The Telltale Lilac Bush and Other West Virginia Ghost Tales

by Ruth Ann Musick

" West Virginia boasts an unusually rich heritage of ghost tales. Originally West Virginians told these hundred stories not for idle amusement but to report supernatural experiences that defied ordinary human explanation. From jealous rivals and ghostly children to murdered kinsmen and omens of death, these tales reflect the inner lives―the hopes, beliefs, and fears―of a people. Like all folklore, these tales reveal much of the history of the its isolation and violence, the passions and bloodshed of the Civil War era, the hardships of miners and railroad laborers, and the lingering vitality of Old World traditions.

Genres: Folklore, Short Stories, Fiction, Ghosts, Paranormal, Horror, Book Club

189 pages, Paperback

First published December 31, 1965

Reviews

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book delves deep into the heart of nostalgia. Written in 1965, the book is a collection of ghost stories gathered over the years and submitted to the author through the use of various mediums. The cover is amazing in its loudness, Look at me, Look at me, style! Many generations have been exposed to it, passing word as the years go by. It would come as a shock for me to find out there exists a West Virginian out there that has not heard of this book or its counterpart ‘Coffin Hollow.’ Both were (and still are) extremely popular selections in my old elementary, junior, and high schools, and from what I understand, in most other schools throughout the entire state. I’ve never before witnessed such vicious fights among students who strove to be the first to grab hold of them, giving them free reign over the collection for an entire weeks time. The stories compiled inside were terrifying, more than one sticking out in my mind to this day.

Fast forward many years later when I sit down to revisit the book I enjoyed in my childhood. I find the stories don’t have the same edge they once had, though I’m still impressed by the renderings sporadically placed inside. The writing itself is quite simplistic. The details are kept short and sweet, the accounts supposedly told in exactly the way they were relayed to the author. The climax of various stories mirror those of tales I’ve heard before with similar context, though with a West Virginian twist. The sections regarding mines, animals and murdered children still succeed in continuing to give me the creeps. They are the most disturbing of the bunch.

Regardless of its faults, it remains a treasure of West Virginia paranormal lore that I will continue to read in the years to come.

[Clara DeBastiani · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book was amazing. i read most of her books when i was younger and they are all so slay. this woman was a girlboss. definitely my favorite though

[andwellas · Rating 4 out of 5]

an assorted collection of various west virginian ghost stories and folk tales, neatly categorized and collected from oral accounts from musick’s students at fairmount college or from her weekly folklore column. the categorizations made this a wonderful book for taking in small tidbits of related ghost stories, making this a good book to be read sporadically (as i did). as someone new england with little ties to the appalachian region, musick’s introduction to the book as a whole as well as her short introductions to the different categories of stories provide some much-needed historical context and some speculation on what made west virginia ripe for ghost stories—a rich combination of an influx of european immigration, isolated and minimally populated towns, slavery and its aftermath, and the industrialization that brought with it railroads. the straightforward retelling of these oral tales gives some of the stories a little less punch than i originally had thought, but in her introduction, musick says, “none of these stories here were told to entertain, or frighten, or to hold anyone in suspense. almost all of them were told or written down by someone who believed he or the teller had had a supernatural experience.” a collection of dramatized ghost stories designed to send chills down your spine, this is not, but for those looking for a collection of ghost tales that are based in appalachian history and presented in a matter-of-fact manner, this will be a book that proves to be not only enjoyable (regardless of your vicinity to west virginia), but also a book that you are able to come back to.

[Mystic Miraflores · Rating 3 out of 5]

I live next door in Virginia and my family and I often take our RV to West Virginia for mountain vacations. So I was looking forward to reading this book. However, it was just okay. 1) There were typos in the text. 2) The writing was very simplistic and almost at a child's level. 3) After a while, some of the stories became repetitive. 4) I didn't see the need for ghost stories from other countries; after all, the book was supposed to be about West Virginia--not Italy or Eastern Europe, etc.

[paige · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m addicted to reading something spooky before bed.

[Megan Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not typically spooked by ghost stories anymore, but there’s just something about reading an old mountain folktale told by somebody’s Mawmaw that puts a lil fear in my Appalachian bones.

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you enjoy good ghost stories (you know, never really grew out of the RL Stine, Christopher Pike phase) this book and its "sequel", _Coffin Hollow_ are toothsome delights. Full of folktale-style ghost stories dating back a hundred years and more, Musick has collected an exhaustive anthology of West Virginia (and ONLY West Virginia...impressive) spectres including Screaming Jenny and the Wizard of Middleway and so so so so many more. Truly, anyone who enjoys ghost stories will love this collection. I cannot more highly recommend it.

Addendum: This is definitely excellent source material for anyone doing folk studies, anthropological or sociological projects on West Virginia. Musick compiled the stories categorizing them by region, demographic and subject. Worth checking out for references.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, Bob Compton, for sending me Ruth Ann Musick's books when he found out I am related to Musicks! (I think she was a very distant cousin.) I enjoyed this and Coffin Hollow but I have to read them in small doses because, well, I'm afraid of ghosts and I live in the West Virginia woods right on the Mason Dixon line. You know somethin's out there! Anyway, I loved her introduction about the rich history of ghost stories in West Virginia and how she collected these stories through the years. And the stories themselves are great! They are very brief but still manage to give me the heebie jeebies.

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book serves its purpose. I read it years ago, long enough that I remembered pieces of some of the stories. There were many that weren't too exciting, but certain stories in each section, and certain sections overall were really good. I appreciate it now more than I did before as well because I'm more familiar with areas of West Virginia, and have been to quite a few of the cities these stories are set in. Worth a read.

[Georgia Dunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dear friend gave me this as a gift and I read it cover to cover over two (very spooky) nights. I enjoyed it greatly. The tales felt spoken around a camp fire or late night kitchen table, and they were rich with the feel of mountains and lonely dirt roads and West Virginia countrysides. I'd recommend it to folks who enjoyed "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark" as kids, and other eerie word-of-mouth tales.

[Peacegal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hey, if you’re a true West Virginian (like me), you owe it to yourself to read this book.

It should be noted that the author has a library named in her honor in Fairmont, WV.

[Kayla White · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm just now adding these from October. I did a WV "ghost story" unit at school and we used four different texts. The students really enjoyed it. (:

[Nikole (literarily_occupied) · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 / 4.5 stars

Whether you're from West Virginia, love ghost stories, or both; The Telltale Lilac Bush is a must read.

This one has been on my TBR for a long time and last night I finally picked it up and read through the whole thing in a couple of hours. It was the perfect read for Halloween Eve with lots of great spooky tales.

Three of the stories that really stood out to me were 1. Phantom Soldier, 33. Grandfather's Clock, and 62. The Unusual Saddle.

I really enjoyed how the author grouped the tales into types and explained what each of the types are, and how she also connected some of the stories to other similar tales from around the world.

[Meghan Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a quick read and such a cozy one. The book itself states that these stories weren’t told to scare, but to relate experiences people actually had. And they’re told as if you’re sitting around a campfire. With that the real appeal of this book is the history, the old wives tales, the colloquialisms.

Worth noting that with a 1965 copyright there is absolutely some dated phrasing’s that are no longer appropriate. (A whole section to be honest). And some stories do feature cruelty to animals. So fair warning for triggering content!

[Terry L. Estep · Rating 3 out of 5]

I took my time with this one, reading a few ghost stories before bed. There are some cool ones and some that are dumb as hell.

I liked the section on mine ghosts, but I was disappointed the dead miners tended to be kind and helpful, warning people away from accidents or making sure their widows got paid. Surely, there has to be a piss-off revenant out there making a mine owner’s life a living hell.

But that’s West Virginia for you. Always eager to lick the hand that beats them as long as that hand is holding coal.

[Cassandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book as a teenager and I still enjoy it today. I love all of the stories included in this book. I'll admit that I have a few favorites, but the book as a whole is great!I will continue to reread it over and over and over. It's one of my favorites. As a West Virginian I love hearing these stories of our local history. I think any history lover can enjoy them, as well as fans of horror. Check it out, you won't regret it!!!

[Martha · Rating 3 out of 5]

The stories were okay, but most of them were told in such a matter-of-fact way that they weren’t that engaging or suspenseful. Kind of like “There was a man who lived in Morgantown and he didn’t like his wife’s nagging. One day he drowned her in the well and after that a woman would be seen walking at the well at night, only to disappear when approached.” Also, they’re arranged in sections like “Murdered Kinsmen” and “Murdered Peddlers,” which takes some of the mystery away.

[Cassandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book as a teenager and I still enjoy it today. I love all of the stories included in this book. I'll admit that I have a few favorites, but the book as a whole is great!I will continue to reread it over and over and over. It's one of my favorites. As a West Virginian I love hearing these stories of our local history. I think any history lover can enjoy them, as well as fans of horror. Check it out, you won't regret it!!!

[Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this forever ago, and started to re-read it. I think it's best left from those summers at state parks when I was in middle school when I first read it. It did start me picking up these sorts of books if I found them somewhere I was travelling. I have one somewhere from Scotland that had a lot of similar tales.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grew up in West Virginia and as a child, we read this book as well as Dr. Musicks The Telltale Lilac Bush. Many stories take place where I was raised in Northern West Virginia. I am now a grandmother, and as I write this review, I have just read some of these West Virginia folklore stories to my grandson. It is my hope that one day he will pass down these tales to his children.

[Dory Ford · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a short and easy reading, I think that's the best I can say about this collection. It's a lot of classic ghost stories all put together with all of the racism, misogyny, and OSHA violations you could ask for.

It's not bad by any means but I wouldn't say it's good either, you could do better.

[Cesiley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent

I love reading about the folklore and history belonging to our state. I only wish there had been more tales that weren't just run of the mill ghost stories. Overall though decent read and worth the time

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic collection of local legends and lore of West Virginia. Some were extremely upsetting. Lots of murder and abuse. The ghosts, for the most part, were kind and made me wish for such an encounter.

[Pachouly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful representation of Appalachian folklore from the first -half of the twentieth century. It’s also close to my heart because I used to read and reread this book as a kid at my grandparents house in West Virginia.

[Angelica Stout · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this after Coffin Hollow, and I personally felt Coffin Hollow had better stories. However, both books are very good and the author did an amazing job of collecting these stories. It's a good choice if you're wanting a quick, spooky read.

[kadee]

In some families the good and evil are not properly balanced. Instead of being two ordinary boys with a lot of good in them and a few faults, the Harrison brothers were exact opposites. One was quite good and one was quite bad.

I love you spooky ghost stories

[Eric Parsons · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a favorite of my childhood; being a native of West Virginia, I love the folklore and odd stories. When I was much younger, these tales would creep me out very much...though as I've aged, so have they. Of course, Musick didn't really purport to collect the spookiest ghost stories and while the footnotes have comments that the teller of many of the stores are true, the author was a collector of folklore and even presents classification notes worthy of academic research.

Of course, since I've been all over my home state the best part is in trying to match the description of the locale with experience...have I been there? Is it at least somewhat believable (most of them the answer is assuredly no)? Either way, Musick's books are an excellent way to dig into the strange beliefs of Appalachia quickly.

[Sadie Basem · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was super interesting hearing different stories from my home state, but a lot of the time, I had trouble staying engaged. I guess expected more colorful story telling?

[Albert_Camus_lives]

Lea the white wolf

[C.C. Bruno · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reads like a grandpa telling old stories.

I like the lore, but wish some things were tied up better.