Haunted Wisconsin: Ghosts and Strange Phenomena of the Badger State

Stackpole Haunted Series

by Linda S. Godfrey

Wisconsin's leading authority on the paranormal presents strange stories from around the state, from witches in the Wisconsin Dells to spirits in the State Capitol. Readers will encounter Kenosha's Headless Nun, the Man Bat of Lacrosse, Rocky the Rock Lake Monster, and John Dillinger's phantom. They will explore Aztalan's ancient mounds, the ghostly bars and taverns of Madison and Milwaukee, and the creepy town of Caryville, one of the most haunted places in America.

Genres: Nonfiction, Paranormal, Monsters, Historical, History

130 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 3, 2010

Reviews

[Sherri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spooky tales and urban legends from across Wisconsin. The book is divided into geographical regions with sections of Madison and Milwaukee specifically. However, not a lot in Central or Eastern part of the state. Each story is short; allotting 1-4 pages for each. This could give you a to do list to visit rural areas, taverns, cemeteries, and universities. This would make a nice bathroom reader for the month of October :)

[Suzi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was very disappointed this book did not include haunts in Lake Geneva. The Geneva theater, the Maxwell mansion, the Baker House, Black Point estate, the cemeteries from the 1800's & "underground" Lake Geneva which had tunnels in shop basements on Main street. You can take a "ghost walk" in the fall to learn the history of some of these areas or look them up online. If these had been included this would have been 5 stars.

[Erin Henze · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ Normally when I read these ghosty books, I assume it’s going to be pretty bad but still fun to read. This one stands out bc it’s actually well written. THIS is what these supernatural books should be. The author has done tons of research, both historical and modern, and it all shows up in this book.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the Beast of Bray Road to the witches of Whitewater, Linda S. Godfrey covers a wide variety of supernatural tales and sightings from every region in the state of Wisconsin. If you are looking for a light read and are interested in the supernatural, Haunted Wisconsin is definitely a book I would recommend, whether you’re from Wisconsin or not.

This book is broken up into chapters by region or city with one- to three-page descriptions of each supernatural tale. Godfrey is thorough in her research, compiling information from print sources as well as personally gathered knowledge through her own travels and interviews with witnesses. The stories and witness accounts are still told with a hint of skepticism, so although they are tales of the supernatural, they do not seem ridiculously outlandish.

Throughout the book, I could tell that the author is from Wisconsin and did visit these places around the state through how much detail is included as well as what details are focused on. This gives the book a more personal feel, since I am from Wisconsin and know so many of these places and recognize the details mentioned. Godfrey is also excellent at featuring unique hauntings and supernatural occurrences so it never gets repetitive, and it is overall well-written and enjoyable reading material.

The only issue I had with certain parts of this book is that Godfrey often switches between first-person and third-person narration, which threw me off and interrupted the flow until I just got used to it. Overall, this doesn’t really disrupt the book that much, and I still greatly enjoyed the whole of it. Godfrey shows a great respect for the state and the history contained in each region.


Review can also be viewed on my book review blog: https://swimmingthroughliterature.wor...

[Nicole Bannister · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed everything about this book there was nothing I didn't like about the book.I would reread this again.

[William Hogan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Linda Godfrey. She is a Midwestern treasure.

These classic haunts make great tales for the campfire.

[Rissa The Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It had a lot of good stories that reflect the history of Wisconsin.

[Erin Jewell · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5: expected a little more out to this but was fun to see some of the places I’ve been to made the book. Next time I’ll be paying closer attention

[Chy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of spooky stories!

[Big H · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute & quick read--nothing comprehensive, but it gives a general idea about the more famous hauntings & folklore of the state.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome. Love reading about the Badger state.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read a lot of Haunted Wisconsin books, so I had to check this one out. I was pleasantly surprised to find a lot of stories I had not heard before! Highly recommend

[Wilhelmena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book, the down side I did not like a certain section in the end I lost my appetite.