The Haunting of Asylum 49: Chilling Tales of Aggressive Spirits, Phantom Doctors, and the Secret of Room 666

by Richard Estep, Cami Andersen

Everybody loves a good scare at Halloween, but visitors to most "haunted houses" know the most frightening things are just actors in monster makeup and spooky special effects. Deep down, we all know that the ghostly inhabitants are fake......except at Asylum 49.This unassuming former medical facility outside Salt Lake City stands next to a graveyard and is home to a full-contact Halloween haunt with a the ghosts are all too real, and they are very willing to interact with the living. Hundreds of staff members, customers, and ghost hunters have encountered them firsthand over the years.Join paranormal investigator Richard Estep and Asylum 49 owner Cami Andersen for a behind-the-scenes insider tour of one of the world's most haunted hospitals. Meet the ghostly children who like to tease unsuspecting visitors and the angry ER doctor who insists on things being done his way...or else. Explore the maze, home to a malicious dark entity named "The Guardian," and meet Jeremy, who died of severe burns and whose appearances are heralded by the smell of lingering smoke. These and the many other restless spirits have their own stories to tell, their own reasons for continuing to haunt the darkened rooms and shadowy hallways.And they are very eager to meet you....

Genres: Nonfiction, Paranormal

192 pages, Paperback

Published August 22, 2016

About the author

I'm a 48-year-old child who has no plans to ever actually grow up.

I make my living as a paramedic, clinical educator, for a busy hospital system and work as a street medic in a 911 system.

In my free time, I serve as the director of the Boulder County Paranormal Research Society, and investigate claims of haunted properties, people, and objects on both sides of the Atlantic. I love to read, particularly SF/Fantasy, history and historical fiction, the paranormal, and basically anything that piques my interest. I appear on the TV shows Haunted Hospitals, Paranormal 911, Paranormal Night Shift, Haunted Case Files, and several others.

I am an avid video gamer, table-top gamer, and love to build Lego. My wife and I are the proud humans of five adopted rescue cats and one smelly but adorable dog.

Reviews

[Audrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Andersens bought the old Tooele Valley Hospital (in Tooele, Utah—“Too-ILL-uh”) after its 50-year run and converted it into a haunted house attraction that they named Asylum 49. But the place is haunted by real spirits, and the Andersens and others have joined them to investigate who these spirits are. The book pretty much goes room by room and describes the weird things people have seen or heard or felt there.

It’s pretty interesting if you like paranormal accounts.
It has a number of typos.



Find more on their website: https://www.asylum49.com

Language: Some lewd language; strong language censored
Sexual Content: None
Violence/Gore: Violent pasts for some ghosts
Harm to Animals: None
Harm to Children: spirits of children seen; children died of illness and accidental gunshots
Other (Triggers): ghosts, hauntings

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book before I went to the location for an investigation and am so glad I did. This author writes to entertain, but never at the expense of the departed. I've had the honor of investigating with him and he treats each location with respect and dignity.

[Jay Varrow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just finished this awesome read. I've always wanted to go to Asylum 49 & after reading this it just exacerbated the desire. Reading about a week-long investigation over the Halloween season & the activity that was recorded just makes me want to book a flight to Utah. Sometimes you read a book written by someone who reads testimonials and has interviews from people who were there but this one takes you into the thick of the action from someone who was there when everything went down. If you're interested in the paranormal and haunted hospitals this is the book for you.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a nice fast read. Loved hearing stories about the haunting at this old asylum. Makes me wish I could go there one day and investigate it myself.

[Chris Webber · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fluff. If you are going to write a book about the supernatural experience and you use technology equipment to ascertain said supernatural experience, show me some pics please. Stories just don't cut it for this skeptic.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about Asylum 49, previously the Tooele Valley Hospital, and the spirits that dwell there.
This is one of the few books I have read that are focused on just the one haunted site. I really enjoyed this aspect because there is a lot of detailed information on the past of the site.
The book went through each haunted room/area of Asylum 49 and described the spirits that roamed thee and the evidence that has been collected within the room/area. I found this to be really atmospheric and because it went into detail, it was really creepy.
This has to be one of my favourite paranormal books because it was written with a lot of respect towards the spirits- it was acknowledged several times that these were real people who had actually lived and passed away that had families who loved them and missed them...that they were just like us. They deserved respect and understanding. You could tell that the owners of Asylum 49 really care about finding out the past if the building and the back stories of the spirits.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating account of Asylum 49's varied lingering inhabitants. I didn't like it quite as much as his other books I've read - co-written with the haunt's owner, it was written in third person which somehow just distanced the intrigue for me, as opposed to the sense of sitting with someone and having them tell you the tales of what they've been through personally. The Asylum, however, has an intense list of ghosts and paranormal encounters, from orbs to full-bodied, nigh tangible apparitions, many of whom they know the names and stories of from hospital records.

One disappointment is that many mentions are made of photographs and EVPs but very little of these (the photos anyway) are offered in the book. This was remedied somewhat as a website is provided at the end, but it still was not comprehensive and not the most user-friendly. I suppose they have to save something for the paying ghost-hunters and tours (I fully intend to pay a visit sometime), but it meant the book didn't pack the same punch.

Still a very fun, creepy read.

[Cheri Schaefer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm very much addicted to Richard Estep's books!

By far my favorite hauntings documentary author! I've read every one of this author's hauntings documentary books and have totally enjoyed each one. He's truly gifted in being able to describe all scenarios that you feel as if you're right there with him in the investigations. I'm always anxious to see what places he'll be investigating next. Sure wish he would do some in St. Augustine!!!!

[Christine Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was awesome! I enjoyed reading about new (at least to me) techniques used to try to make contact with the other side. I enjoyed reading about the in depth investigations and what some of the outcomes were. Anyone who enjoys reading books on ghost hunts and investigations around them should read this. Very well done!

[The Life of a Kindle Girlie. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually really enjoyed this story. It definitely made me think about a lot of things and had my heart racing towards the end. It lost a star only because it had a bit of a slow start and there was a moment where I almost gave up on it but really wanted to give it a chance. It won me over in the end. Good little read

[Wendy Schindler · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a great book by Richard Estep and Cami Anderson!
It was concise in its recalling of personal experiences and anecdotal as well so as to really capture the reader's attention.
I highly recommend it!

[Corrie Brookhouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love that the entire book was based on one location rather than many. If showcases personal experiences from the asylum from investigators as well as customers from the haunt itself. It definitely draws you there and I cant wait to someday get there myself.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of ghostly fun!

[Bevany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having grown up down the street from the hospital and an ex employee from the nursing home it was fun to read these stories. I hope they can investigate and tell stories from the nursing home side!

[Bobbi Wylezik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Asylum 49

Awesome as usual! I love these books. I do believe asylum49 has bought the rest of the hospital. Please go back on do more investigating

[Dom · Rating 1 out of 5]

dumbest shit I've ever read.
gotta give it up for the owners of the haunted hospital though, this is a great marketing gimmick

[Jim Sturgill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scary fun!

This is a great exploration of both history and haunting, filled with heart and a genuine interest in the lives and afterlife touched by Asylum 49.

[Katrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick easy read.
Enjoyed reading the stories in this book, especially since I have watched the Ghost Adventures episode at this location. Within the stories there is good information / tips for those interested in doing paranormal investigating on do’s and don’ts. The book documents most of the rooms in the Asylum and the experiences encountered by staff, owners, visitors and investigators. Pictures of some rooms in the Asylum are included in the book but it would have been nice to have some photos with the documented sightings to accompany those stories.

I like that owners of the Asylum treat the resident spirits with respect, as it should be. If you’re a fan of the paranormal or interested in stories on the subject, then you may enjoy this.