The World’s Most
Haunted Hospitals, Richard
Estep, 2016, The Career Press, Wayne, NJ, 256pp, $16.99.
Estep
addresses the first question I had when I picked up the book: How do you
determine which are the most haunted hospitals?
Estep defines them as “…the hospitals that are currently still standing and are
still under investigation…[and have] fascinating historical ghost stories…” Works
for me!
As a paramedic and clinical educator,
Estep has spent a lot of time in hospitals, so his interest in paranormal
investigation led him to look into so-called haunted hospitals. He knows well
that these locations are filled with emotion: love, hate, fear, anger,
excitement, relief, heartbreak, depression, anxiety… So many people die in
hospitals that there are bound to be spirits. Estep notes that many hospitals
are now researching NDEs (Near Death Experiences). That’s a start.
Many of the hospitals in the book
started life as psychiatric hospitals (or lunatic asylums, as they were called),
where horrific experiments were conducted to find cures for madness. The
screams of patients being “treated” can still be heard. The “treatments” were
frequently painful and conducted without anesthesia. Imagine being lobotomized
by having a pointed metal tool shoved into your brain via your eye socket and
hit repeatedly with a hammer. When you read the historical information Estep provides,
you can understand why the sites are haunted.
The hospitals span the globe: USA,
Philippines, UK, Italy, Canada, and more. Estep interviewed groups and
individuals who had investigated the sites and got some incredible experiences.
I like that he refers to specific photos or videos the reader can find on the
web. I watched Haunting: Australia’s
visit to Aradale Mental Hospital last night. Spoooooky! Catch it here: https://youtu.be/qHxGN-uFbiQ. I’d already
seen the Ghost Adventures
investigation of Poveglia Island in Venice, Italy, which was unnerving.
Interestingly, Linda Vista Community
Hospital in Los Angeles (Chapter 6) has been featured in several TV series and
movies. There was a good external shot of it in an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, making me
wonder if cast and/or crew had any weird experiences while filming.
The only complaint I have about The World’s Most Haunted Hospitals is
that it’s too short! I wanted more! I hope there’ll be more editions as Estep
interviews more investigators. It’s an interesting, informative and
entertaining book that any wannabe ghost hunter will enjoy. Be sure to check
the websites Estep recommends for even more ghostly goodies.
- Karen Howard
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