Haunted Providence: Strange Tales from the Smallest State

By Rory Raven

Author Rory Raven has collected stories and tales drawn from the history and folklore of one of the oldest cities in the nation. From restless spirits and mysterious deaths, to vampires and shadowy strangers--including H.P. Lovecraft, one of the most influential horror writers of the twentieth century--Haunted Providence explores the events and untold tales that have made this capital city strangely unique...and uniquely strange.

• Language: English
• Publisher: The History Press
• Release date: Mar 14, 2008
• ISBN: 9781614232629

Rory Raven

Rory Raven is a mentalist who performs at colleges, clubs, corporations and private events throughout the United States. He offers fantastic mind-reading shows and lectures on esoteric subjects. When not on the road, he conducts the Providence Ghost Walk, the original ghosts and graveyards walking tour through the haunted history of Providence, Rhode Island, where he makes his home with his wife and various animals. He is the author of two previous books: Haunted Providence: Strange Tales from the Smallest State and Wicked Conduct: The Minister, the Mill Girl and the Murder that Captivated Old Rhode Island, both available from The History Press. For more information, visit www.roryraven.com.

Reviews for Haunted Providence

[librarybrandy · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Part ghost stories, part armchair history. Some of the entries were a little disjointed, but it was an entertaining read anyway.

I don't miss living in Providence, though.

[randirousseau · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I loved the pictures (and there were lots of them) and the author writes in a friendly fashion. That said, though, I felt a bit like the book was dashed off to the printer without a lot of meat to it... For example, there are two houses described in the book as SHOULD be haunted, but aren't. And they otherwise aren't necessarily all that interesting, other than looking like they should be haunted. Huh. Sorry, don't care that a house looks haunted but isn't. Put a story in about a house that IS haunted, or otherwise particularly strange and noteworthy. "Haunted Providence" should contain haunted house stories, not should-be-haunted house stories.Not a terrible book, just didn't feel particularly well researched, and rather self-serving (like maybe the not-haunted houses are included because flak would be had if they weren't included, like "hey- I told you about a creepy house and you didn't look into it?" The author is also a Providence tour guide to the creepy, so maybe pressure was on to crank out a book? Just didn't satisfy, and I've read A LOT of these.