The only thing scary was the CoverJanuary 5, 2009 I must say I am definitely disappointed in this book I was expecting more. But as I got further into it the book seemed more fiction than fact. The major problems are that in the author's first account of the house he states the landlord is an old woman in the book it is an old man. Major problem. The other problem is that I can't find any information on this house anywhere other than here. Also the author states that numerous groups came in ot this house and ttok photos and evp's yet I can't find them anywhere on the net. Not even on the author's website or his paranormal affiliates. In this day and age if a place is that haunted it would be on the net. The writing itself is sinmplistic and the part in the middle about chasing a wolf demon down the street was ridicoulis. No neighbors are mentioned or any one affiliated with this house. If all this was going on other's would know about it. There is no verification. It also feels that the woman Helen was suffering from Alzheimers not a possession plus with no last name you can't verify the stabbing on her husband. Police report would be nice. Plus the book jumps to a place called Zombie road. If this woman was possesed why would you take her there? It looks liek Zombie road was put in as a teaser for the author's next book. It seems to me that the author was a down on his look single father and bailed himself out by writing this "factual book". I will not buy anything by this author as it seems like pure fiction.
Starts out promising, finishes sloppyJanuary 4, 2009 I bought this soley because it was one of my favorite shows in A Haunting series. It started a little slow, but promising. Mr. LaChance definitely has his own writing and narrative style. However, towards the middle to end, the events become so incredulous I found myself doubting how much was real and how much was fantasy. I truly believe the lady who rented the home after Mr. LaChance needs some serious phychiatric help. Don't get me wrong, I am a believer in things paranormal, but this all pointed to a lady who needed (and probably still needs) a lot of help and support. Maybe there is something in the house which escalated an already exhisting psychiatric problem, but the accounts in the end are very incredulous. Overall, not a bad read. It is really not all that scary and you can probably get through it in a couple of sittings.
Scary and hard to put downJanuary 3, 2009 I enjoyed reading this book. It was as as if the author was telling you this haunting story in person. There is not any "filler" content. I was surprised that by the middle of the book his family had already moved out of the house. With the remaining half of the book still to be read, I put it down for a few days. I could tell that as bad as it was for the LaChance family, we hadn't heard the worst of the story yet. I needed to prepare myself for the horror yet to come! I could have read this book from cover to cover without putting it down. But, I didn't want to be scared out of my wits, when I was home alone reading it. The story was simply told and the characters well defined. I would recommend this book for anyone interested in haunted houses and especially haunted survivors.
A chilling true story that will test family, faith, and friendshipJanuary 3, 2009 Like most here have said, yes, this was the story presented on Discovery Channel's "A Haunting" program, entitled, "Fear House".
For those that question why they can not find any information on the house online, I remind you that Steven had a hard time finding ANY information on the house during his own early investigations. That's not even taking into account the "haunted" angle. Every town has it's secrets, and some people would prefer to keep them secret.
As a life-long local, I had heard numerous people mention "that haunted house in Union" growing up, but never knew it's exact location until just prior to the book's release (or even local word of mouth attraction, Zombie Road, for that matter). I didn't realize I am presently living within walking distance of the house before I heard about this story or that I recently found out that he has known a family member of mine for years prior to these events. This is why I don't blame Steve for not knowing about the house's reputation when he rented it out. As Steve notes in the book, the house does not contain the presence within, as the spectral activities in the yard as well as the neighbor's suicide attest.
For those that question the disparities in a few instances, yes, a few names and details were changed for privacy reasons (and I assume some possible legal ones?). There are also a few details that were left out that may help convince others of the veracity of Steven's story, and I'm sure he had his reasons for their omission.
If you don't believe this story, I know of a nice little three bedroom house on a secluded street near the park that may be available for rent. It's perfect for a growing family with children.
If you take anything from this book, do not take away the question, "Is this haunting real?" but rather, "How far would I go to help a stranger survive the same nightmare I just escaped from?"
Scariest True Paranormal Novel since "In A Dark Place"December 31, 2008 I have been reading books on true hauntings for many years and have amassed quite a collection. I have to say this is the scariest one I've read since "In A Dark Place" (The novel behind the discovery channel special and upcoming movie "A Haunting in Connecticut.") The book's story is well-told and is also inspiring in its own way. Don't get me wrong though, this book will scare your pants off. After one night of reading it before bedtime, I vowed I would not do that again as I kept hearing every bump and creak in the house. Even the book cover was frightening enough that I always laid it face down. haha. If you want to be scared by a true paranormal story, this is it!
