I’m reading up on Australian ghost stories and mysteries as I’m working on a new urban fantasy series, and this looked like an amazing resources.

What to Expect

A collection of ghosts, spooks, poltergeists, and other hauntings from around Australia, arranged by themes. The ghosts themselves date from the 19th century to almost present day, and involve people from all walks of life (though to do justice to Aborigine stories would require a much more involved work, and the author had chosen to leave those out of this volume rather than do a bad job).

The ghosts range from terrifying to sad and, occasionally, hilarious. The themes are convicts (eg Port Arthur stories), animals, buildings (pubs and hotels feature prominently), and others.

What I liked

The author has carried out decades long research (and has published previous works on the subject), and has an engaging storytelling style that brings the people of bygone eras to life. It’s an easy, entertaining read that nonetheless still packs a lot of information and colourful anecdotes.

I also loved the balancing of themes, the authors combining the stories with verifiable historical details, and the general unique Australian vibe of the tales.

What to be aware of

This isn’t an Halloween-style horror anthology, nor academic research. It is a collection of real stories, retold in an easy tone and compared to historical data about the people mentioned.

Felix’s & Jack’s Reviews

I let both Felix and Jack read the stories (the detective protagonists of my urban fantasy stories, who normally deal with various hauntings).

Felix found some of the concepts of 19th century ghosts interesting, quite different from the shades of the dead he normally deals with in his Ancient Roman world. He is well aware of the authorities lack of action around them, and asked me to pass his business card to anyone who needs pesky dead relatives laid to rest.

Jack was nodding along knowledgeably, having personally met a few of the ghosts mentioned. In some case he had some insights to share from his encounters and chats, but was overall impressed with the work’s balanced tone. So many ghosts, he told me, aren’t the evil spectres people expect, but the sad and melancholy spirits of the departed trying to address unfinished business.

Summary

Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in ghosts and / or Australian folklore. For those interested in both, this is a treasure trove.

Further reading

The author’s previous work on the subject (Ghost Guide to Australia), is sadly out of print and not available electronically (dates back to the last millennium). It is available my local library’s research collection. From what I could see, it is arranged by location rather than theme, and contains more stories. However, the better stories are replicated here, occasionally better told. So no rush, but I do plan to spend more time at the library’s research room, as they also had a few other out-of-print books on both Tasmanian and generally Australian ghosts (let me know if you’d like further info on the titles).

In addition to ghost stories, this book is part of the ‘Great Australian Stories’ series (mostly by Bill Marsh). I do plan to check out Bush Funerals and Outback Police volumes, which look hilarious and promise much ready material for Jack’s adventures. That said, even other topical stories will likely offer background material (especially when I wave my official poetic license: any charming character can appear in a Jack’s mystery as a ghost, with enough incentive 😉).

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Enjoying the reviews, but wondering who the heck is that Felix fellow? Glad you asked! He’s the protagonist of the Togas, Daggers, and Magic series, an historical-fantasy blend of a paranormal detective on the background of ancient Rome.

Come meet Felix and his world on the free short stories and novels!

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