A Haunted History of Invisible Women: True Stories of America's Ghosts

by Leanna Renee Hieber, Andrea Janes

Overview

"Deliciously eerie.” —Leslie Rule, Bestselling Author

From the notorious Lizzie Borden to the innumerable, haunted rooms of Sarah Winchester's mysterious mansion this offbeat, insightful, first-ever book of its kind from the brilliant guides behind “Boroughs of the Dead,” featured on NPR.org, The New York Times, and Jezebel, explores the history behind America’s female ghosts, the stereotypes, myths, and paranormal tales that swirl around them, what their stories reveal about us—and why they haunt us . . .

Bram Stoker Award Finalist for Superior Achievement in Nonfiction

Sorrowful widows, vengeful jezebels, innocent maidens, wronged lovers, former slaves, even the occasional axe-murderess—America’s female ghosts differ widely in background, class, and circumstance. Yet one thing unites them: their ability to instill fascination and fear, long after their deaths. Here are the full stories behind some of the best-known among them, as well as the lesser-known—though no less powerful.

Tales whispered in darkness often divulge more about the teller than the subject. America’s most famous female ghosts, from from ‘Mrs. Spencer’ who haunted Joan Rivers’ New York apartment to Bridget Bishop, the first person executed during the Salem witchcraft trials, mirror each era’s fears and prejudices. Yet through urban legends and campfire stories, even ghosts like the nameless hard-working women lost in the infamous Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire —achieve a measure of power and agency in death, in ways unavailable to them as living women.

Riveting for skeptics and believers alike, with humor, curiosity, and expertise, A Haunted History of Invisible Women offers a unique lens on the significant role these ghostly legends play both within the spook-seeking corners of our minds and in the consciousness of a nation.

"A Haunted History of Invisible Women looks beyond the legends of maligned female ghosts and gives us their real histories. It is both a meditation on the misogyny of a ghost-hunting culture that capitalizes on false narratives of sex and death, and a fascinating look at the flesh-and-blood women behind the ghost stories. This book is a long-overdue search for historic truth, yet it recognizes that “When it comes to ghosts, truth is as elusive as the spirits themselves.” —Chris Woodyard, Author of The Victorian Book of the Dead.

Afterword by Bram Stoker Award-winning author Linda D. Addison

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780806541587
Publisher:	Kensington
Publication date:	09/27/2022
Pages:	352
Sales rank:	161,035
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.20(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Leanna Renee Hieber is an award-winning author and paranormal history expert. A regular speaker at Sci-Fi / Fantasy conventions, she’s appeared on film and television on shows including “Mysteries at the Museum” and “Beyond the Unknown.” She’s a three-time Prism Award-winner for her debut novel, The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker, and a Daphne Du Maurier Award-finalist for Darker Still. After earning a BFA in Theatre Performance and a focus study in the Victorian Era, she spent many years in the professional regional theatre circuit, skills that serve her well as a speaker and a ghost tour guide for Boroughs of the Dead in New York. Leanna lives in New York, NY and can be found online at: LeannaReneeHieber.com

Andrea Janes is the Founder and owner of Boroughs of the Dead, New York City's premier ghost tour company, which has been featured on NPR.org, The New York Times, Jezebel, TODAY, The Huffington Post, Gothamist, The Travel Channel, CondeNast Traveler, Mashable, and more. Andrea is also the author of the YA novel GLAMOUR and several short horror stories, and a fiction horror novel Boroughs of the Dead, (the inspiration for her company). Visit boroughsofthedead.com

Table of Contents

Introductions

Women, Death, and Ghosts Andrea Janes 3

Existential Questions Leanna Renee Hieber 8

Part 1 Death and the Maiden

Introduction 17

Industrial Monsters: Ghosts of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, New York, New York 23

The Beautiful Stranger: Kate Morgan and the Hotel del Coronado, San Diego, California 34

Dark Academia: Ghosts of College Campuses 43

Forever, Maritana: The Ghosts of the Don CeSar Hotel, St. Petersburg Beach, Florida 54

Part 2 "Witches"

Introduction 63

A Red Paragon Bodice: Bridget Bishop, Salem, Massachusetts 68

Tugging at Your Hem: Dorothy Good, Salem, Massachusetts 77

Our Family Trouble: The Bell Witch, Adams, Tennessee 84

Graveyard Dance: The Witch's Curse, Bucksport, Maine 96

Part 3 Mothers and Wives

Introduction 107

Still Captaining Her Ship: The Ghost of Ma Greene, Cincinnati, Ohio 113

Mama Tried 120

The Everlasting Faint: The Ghostly Wives of West Virginia 131

The Lady of the House: Eliza Jumel, New York, New York 141

Part 4 Bad Girls, Jezebels, and Killer Women

Introduction 153

American Succubi: Soiled Doves of the Frontier 164

Conspirator to an Assassination: The Ghost of Mary Surrart, Washington, DC 177

The Haunting of Lizzie Borden, Fall River, Massachusetts 188

Part 5 "Madwomen"

Introduction 209

An Unreliable Narrator: Jan Bryant Bartell, New York, New York 213

Unfinished Business: The Winchester Mystery House, San Jose, California 222

A Correct History of the Life and Adventures of the Wandering Woman, Central New York 241

Part 6 Spinsters and Widows

Introduction 253

Miss Tredwell Is at Home, New York, New York 258

From Mother Ann to Sybil: The Spirits of the Great Burned-Over, Upstate New York 269

The Widow and Mrs. Spencer, New York, New York 276

Part 7 Frauds, Fakes, and Mythmaking

Introduction 289

The Prestige of Katie King, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 294

Willing the Ghosts to Life: Molly and Matilda of the Sorrel Weed House, Savannah, Georgia 304

The Mythmaking of Marie Rogêt, Hohoken, New Jersey 315

"Afterward": Sticks and Stones Linda D. Addison 320

Acknowledgments 325

Selected Bibliography 329

Notes 337

Editorial Reviews

Praise for A Haunted History of Invisible Women

"Delightfully harrowing and full of spine-tingling horrors, A HAUNTED HISTORY OF INVISIBLE WOMEN is not your average book of ghost stories. Hieber and Janes go far beyond the obvious thrills and chills, providing fascinating context and lavish detail in this incredibly empathetic book as they gently remind us not only of what we are but what we may become. You’ll be thinking about this one long after you finish. Read it with the lights on!" —Deanna Raybourn, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author
 
"Thought-provoking and deliciously eerie, this intriguing study of phantom females not only delves into the history behind the legendary hauntings that chill our blood, but also gives detailed descriptions of real-life ghost encounters." —Leslie Rule, Bestselling Author
 
“This book accomplishes the impossible –to tell true stories of abuse, murder, horror, and the plight of women, and somehow make that an elegant and compelling piece of writing. This should not only be read…but taught. Brava!” —Jonathan Maberry, New York Times bestselling author of Relentless and Ink
 
"An absolute must-buy for the spooky people of the world. Hieber, and Janes lead the reader on a guided tour of America's most fascinating and noteworthy female ghosts that is utterly brilliant and deeply compelling. The authors examine these stories with a keen feminist lens and resurrect the real women behind them with respect they were seldom afforded in life. It's extraordinary to find a book that is so chilling, yet so full of heart. You'll find yourself haunted by these stories." —Mallory O'Meara, bestselling author of The Lady from the Black Lagoon and Girly Drinks
 
“A Haunted History of Invisible Women is a beautifully researched and well-written observation of women’s ghosts across time. From the famous to the not-so-famous, their stories and the history surrounding them both fascinate and mesmerize. If this book doesn’t leave with you a sense of wonder and a healthy dose of goosebumps, check your pulse—you may already be among the spirits." —Marc Hartzman, author of Chasing Ghosts: A Tour of Our Fascination with Spirits and the Supernatural
 
"This is the book I have always wanted to read. Expert storytellers Hieber, and Janes take us on tour through the lives of real women who would become legendary ghosts adding depth to stories I thought I knew and introducing me to characters I’ve never met before. With wit and empathy, A Haunted History brings the spirit of these women to life. Their stories are touching, shocking, inspiring, and intimately relatable. They tell the ways women have learned to navigate their world, to thrive, and live authentically against the odds. They reveal the ways society objectifies and classifies women who defy norms and challenge the expectations of their time. These ghosts still have something to say and have much to teach. —Leila Taylor,  author of Darkly: Black History and America's Gothic Soul. 

"Deeply researched and lovingly written by a powerhouse trinity of authors, A Haunted History of Invisible Women is the ultimate paranormal compendium on female ghosts of America. Not only is this a compulsively readable book, it'll send a chill down your spine while illuminating the dark shadows of a nation." —Kris Waldherr, author of The Lost History of Dreams and Unnatural Women: A Novel of the Frankenstein Women

“A Haunted History of Invisible Women looks beyond the legends of maligned female ghosts and gives us their real histories. It is both a meditation on the misogyny of a ghost-hunting culture that capitalizes on false narratives of sex and death, and a fascinating look at the flesh-and-blood women behind the ghost stories. This book is a long-overdue search for historic truth, yet it recognizes that “When it comes to ghosts, truth is as elusive as the spirits themselves.” —Chris Woodyard, author of The Victorian Book of the Dead

“The things which truly frighten us are the things which are real. That is why women love horror: it allows us a healthy exploration of our real-life terrors. There is a sisterhood of haunted women throughout history, both actual people and fictional characters. I was thrilled to learn more about them all through the eyes of two women who are members of that sisterhood.” —Ohioana Library Magazine

From the Publisher

Linda Jones narrates this study subtitled 'True Stories of America's Ghosts.' It examines gender issues related to the most famous, notorious, and unusual legends of ghosts in our culture. Jones delivers the work in a cool, gentle voice.

AudioFile

Linda Jones narrates this study subtitled “True Stories of America's Ghosts.” It examines gender issues related to the most famous, notorious, and unusual legends of ghosts in our culture. Jones delivers the work in a cool, gentle voice. Divided into seven parts, this literary treatise on ghost tales, seances, and the paranormal includes only brief clips of such tales. Instead, it consists of long discussions on the roles of ghosts in our psyches and in everyday life. Jones identifies which author composed each topic and explores each one without vocal differentiation. Her warm, welcoming voice draws listeners into the discussions of ghost story tropes. M.B.K. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine

JANUARY 2023 - AudioFile

Linda Jones narrates this study subtitled “True Stories of America's Ghosts.” It examines gender issues related to the most famous, notorious, and unusual legends of ghosts in our culture. Jones delivers the work in a cool, gentle voice. Divided into seven parts, this literary treatise on ghost tales, seances, and the paranormal includes only brief clips of such tales. Instead, it consists of long discussions on the roles of ghosts in our psyches and in everyday life. Jones identifies which author composed each topic and explores each one without vocal differentiation. Her warm, welcoming voice draws listeners into the discussions of ghost story tropes. M.B.K. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine

JANUARY 2023 - AudioFile