by Joe Nickell
Night-Side of Nature, The (Crowe), 20
“night terrors,” 109. See also waking dreams
9/11 “messages,” 223–33
noises, ghostly, 278. See also acoustics; shrieks, ghostly; moans, ghostly
Oak Island, 119, 124–25, 173
oblique-light examination, 294
O'Brien, Lisa, 228
O'Brien, Timmy, 228
Occam's razor, 12
Ocracoke Island, 119, 125–26
Octagon House, 93
Ogden, Tom, 159, 162, 170
Old Fort Niagara, 35–37, 35, 36
optical illusion, 165
“orbs,” 103, 139, 145, 149, 167, 272, 301, 317
Orloff, Judith, 239
Ouija board, 21, 205
out-of-body experience (OBE), 254
defined, 350–51
Owen, A. R. G., 165
Owen, Iris M., 165
Palace Grand Theatre, 167–70
Palladino, Eusapia, 22, 198
Palmer, John, 57
Paracelsus, 127–32
ghost of, 128–29
tomb of, 130–32, 131
Paranormal State (TV show), 311
paraphysics, defined, 25
parapsychological phenomena, 266
parapsychologists, 266, 320, 329, 334, 336
pareidolia, 146
defined, 351
Parker, Darl Lee, 143
Parris, Lorraine, 114
past-life recall
defined, 351
See also past lives
past lives, 45–47, 247, 254. See also past-life recall
Peggy's Cove lighthouse, 110
“Pepper's Ghost” stage illusion, 175
Persinger, Michael A., 307–308
pet psychics, 96
“phantasmagoria,” 159
photo analysis, 301–306. See also photographs, ghostly
photographs, ghostly, 121, 128–29, 129, 145, 177, 227, 271–72, 276, 297, 297–306, 299, 300, 304, 305, 306
evolution of, 260, 298
photo analysis, 301–306
See also thermal-image “ghost”
Piper, Leonora, 198
Pirate's Alley, 121–22, 122
Pirate's House Restaurant, 123
Plassenburg fortress, 171–72
Pliny the Younger, 17–18
Podmore, Frank, 27
Poe, Edgar Allan, 49, 124
Pole, Margaret, 38–39
Poltergeist: The Legacy (TV show), 23
poltergeist-faking syndrome, 331
poltergeists, 18, 23, 307–308, 321–23, 325–31. See also Columbus Poltergeist; Enfield disturbances; Lindley Street Infestation; Newbury Demon; poltergeist-faking syndrome; “poltergeist that wasn't”; Seaford Poltergeist
“poltergeist that wasn't,” 330–31
polygraph tests, 340
possession
defined, 351
See also demons; exorcism
pranks, ghostly, 85, 113, 144, 157, 160, 172, 185–88, 316, 320–21, 323–24, 323. See also poltergeists
Pratt, J. Gaither, 334, 336, 340
precipitations on silk, 287–90, 288–89
experimentally reproduced, 290, 306
precognitive dreams, 230. See also premonitions
“Premature Burial, The” (Poe), 49. See also burial, premature
premonitions, 229–33, 243
Presley, Elvis, 73–80, 78
ghost of, 78–80
mythology, 73–75
sightings, 76–77
spirit communication, 76–77
Presley, Jesse, 80
Presque Isle Light
New, 111
Old, 113–14
Price, Harry, 212–14, 259, 261–63
Prior, William, 109
prophetic dreams, 314
Psychics Kids (TV show), 310
Psychic Mafia, The (Keene), 21, 217
psychic phenomena (psi), 351–52. See also psychics
psychics, 145, 146, 147, 163–64, 167, 217, 263–64, 269, 273, 311, 314. See also mediums; see also names of specific “psychics”
psychics, pet, 96
“psychic sleuths,” 218–19, 253–54
psychokinesis (PK), 166, 331, 337
defined, 352
recurrent spontaneous psychokinesis (RSPK), 334
See also poltergeists
psychomanteum, 152–54
purgatory, 11, 18, 245
quantum theory, 27
question trick (of psychics), 232
Qur'an, 181
Randi, James, 255, 330
rappings. See spirit rappings
Rauscher, Rev. William V., 217
Real or Fake: Studies in Authentication (Nickell), 317
Recoleta cemetery (Buenos Aires), 173–75, 174
re-creation experiments, 296
recurrent spontaneous psychokinesis (RSPK). See psychokinesis
reenactors as “ghosts,” 81–86
Rees, Vaughn, 60, 141, 144, 249, 273, 306
Reichenstein Castle, 33
reincarnation. See past lives
Rembrandt, 155
Resch, Joan, 330
Resch, John, 330
Resch, Tina, 330
retrofitting, 227
revenant, 11
reverie, 159
Rhine, J.B., 334
Ringword Manor, 270
Riviera Theatre, 164–66
Robertson, Clint, 305, 306
Rockwell, Kathleen, 167–70, 168
Roland, Paul, 267
Roll, William, 330, 334, 336, 339
Ronan, Margaret, 69
“Rosna, Charles B.” (alleged spirit), 191
Rule, Leslie, 147
Ryan, Kelli, 311
St. Augustine Lighthouse, 278, 80
St. Clement Chapel, 34
Sally Jessy Raphael (TV show), 283, 284, 285
Salzburg Castle, 127–30, 129
Samuel, ghost of, 17
Schäuble, Rosemarie, 95–96
Scot, Reginald, 18–19
Scott, John Paul, 142–43, 356n2
Scott, Sir Walter, 51
scrying, 147, 151. See also mirrors
Seaford Poltergeist, 33–41. See also poltergeists
séances. See spirit communication
Senate, Richard, 145, 152
serology. See forensic serology
Seul Choix Point Lighthouse, 108, 112–13
Severs, Henrietta, 60
Sexton, Robert, 323
Shadow Chasers (TV show), 23
Shakespeare, William, 19, 178, 259. See also Hamlet; Macbeth
Shanklin, Bob, 109
Shanklin, Sandra, 109
Sherry, Dorothy, 76–77
ship, ghost, 172–73
shrieks, ghostly, 111–12, 146
Shroud of Turin, 252
“signs” (from the dead), 226–27, 314
simulacra, 64, 65, 151–52, 273, 298, 351. See also pareidolia
Singraven, 50–52, 52
Sixth Sense, The (movie), 23
Skeptical Inquirer (magazine), 9, 12, 218, 287, 303
sleep paralysis
defined, 352
See also waking dream
smells, phantom, 112–13. See also smoke, odor of
Smith, Joseph, 185
Smith, Timothy Clark
grave of, 55–57, 56
smoke, odor of, 112–13
Smurl family, 283
snake charmers, 179
Snedeker, Allen, 282–86
Snedeker, Carmen, 282–86
and son's problems, 285
Society for Psychical Research (SPR), 22, 195, 261, 297
Southall, Richard, 267
Southington, CT, demon/haunting case, 281–86
spirit
defined, 11
spirit artist. See Bartlett, Patricia; spirit painting
spirit cabinet, 20–21, 210–11
spirit communication, 185–255
and Elvis Presley, 76–77
and fantasy proneness, 314–15
and Fox sisters, 185–93
at Van Horn Mansion, 93–94
See also channeling
spirit guide, 21, 219–21, 239
Sylvia Browne's, 252, 253, 254
spirit painting, 201, 205, 294
examination of, 294
spirit photos, 298–300
spirit precipitations. See precipitations on silk
spirit rappings, 20, 22, 165
“Spirit Sack” (escape), 214
spirit trumpet, 21, 218, 273
spiritualists, 203. See also spirit communication; Fox sisters
spirit writing, 201–208
on slates, 197, 201
Spookiest Stories Ever (Brown and Brown), 313–17
SPR. See Society for Psychical Research
Spraggett, Allen, 217
Stalin, Joseph, 177
Steenkolenmijn, 155
Stekoll, Michael S., 101
Stevenson, Captain Dick, 169
Stinnett, Angelia, 61
Stortebeker, Klaus, 34
Strieber, Whitley, 247
Stroud, Robert, 142, 143, 144, 146
stylistic evidence, 205–207. See also automatic writing
stylometry, 206–207
suggestibility, 347
defined 352–53
suggestion, 165, 279, 308, 320, 331. See also expectancy; suggestibility
Swayze, Patrick, 23
synchronicities, 235–39, 353
synchronicity defined, 236
Syrett, Richard, 80
table tipping, 21, 94, 165, 205, 217
Tart, Charles, 266
Teach, Edward. See Blackbeard
telepathy, 352
defined 353
thermal-image “ghost,” 309–10, 310
Thirty Mile Point Light, 108, 111
Thomas, Hannah, 109
Thomas, John, 109
Thompson, William O., 111
Thurston, Herbert, 51
Titanic (premonitions of), 230
Titus, Nellie, 195–96, 198–99
Topper (TV show), 23
Tourette's syndrome, 351
Tower of London, 38–39
Tozzi, Det. Joseph, 334–41
Tracking the Man-Beasts (Nickell), 147
trance. See dissociative state
Treasure Island (Stevenson), 124
trumpet. See spirit trumpet
tunnel-travel. See near-death experience
Twain, Mark, 263
Tyrrell, G. N. M., 28, 110
undercover investigation, 217–21
University Press of Kentucky, 313–17
Upchurch, Liz, 323
urban legends. See legends; “Vanishing Hitchhiker”
Vail, R. W. G., 70
vampire, 11. See also “Adventure of the Sussex Vampire, The”
Van Horn, James, Sr., 87
Van Horn, Malinda (Niles), 88–94
tombstone of, 88–89, 89
Van Horn Mansion, 87–94, 87, 217
“Vanishing Hitchhiker” (urban legend), 175, 246
Van Praagh, James, 223, 241
variants (in folktales), 62–63, 69–71, 103–104, 110, 117, 126, 161, 175
verisimilitude, 117–18
Vermeer, 155
“Virgin Mary” simulacra, 298
“visionaries,” 248
“visitations” (from the dead), 227–29, 314
voodoo, 19, 20, 40, 41–43, 64, 104, 109–10, 122, 228, 247, 315, 316, 345
defined, 353–54
waking dream, 19, 20, 40, 41–43, 64, 104, 109–10, 122, 228, 247, 315, 316, 345
defined, 353–54
Walsh, Joseph A., 328
Warren, Ed, 264, 283–86, 328, 329
Warren, Joshua, 267
Warren, Lorraine, 264, 283–86, 329
Warsinske, Kenna, 118
Weber, William, 23, 293
“weeping” effigy, 75
Wendt, Ron, 103
West Pittston haunting, 283
“White Lady” (ghost), 171–72
White Noise (movie), 23
Willin, Dr. Melvyn, 297–304
Wilson, Cheryl C., 247
Wilson, Colin, 264
Wilson, Grant, 138–39, 274, 275–80, 275, 309
Wilson, Ian, 264
Winchester, Sarah, 59–61, 277–78
Winchester Mystery House, 59–61, 60, 277–78
Winecoff Hotel, 63–65, 65
Winfield, Mason, 90
Winkowski, Mary Ann, 245–48
wishful thinking
defined, 354
See also confirmation bias
witch, 327
of Endor, 17, 268
Sybil Leek as, 263
Witchcraft Act (of 1735), 211–12
Witch of Endor, 17
Woman in White, The (TV show), 23
Wooley, V. J., 213
World Trade Center. See 9/11 “messages”
Worrell, George, 175–77
Wortman, B., 345
Wright, Earl, 62
Wrinn, Stephen, 316–17
Wyatt, Sir Thomas, 38
Yaquina Bay Light, 115
Young Teazer (ship), 173
zombie, 11
