Canadian Ghost Stories, Vol. 2

Debbie Feisst is the reference/Internet resources librarian in the
Information Services Division of the Edmonton Public Library.

These additions to the Ghost House imprint are sure to fascinate readers
who are interested in folklore and the paranormal.

Ghost Stories of the Rocky Mountains, Vol. 2 is Edmontonian Barbara
Smith’s highly anticipated sequel of spine-tingling tales from Rocky
Mountain towns. The Rocky Mountain region, on both sides of the 49th
parallel, is renowned for its rugged beauty and colourful frontier past.
According to Smith, the region is also notoriously haunted. Smith’s
stories include both historic legends and tales of modern-day
apparitions. The volume is divided into five chapters: “Haunted
Houses,” “Highways and Byways,” “Hotels and Inns”
“Snippets,” and “Ghosts in Public.” Of the 54 tales, only a few
are about ghosts in the Canadian Rockies: these include sightings of
long-dead residents cleaning up the debris from the 1903 Frank Slide and
an arsonist spectre at the Chateau Lake Louise, both in Alberta. All of
the stories are entertaining and easy to read.

For a decidedly more Canadian twist, read Canadian Ghost Stories, Vol.
2. The 50-plus stories are organized by region, with sections of tales
taking place in Ontario, the Prairies, the Maritimes, Newfoundland,
British Columbia, and Quebec. Most are about average Canadians who truly
believe that they have been in contact with spirits or with a paranormal
being. The usual hauntings are described, such as those in hotels and
homes, but there are also some unique accounts. For example, Memphré,
Quebec’s own “Nessie,” has been spotted in Lake Memphré-magog
more than 200 times over the last 200 years. And a 19th-century
prostitute who was brutally slain in Montreal makes an appearance every
seven years. The tales range from funny to tragic to downright eerie.