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Ghosthunter
Please note: this series contains mature content and listener discretion is advised.
The first ghost Jason King ever saw was his brother's. And when the spectre told Jason that he needed to find their estranged father, who disappeared during their childhood, his life was changed forever.
When documentarian Ben Lawrence reads an article about Jason, now a western Sydney security guard and part-time ghost hunter, he embarks on a seven year journey into a Gothic world of suburban graveyards and broken souls.
Paranormal activity, a family's terrible forgotten secret and a police investigation converge in Ghosthunter, part family memoir and part true crime podcast. Years of self-reflection and estranged characters from the past bring Jason and Ben to a confronting conclusion - that sometimes the most terrifying ghosts are the ones we find within ourselves.
The first ghost Jason King ever saw was his brother's. And when the spectre told Jason that he needed to find their estranged father, who disappeared during their childhood, his life was changed forever.
When documentarian Ben Lawrence reads an article about Jason, now a western Sydney security guard and part-time ghost hunter, he embarks on a seven year journey into a Gothic world of suburban graveyards and broken souls.
Paranormal activity, a family's terrible forgotten secret and a police investigation converge in Ghosthunter, part family memoir and part true crime podcast. Years of self-reflection and estranged characters from the past bring Jason and Ben to a confronting conclusion - that sometimes the most terrifying ghosts are the ones we find within ourselves.
Audio CD
Published December 3, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
January 23, 2020
Do not be put off by the paranormal feel after reading the blurb. It's much more about trauma and chasing the ghosts of one's past. The correlation between this guys history and his career as a 'Ghosthunter' is actually heartbreaking.
August 6, 2019
Interested in doing a documentary on ghost hunting, Ben finds Jason King and starts to get drawn into his life. It becomes a search over years for the all too real ghost of Jason’s life, his father.
Rather intriguing and very Australian.
One line just hit me: trauma is a time traveller.
Yeah.
4 stars
Rather intriguing and very Australian.
One line just hit me: trauma is a time traveller.
Yeah.
4 stars
April 9, 2020
Boring. Did not get past episode 2
August 30, 2020
This podcast was not what I expected. I was expecting a story about a ghost hunter and his adventures with the paranormal. While Jason King is that, there is very little of this in this story. It’s mostly about his unusual life and the search for the father he never really knew. A man who turned out to be a monster and how it affected Jason’s life along with others. This could be difficult for some to listen to and each episode has a disclaimer. I am glad that hopefully Jason found some peace.
March 21, 2020
Not what I expected, but definitely interesting. Based on a true story, unravelling the traumas and secrets of man as he makes his way through life, ghost hunting is his passion and outlet. He makes friends with an interested journalist, and suddenly his own real story is more interesting than the ghost hunting.
July 17, 2020
With a title like Ghosthunter, I expected to be reading/hearing at least SOMETHING about the actual pursuit of ghost hunting. Instead this is more a tale of a very disturbed and mentally traumatised man. Not something I’m into reading or hearing about at all.
March 7, 2020
Interesting to a point, but it’s really about inner demons rather than spectral ghosts.
July 5, 2020
So very interesting and thought provoking. Listened to this through audible and it wasn't what I expected but I'm so glad I stuck with this.
October 3, 2020
This went in a very different direction than I thought. It was a a gripping listen and I found it very interesting.
February 23, 2020
2.5 stars
April 5, 2021
I've had an interest in ghosts and the paranormal for as long as I can remember, but ghost hunting shows don't really hold much of an interest to me. Mostly because they tend to be presented by people who are clearly faking for the cameras *cough* looking at you Derek Acorah *cough*. But when this came up on my Audible account - I think but don't quote me - as something I could listen to free of charge, I added it to my account and figured if I was stuck for something to listen to, I could listen to this and it wouldn't have cost me anything. I tend to add most things if they're free to be honest as what have I got to lose? I can listen to the opening chapter and if it's not for me I don't need to continue.
In most instances I've very much enjoyed the Audible original podcasts that I've listened to, whether they were free or not, and so I decided last month after having had this one in my list for a while that I would give it a listen. It very quickly became apparent to me however, that this was not about ghost hunting. Not in the traditional sense anyway.
Yes Jason King is a ghost hunter, and this is his story, but ghost hunting plays very little part in his tale, and the sole focus of the series is to help Jason find his father, and what comes out about him along the way. I won't go into detail as that would spoil, but what I will say is that there is a LOT of very traumatic stuff covered in this podcast. There is a trigger warning before each episode, but if you're going into this expecting ghosts and hijinks you'll be sadly disappointed. If however you do also enjoy real life stories, long lost families, tales of trauma and abandonment etc, then you will probably still find something to like here. The documentary is well put together and sensitively handled, especially given that the guy making this documentary - Ben - originally seems to have thought as we did, that this was going to be a story about a ghost hunter.
As such, if you only came here for ghosts I would look elsewhere. If, like Ben you can handle something a lot deeper than that, then stick around. It's quite the ride.
In most instances I've very much enjoyed the Audible original podcasts that I've listened to, whether they were free or not, and so I decided last month after having had this one in my list for a while that I would give it a listen. It very quickly became apparent to me however, that this was not about ghost hunting. Not in the traditional sense anyway.
Yes Jason King is a ghost hunter, and this is his story, but ghost hunting plays very little part in his tale, and the sole focus of the series is to help Jason find his father, and what comes out about him along the way. I won't go into detail as that would spoil, but what I will say is that there is a LOT of very traumatic stuff covered in this podcast. There is a trigger warning before each episode, but if you're going into this expecting ghosts and hijinks you'll be sadly disappointed. If however you do also enjoy real life stories, long lost families, tales of trauma and abandonment etc, then you will probably still find something to like here. The documentary is well put together and sensitively handled, especially given that the guy making this documentary - Ben - originally seems to have thought as we did, that this was going to be a story about a ghost hunter.
As such, if you only came here for ghosts I would look elsewhere. If, like Ben you can handle something a lot deeper than that, then stick around. It's quite the ride.
August 27, 2019
Me:
Feels a little iffy, discovers a free audible show called "Ghosthunter".
Me (Talking to myself out loud, cause that's how I roll):
This is exactly what I need, this is going to be great, an Aussie ghosthunter audio documentary? Awesome! This is my wheelhouse motherf*cker!
Ghosts and ghoulies here we come!
I'm sooooo winning at Monday - go me!
*high-fives self*
Me, but later:
There hasn't been much ghosthunting going on, maybe it's building up to something. This ghosthunter guy seems troubled. Probably life stuff. Yeah definitely life stuff.
Poor dude.
Me, later still:
Aww shame, he doesn't remember his dad. That really sucks. I hope he finds him. That would be nice. He deserves good stuff, he seems sweet.
Feels a little iffy, discovers a free audible show called "Ghosthunter".
Me (Talking to myself out loud, cause that's how I roll):
This is exactly what I need, this is going to be great, an Aussie ghosthunter audio documentary? Awesome! This is my wheelhouse motherf*cker!
Ghosts and ghoulies here we come!
I'm sooooo winning at Monday - go me!
*high-fives self*
Me, but later:
There hasn't been much ghosthunting going on, maybe it's building up to something. This ghosthunter guy seems troubled. Probably life stuff. Yeah definitely life stuff.
Poor dude.
Me, later still:
Aww shame, he doesn't remember his dad. That really sucks. I hope he finds him. That would be nice. He deserves good stuff, he seems sweet.
December 27, 2019
This series is less about ghosts of the supernatural kind and more about the personal ghosts of a human character in each story, whom I felt were vulnerable people being exploited for entertainment. Some seemed to get psychological closure by believing in ghosts. I felt that a course of psychotherapy might be more beneficial. The series is very Australian and thickly overlaid with white western Australian cultural values.
August 21, 2019
This was a very interesting yet chilling audible. What starts out as a story about a ghost hunter turns into an incredible story about the life of the ghost hunter and his family where he came from and the many ghosts he deals with within himself.. well worth a listen.. quite chilling and upsetting at times.
October 20, 2019
The performances were good. However, the title is somewhat misleading. Yes, the main character does ghost hunting in his spare time but that wasn’t mentioned too much compared to the back story about all the other stuff that’s going on with him. So if you’re expecting something spooky, forget it.
September 11, 2019
Not where I expected it to go, but a well told story.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews