Ghosthunter: A Journey through Haunted France

by Simon Marsden

Sir Simon Marsden is the kind of man you'd want around a campfire—his deep and resonant voice conveys the perfect combination of gallantry and intrigue that makes a good ghost story get under your skin. And what ghost stories he has! In pursuit of his lifelong passion, he has traversed the globe capturing images of the supernatural in his signature, atmosphere-charged photographs. His latest work documents fifty haunted sites in France, from the burial place of Paris's finest in the Père Lachaise cemetery, to the Sun King's Château de Versailles, and from the eerie abbey of the Mont St. Michel to the châteaux that dot the harsh landscape of the Pyrenees. France is rich in lore surrounding the Knights Templar, and Marsden has featured their stories prominently in this collection of indelible images.

Each mysterious site has a tale behind it that is brought to life not only by Marsden's spectacular photography but also by his narrative that is worthy of a suspense novel. The personal experiences of this spellbinding storyteller will inspire fellow ghosthunters and convince the staunchest skeptic to reconsider the supernatural world.

Genres: Photography, Nonfiction, France, Art, Paranormal

192 pages, Hardcover

First published October 5, 2006

Reviews

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd never even heard of Marsden prior to chancing upon this in the basement of a local bookshop, priced at the absolute steal of £4. I'm a sceptic when it comes to ghosts (but I am susceptible to a good ghost-story), so I was initially wary of this book.

In spite of its title, Ghosthunter is not a book about 'ghost-hunting' in the conventional sense, and is perhaps best viewed as a kind of supernatural tour guide. Marsden criss-crosses across France with his camera, visiting a variety of Gothic locations. The history of France is writ large in the stone of its châteaus and churches; it is a history littered with obscure religious sects, lost treasures, murders, loves, losses, and Marsden's pictures and prose go a long way towards capturing the ghosts that linger still, in spite of it all.

This is an indelible book, one that sparks the imagination and makes one wonder whether there truly is more to this world than meets the eye. Consider me eager to check out more of Marsden's work.

[Helena Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my top Marsden favourites along with Vampires, beautiful, timeless, unforgettable...

[Lilith · Rating 3 out of 5]

beautiful photographs of "haunted" France along with a brief history of each location.

[Loren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought it for Marsden's luminous infrared photos, but the text is thoroughly enjoyable in itself. He traveled alone around France, seeking out haunted castles, woods, and graveyards, where he hoped to have spooky encounters in several places he got so creeped out that he had to pack up and leave without fully exploring. I loved those bits.

I felt like he could have gone into the travel memoir side of the book even more. I wanted to hear about his adventures and the people he met along the way, some of whom seemed to have been great storytellers. I wish he'd included more of his references, too, so that I could find more depth to some of the ghost stories he relates.

He's inspired me to want to visit Carcasonne and learn more about the Albigensian crusade, though.

[Jimmie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love, love, love Mr. Marsden's photography. Haunting and beautiful, would love to explore haunted France!

[Christopher Roden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another splendid book of the late Simon Marsden's magnificent photographs. I'm particularly fond of this one.