and thought that perhaps if she hadn't fallen in love with and had an affair with a married man, she wouldn't have been quite so disappointed. I found Ladell's afterlife much more interesting than her life on earth. Not only did she remain behind to haunt a house, she appears to have convinced her parents and her son to haunt it with her.
The book was short and sweet, not a compelling page-turner but one to fill the time between other books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 25, 2017
“A Haunted Love Story” is about a well-known site in Monticello, Arkansas with requests to see it off the charts. Tickets were wise; only the properly interested would go. This did not turn out to be the extraordinarily mystical story I anticipated, not hitting five stars for a few reasons. Of course the family can't help that a spirit didn't walk up to them and talk. Paranormal things certainly occurred from the beginning; events that must have been scary. What I can critique is the style in which this tableau was presented. It opened with an engaging first person narrative, describing 2006 to 2008.
Finding a wealth of letters should have been an electric moment. Mark had alluded to it too much and this comprised the synopsis. It was Rebecca and one son who had memorable experiences. They might have made more emotional authors. Enjoyment was high until the investigations, with compelling electronic-voice-phenomena results. This book did do better than relate a few events or investigations but I disliked the way Mark spun Ladell's private story. He pondered that the lovers might have said this or that, instead of transcribing, or giving a story to the lovers. I found nothing to them but an attraction!
Mark did not convey a thunderous public reaction to the letters and handled something else bizarrely. When authoress Carolyn Wilson hosted a high school reunion and signing at her one-time boarding house; he didn't highlight a reaction to it. I especially can't fathom why Mark did not identify her 2007 book, not even as a credit! It is hard to look-up gothic authors and there was no help via her husband's and son's names either. He named the novel everyone knows but avoided giving her new book a plug. I couldn't help finding that rude.
Finding a wealth of letters should have been an electric moment. Mark had alluded to it too much and this comprised the synopsis. It was Rebecca and one son who had memorable experiences. They might have made more emotional authors. Enjoyment was high until the investigations, with compelling electronic-voice-phenomena results. This book did do better than relate a few events or investigations but I disliked the way Mark spun Ladell's private story. He pondered that the lovers might have said this or that, instead of transcribing, or giving a story to the lovers. I found nothing to them but an attraction!
Mark did not convey a thunderous public reaction to the letters and handled something else bizarrely. When authoress Carolyn Wilson hosted a high school reunion and signing at her one-time boarding house; he didn't highlight a reaction to it. I especially can't fathom why Mark did not identify her 2007 book, not even as a credit! It is hard to look-up gothic authors and there was no help via her husband's and son's names either. He named the novel everyone knows but avoided giving her new book a plug. I couldn't help finding that rude.
September 11, 2014
I love Arkansas, and I love ghost stories, so when I saw this book I just had to read it. (Bear in mind that this is nonfiction!) The author, Mark Spencer, and his wife Rebecca bought the infamous Allen House in Monticello, Arkansas, knowing that it was rumored to be haunted. Mark, especially, never believed the rumors until they had lived there for a year, and he couldn't come up with reasonable explanations for the many odd occurrences in the house.
The book covers the Spencer family's paranormal experiences while living in Allen House, and it also gives an intriguing history of the property and its first residents. The author's account was straightforward, and I wouldn't say the book was scary, but a few of the ghostly happenings he described gave me chills. For example, he and his wife would see their son Jacob playing downstairs, when actually he was upstairs in his room. Mind you, Jacob is very much alive, but paranormal investigators explained that the spirits were channeling his energy so they looked like him. Creepy.
At the heart of the book is the mysterious suicide of Ladell Allen in 1948, and the secret love letters to Ladell that the author found in the attic. I enjoy reading vintage correspondence (especially love notes!), though I can't say the Allen House letters were too exciting. I suppose they did suggest a reason to why she ended it all, but they weren't as riveting as I'd hoped.
A HAUNTED LOVE STORY is the first "true haunting" book I've read, and it has made me curious about others in this genre. If I'm ever as far south as Monticello, I will definitely swing by and take a peek at the spooky Allen House. Apparently the Spencer family still lives there - they're braver than I am!
The book covers the Spencer family's paranormal experiences while living in Allen House, and it also gives an intriguing history of the property and its first residents. The author's account was straightforward, and I wouldn't say the book was scary, but a few of the ghostly happenings he described gave me chills. For example, he and his wife would see their son Jacob playing downstairs, when actually he was upstairs in his room. Mind you, Jacob is very much alive, but paranormal investigators explained that the spirits were channeling his energy so they looked like him. Creepy.
At the heart of the book is the mysterious suicide of Ladell Allen in 1948, and the secret love letters to Ladell that the author found in the attic. I enjoy reading vintage correspondence (especially love notes!), though I can't say the Allen House letters were too exciting. I suppose they did suggest a reason to why she ended it all, but they weren't as riveting as I'd hoped.
A HAUNTED LOVE STORY is the first "true haunting" book I've read, and it has made me curious about others in this genre. If I'm ever as far south as Monticello, I will definitely swing by and take a peek at the spooky Allen House. Apparently the Spencer family still lives there - they're braver than I am!
September 4, 2015
Mark Spencer, his wife, Rebecca, and their three children moved into the Allen House in Monticello, Arkansas in 2007. Mark could definitely be termed a skeptic about all things paranormal, but gradually even he ran out of excuses and explanations for the happenings in the house. Drawn into the history of the famously "haunted" house, Mark & Rebecca became well-versed in the history of the family that built and so loved the house. While to date Mark has not found the money supposedly hidden inside, he did find the love letters left behind by Ladell Allen Bonner, who committed suicide in the master bedroom suite of the house on December 25, 1948, while the annual Christmas party given by her mother was going on downstairs. She suffered a long and painful death, finally passing on January 2, 1949. The discovery of her hidden letters finally gave a reason for her drastic departure from life. Includes many black and white pictures of the house.
A fascinating story of a woman whose life-long search for love ends in misery and tragedy. If you are not a believer in ghosts, this book just might persuade you otherwise--either way, it is an intriguing look into the history of a famous house and a charming family that worked to bring it back to its former glory.
A fascinating story of a woman whose life-long search for love ends in misery and tragedy. If you are not a believer in ghosts, this book just might persuade you otherwise--either way, it is an intriguing look into the history of a famous house and a charming family that worked to bring it back to its former glory.
October 10, 2013
Anyone in Southeastern Arkansas knows about the Allen House and the ghost, Ladell. This book is about the family who moved into the old house and discovered Ladell's story, the reason behind her suicide after 50+ years.
As a person who has visited the Allen House on numerous occasions, I can say that this does a great job at describing the journey the Spencer family takes in purchasing the house and trying to not only restore it to its former glory, but provide Ladell with some relief at finally having her story told.
For those that want to learn more about the home, The Allen House has it's very own facebook page.
As a person who has visited the Allen House on numerous occasions, I can say that this does a great job at describing the journey the Spencer family takes in purchasing the house and trying to not only restore it to its former glory, but provide Ladell with some relief at finally having her story told.
For those that want to learn more about the home, The Allen House has it's very own facebook page.
November 14, 2013
I liked the beginning of the story. I like reading about haunted houses and the experiences people have in them. After the author found the love letters in the attic, I lost interest. The letters just were not that interesting. The people involved in the letters didn't live lives that were very interesting. I was expecting a good mystery, haunted house, love story, of how the ghosts couldn't move on. It just wasn't here. The Allen family didn't hold my interest and there wasn't enough ghostly tales here to keep me wanting to read. I am sure the house is lovely and interesting, but the story itself, sadly, is not. My only recommendation is don't waste your time.
May 26, 2018
Spooktacular!
I enjoyed this book!! What made this story so great was being non-fiction! I loved that the owner of the Allen House is who wrote this book and he did excellent research. I love that Rebecca is a witch because I am, so when she sent her intention out to the universe. She manifested indeed! As much as I enjoyed this reading, at the same time it's incredibly a sad love story. A book with much grief due to death. Death of life over and death of love. Absolutely love the pictures included. Thank you Mr Spencer for sharing Ladelle's real story plus your home in so many ways.
I enjoyed this book!! What made this story so great was being non-fiction! I loved that the owner of the Allen House is who wrote this book and he did excellent research. I love that Rebecca is a witch because I am, so when she sent her intention out to the universe. She manifested indeed! As much as I enjoyed this reading, at the same time it's incredibly a sad love story. A book with much grief due to death. Death of life over and death of love. Absolutely love the pictures included. Thank you Mr Spencer for sharing Ladelle's real story plus your home in so many ways.
April 25, 2012
I didn't realize this book was non-fiction when I borrowed it from the library. I'm not usually a fan of this type of non-fiction, but was easily pulled in with the honesty in which the author wrote this book. It is not just full of unexplained happenings! There is a wonderful history of the house, the people who lived in the house before left lots of trinkets and information hidden. Amazing story to unfold, and always makes me wish to find such things in my house....just without the ghosts would be fine with me!!
March 24, 2015
Mark Spencer and his family move into a 1906 mansion despite it being voted the "most haunted house in America." Though scoffing at all things paranormal, Mark and his wife experience enough strange happenings that they are convinced that their house is indeed haunted. The historical background and discoveries are interesting but the writing is of poor quality and off-putting. It also drives me crazy when people have their pet theories and then must shove reality into these compartments to make it all work. Stick with the facts.
January 27, 2014
I had this book on my Kindle for a while before reading it, but one day I caught A Haunting on TV and it was about the Allen House. I really liked the story, but I'm not quite sure how much I believe. The story of Ladell was my favorite part of the book. If you want a spooky haunted house story though that is not what this is. It is more of a history of the house than the ghosts that "live" there.
January 27, 2012
Very well written book. I enjoyed the story about the house, the family that live there. I really enjoyed the love story of Ladell and her life. It helps out immensely that I'm going to investigate it this weekend and looking so forward to it!!! Must read if you like ghosts, paranormal & forgotten loves.
May 5, 2012
Currently reading this wonderful book that is set in my hometown Of Monticello Arkansas.Wonderful History of the Allen Family. Ladell Allen Bonner committed suicide and No one knew what her reason was until Spencer family moves in and Mark the owner is lead to a spot in the attic where he recover over 8o pieces of mail that Ladell hid .
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