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Spooky Montana: Tales Of Hauntings, Strange Happenings, And Other Local Lore
Pull up a chair or gather round the campfire and get ready for twenty-seven creepy tales of ghostly hauntings, eerie happenings, and other strange occurrences in Montana.
- GenresGhost StoriesGhosts
208 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
8 people are currently reading
75 people want to read
About the author
S.E. Schlosser
39 books30 followersAuthor S.E. Schlosser has been telling stories since she was a child, when games of "let's pretend" quickly built themselves into full-length stories. A graduate of the Institute of Children's Literature and Rutgers University, she also created and maintains the website AmericanFolklore.net, where she shares a wealth of stories from all 50 states, some dating back to the origins of America.
(source: Amazon)
(source: Amazon)
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 28, 2011
I wouldn't really describe this as a "good" book, but I also can't say that I didn't enjoy reading it. It was somewhat poorly written and a lot of the stories were just classic ghost stories rehashed and put into a western setting. That was somewhat disappointing because I thought the book would be more about local lore and things specific to Montana. Many of the stories could have taken place anywhere, though.
A fair portion of the stories, however, were pretty original. And while few or none of them will leave you sleeping with the lights on, they were pretty fun and entertaining.
Each story was written in first-person with a different narrator and that was kind of confusing at first.
I would have been interested in the folklore behind the stories and reading more about the origins of the stories and how or where they were gathered but the book contains none of that. There is a list of sources at the end of the book, but they're not linked to specific points or stories so it would be difficult to research any particular location or story.
Aside from being about Montana and ghosts, two of my favorite things, the reason I was drawn to the book was the cover art. I loved all the art through the entire book and I think it really added to the stories, rather than detracted from them.
Overall, I doubt I'd recommend this book to a friend, but I don't regret buying it and I'll probably retell a few of the stories to friends around campfires late at night.
A fair portion of the stories, however, were pretty original. And while few or none of them will leave you sleeping with the lights on, they were pretty fun and entertaining.
Each story was written in first-person with a different narrator and that was kind of confusing at first.
I would have been interested in the folklore behind the stories and reading more about the origins of the stories and how or where they were gathered but the book contains none of that. There is a list of sources at the end of the book, but they're not linked to specific points or stories so it would be difficult to research any particular location or story.
Aside from being about Montana and ghosts, two of my favorite things, the reason I was drawn to the book was the cover art. I loved all the art through the entire book and I think it really added to the stories, rather than detracted from them.
Overall, I doubt I'd recommend this book to a friend, but I don't regret buying it and I'll probably retell a few of the stories to friends around campfires late at night.
August 3, 2015
This is a book of stories perfect to be told around a campfire. The storytelling was very engaging, and I really enjoyed most of these stories. There is very little background information given on the characters or setting. I'm not sure how much research went into this, or if the author just compiled a set of Montana legends. If you are looking for stories with details about actual ghost hauntings then this isn't the book for you. However, if you are looking for an entertaining read of several short and moderately spooky tales then I recommend this book.
February 17, 2021
I personally own many books in this collection. They aren't always by the same authors, but I find them all enjoyable. It is more folktale style, the kind of ghost stories that you would hear sitting around a camp fire while camping. Stories are short and a easy read, perfect for many ages. I am a big ghost story, whether non-fiction or the camp fire tale style of this series. I will continue to collect this series.
November 5, 2019
Mostly folklore and not actual ghost stories. Still interesting and fun to read. Only some of the stories are Montana specific. A good way to read this book is one short story at a time.
November 16, 2016
The beautiful state of Montana, home to the Little Bighorn and a portion of Yellowstone National Park, brings us ghosts and goblins aplenty. Author S.E. Schlosser travels to "The Treasure State" to research the folklore of the land where Custer made his last stand. The rich heritage of Montana is dripping with historical lore. Out here in Big Sky Country, the phantoms roam as free as the buffalo.
Ms. Schlosser has a wonderful vernacular, and her ability to spin a tall tale is impressive. She brings us a phantom haunting a mine in Butte, a UFO that visits an unwitting farmer in Wibaux County, and, in Billings, an unexpected twist that changes the life of an accomplished attorney. She posits how, from his point of view, a ghost ends up rooted to one spot, unable to escape, and doomed to forever repeat his fatal accident as he unwittingly haunts those who traverse his lonely stretch of road. She draws us into the point of view of an elderly Lakota grandmother who was a young girl at the Battle of Little Bighorn. I had to wipe a tear or two, it was so realistic.
In "Spooky Montana," Ms. Schlosser sometimes writes in the first person, sometimes in the third, but always in an engaging way that brings the reader into her version of the folklore of the region. She puts her own spin on things as she crafts each tale into a short story that would appeal to any fan of spooky legend and lore. But just how tall are these tales? I'll leave that for you to decide.
(Review copy provided by publisher.)
Ms. Schlosser has a wonderful vernacular, and her ability to spin a tall tale is impressive. She brings us a phantom haunting a mine in Butte, a UFO that visits an unwitting farmer in Wibaux County, and, in Billings, an unexpected twist that changes the life of an accomplished attorney. She posits how, from his point of view, a ghost ends up rooted to one spot, unable to escape, and doomed to forever repeat his fatal accident as he unwittingly haunts those who traverse his lonely stretch of road. She draws us into the point of view of an elderly Lakota grandmother who was a young girl at the Battle of Little Bighorn. I had to wipe a tear or two, it was so realistic.
In "Spooky Montana," Ms. Schlosser sometimes writes in the first person, sometimes in the third, but always in an engaging way that brings the reader into her version of the folklore of the region. She puts her own spin on things as she crafts each tale into a short story that would appeal to any fan of spooky legend and lore. But just how tall are these tales? I'll leave that for you to decide.
(Review copy provided by publisher.)
May 28, 2012
Found this book on an Albertson's book rack and flipped through it. 27 spooky stories and I havn't heard of any of them, I bought it right there. Great book and it has earned it's spot on my Montana Ghost Stories book shelf. I look forward to checking out the other books in his series.
August 25, 2013
Short stories dealing with ghosts and the supernatural. I have read "Spooky Pennsylvania" as well. I found both books entertaining, and will probably seek out another.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews