After reviewing Spirits of New Orleans, we couldn’t wait to get our hands on a copy of Kala Ambrose’s first foray into ghost writing, Ghosthunting North Carolina. On Halloween night we curled up in bed with the book and were immediately sucked into the folklore of this magical state.
Though the citizens of North Carolina aren’t as forthcoming about their spirits as those from New Orleans, it isn’t hard to find spirits there. North Carolina was one of the original 13 colonies involved in the Revolution, and seceded with the Confederacy at the outbreak of the Civil War. As a result, there is a rich, dark history surrounding the land. Throughout Ghosthunting North Carolina Ambrose explores this history with a fine tooth comb, mixing local myth with the real story in a delicious combination that will keep you reading for hours.
Ambrose begins at the coast of North Carolina, telling stories about the U.S.S. North Carolina (a former Naval warship with a history of hauntings), people drowned at sea, the mysterious disappearance of settlers from Roanoke Island, and even the merciless pirate Blackbeard. Later, she moves inland to the capital and actually encounters the ghost of a former state Governor. Further west she visits the Grove Park Inn and tells of the ghost of the “pink lady”.
As usual, Ambrose makes learning the history of this fabled state fascinating. Once again she also adds tips for travelers, and leaves the contact information for all of her destinations in case readers ever want to explore them themselves. This book is a wonderful look into the energy and history of North Carolina which is both compelling and entertaining. Ghosthunting North Carolina is definitely a must-read for any history buff or ghost story enthusiast, and almost certainly will encourage the reader to go on their own ghost tour of the Tar Heel State.
We would like to thank Kala Ambrose for providing this book for review.
