Haunted: The Ghost Stories and Folklore of the British Isles

by E. Jay Gilbert

304 pages, Paperback

Published September 11, 2025

Reviews

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

really enjoyed!! loved the personal narrative alongside the research throughout made it really interesting !! would recommend

[Ashleigh · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really sorry to say this, but I found this book very disappointing. A lot of the stories were anticlimactic and just plain boring, and I disagreed with the author's assumption that the reason why people are interested in ghost stories is because we want to know how experiencing supernatural events makes people feel, rather than the backstory behind who the 'ghost' might be and any nefarious events that might have led to them haunting people/places. I skimmed a lot of it, but to be fair I should have done a bit more research before buying this because I wasn't expecting it to have so much commentary outside of the ghost stories themselves. I did enjoy the section on White Ladies though, and the image of 19th century workers digging through plague pits to build the London underground is one that will stay with me for a long time, especially as I'm whizzing along the Northern line on my way to work!

[Maaike Homans · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun and interesting little book. Besides the entertaining ghost stories, it mainly explores what ghost stories do to people and how similar kinds of ghost tales can be found all over the world. They bring people together, whether through fear of a haunting or through a sense of connection to a ghost that has been part of their community for years. An enjoyable read, whether you believe in ghosts or not.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite fascinating comparing ghost folklore from around the world and the similarities that crop up. I particularly liked the section about the London Underground. I’ll make sure I’m not on the last train home!

[Laura Pantling · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have marked this book as read, because i have read it all, bar 30 pages. I just know I am not going to fully finish it. But I didnt feel like there was so much left that it early fit into DNF, so do what you will with that info. Also, In my fiction book reviews I have very clear sections. I am still working out what they are in non fiction, so bear with me.
Anyway...

The plot/what I learnt

So I got this book because I had just finished another non fiction called 'The Pirate's Code', which was very good but very heavy. I wanted something light and breezy, and i love spooky things, so a book about people's real life ghost stories with a bit of local history seemed like a good palate cleanser. This book is not that. It is very heavy on the history and light on the 'peoples ghost stories'. I think this is more of a case where it just wasnt what I was looking for at the time, but I will say that the title and tagline and synposis of the book is very misleading. Also, some of the ghost stories that are featured are barely spooky. I am not scared by someone thinking they saw a person but then they didnt (i am being deliberately vague as to not spoil). Due to that, I just feel like all the context and history that sometimes lead to bland stories as not worth it.
There were stories and history that was interesting, like the Tommy knockers, but I just felt like I was reading the history and context as quickly as I could, to get to a story that was dissapointing.

The writing.
The writing was detailed, questioning and descriptive. It was also very heavy. I would not call this a light read. There is a lot of information, and we jump from place to place, so there is alot of non connecting information that you are given. The writer/stars clearly have a a passion for history and preserving heritage, and this is shown on the page. It was just not what I was looking for


Summary
If you are looking for a book that gives more insight to niche history and folklore culture, this is your book. If you want ghost stories from a variety of narrators, this is not it. I was sadly in the latter camp, so didnt get what's wanted from this book. That being said, the writing contains alot of passion and detail, and can see the audience for it, if it was marketed correctly.

[Nicole Dunn · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit more analytical than I was expecting but I really did enjoy the wide variety of stories. My favourites were the tommyknocker’s and the haunted London Underground but there were many more that I enjoyed. You don’t need to have a thorough knowledge of British history or geography to enjoy this and appreciate the wide variety of folklore and hauntings of the British Isles.

[Emma Rosen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating exploration of ghost stories and superstitions. I loved the blend of historical contexts and personal stories. Fascinating

[Katie Deacon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’d give this more of a 3.5 ⭐, I found myself skimming a few of the chapters looking for the actual stories. Props for most of it being local to me though!

[Kelly Wolfe · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book read more like a collection of uncomfortable, but very explainable, situations that people in the author’s town have experienced rather than an exploration of Britain’s folklore.