Haunted Shores: True Ghost Stories of Newfoundland and Labrador

by Dale Jarvis

From the northern shores of Labrador to the south coast of Newfoundland, there are as many ghost stories as there are bays and inlets. The province of Newfoundland and Labrador is rich with tales of ghost ships, mysterious lights, sinister spectres, tokens of impending death, headless pirates and murdered loves. From legends of phantom loggers to stories of possessed teapots, Haunted Shores: True Ghost Stories of Newfoundland and Labrador is an eerie exploration of the phantom-filled nooks and crannies of the province. Why does a mournful lady ghost return to Arnold’s Cove every November? Do ghostly submarines still sail the waters of Trinity Bay? What is the most haunted street in St. John’s?

Drawn from both archival sources and first-hand accounts, the stories herein weave together anecdote, oral tradition, history and folklore to form a rich tapestry depicting a rarely explored side of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Read the book, if you dare…

Genres: Paranormal

206 pages, Paperback

First published May 28, 2004

About the author

Dale Gilbert Jarvis is a folklorist, researcher, writer and storyteller living and working in St. John’s. He holds a B.Sc. (honours) in anthropology from Trent University and an MA in folklore from Memorial University of Newfoundland. He is the Executive Director of the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador. By night, Dale is the proprietor of the St. John’s Haunted Hike ghost tour and raconteur of local tales. Author of several books on Newfoundland and Labrador ghost stories and folklore, he is a tireless promoter of local culture.

Reviews

[Jerry Cranford · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Drawn from both archival sources and first-hand accounts, these delightfully spooky stories promise to become a campfire essential." -- Luminus

"Well documented as to source and complete with vintage historical photographs, it is well worth reading and shivering over on a dark, rainy night." -- Fate magazine

"Haunted Shores is a fascinating book that helps preserve many of the old supernatural tales from Newfoundland and Labrador." -- The Telegram

"It's a book worth picking up for a well-written, quick and easy pleasure read." -- The Compass

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

For readers who enjoy ghost stories, stories of the unexplainable, old traditional tales of hauntings and the mysterious, this is an enjoyable read. All the stories are based in Newfoundland Labrador. Some are silly, some funny, some creepy, some make one wonder, and all are told in an interesting way.

I chose this book for the 2024 52bookclubchallenge, prompt “The other book with a similar plot.” (For me it is Haunted Harbours by Steve Vernon.)

[Noelle Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

What words can describe how much I loved this book? Dale Jarvis is one of my favourite local authors! In this anthology, he brings us, the readers, stories from around the province of the spook-tacular, from haunting locations to haunting encounters. It's a must-read!

[Xondra Day · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good collection of ghost stories. There's also a lot of Newfoundland history included. Very interesting.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was a little girl, growing up in rural Newfoundland, it wasn’t out of the ordinary for me to sit quietly some nights (making myself as small as possible so as not to be discovered) while my grandparents and other relatives sat around the kitchen table, or near the wood stove in the low light, trading ghost stories and tall tales of fairies out on the bog; Jackie Lantern or that one stretch of road it was best to avoid in the dark. “Haunted Shores” by Dale Jarvis brought me right back to those defining moments of childhood, listening with rapt attention to the tales of terror being told with unabashed delight. I miss those days. Reading this book felt like I was taking a step back in time.

Jarvis has an absolutely wonderful way of spinning a yarn. He takes what could be considered mundane and turns it into something destined to send shivers down your spine. What you think might be a throwaway sentence at the end of a story might just be the very thing that sows the seeds of a nightmare in your head … one that will come back later to haunt you in your dreams. You can tell that this author absolutely thrills in his subject matter!

So if you are looking for a little something to get your heart pumping, that might have you looking over your shoulder or wondering just exactly what that creak was on the stairs … pick up a copy of “Haunted Shores.” Maybe, leave the light on while you read it though.

[Jeff French · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't think I would have given this book 4 stars if I wasn't originally from Newfoundland, but it was fun to read about places I was familiar with and realize I even know some of the people quoted in the book. Jarvis' research is exceptional. At times, he includes so many facts in these tales that it takes away from the flow of the stories. Despite this flaw, the stories are short, cover the province and the book has great pictures to support them. Overall this is an enjoyable collection of "true" ghost stories.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you've ever wondered about ghost stories from different parts of Newfoundland, but don't know someone from every town who can tell you, this is a good read. Some of the stories are not very interesting, but a lot of them are, and a few of them
are actually quite frightening.

[Stephenie Hutchings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unexpectedly historical with a fun ghost twist.

[AE Campbell · Rating 1 out of 5]

Things that go bump in the bay. Not creepy enough for me but some interesting local history and factoids about what buildings in St. John's used to be

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dale Jarvis is my own personal hero. This was the first book I read by him many many many years ago! And I have read it many times since!!! One of my favourites of all time!

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think it would have been better had I ever been to Newfoundland and Labrador. I found it a long read, even though the stories were short. Many of the stories just couldn't really hold my interest for long.

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just a cool collection of NFLD ghost stories.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love hearing about paranormal stuff and this is where I'm from, so this was perfect for me.

[Emazura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Woooooh I loved and hated ghost stories as a kid, this book brings back those same feelings