Spooky Season Reads

A road trip along spooky shores and treacherous waters.

Despite its idyllic setting, the coast of the Pacific Northwest has another, darker name by which it is known: "The Graveyard of the Pacific.'? Two thousand ships and countless lives have been lost to the waters of the Pacific Ocean and, the Columbia River claimed many more. The spirits of early settlers, Native Americans and drowned mariners are said to linger near the shores. From ghostly treasure hunters eternally searching for buried gold to a graveyard filled with souls who met violent ends, legends abound.

Join author Ira Wesley Kitmacher as he uncovers mysterious tales and guides readers through this most haunted place in America.

The breathtaking scenery of the Pacific Northwest hides a myriad of dark secrets.

From sightings of the Columbia River Sea Serpent, nicknamed “Colossal Claude,” to tales of Bigfoot encounters dating back to 1865, strange creatures lurk both on land and at sea. Shipwrecks, drownings, shanghaiing, and nautical superstitions abound. The restless settler spirits of those who lived and died on the Oregon Trail are said to linger alongside apparitions of adventurers and soldiers, while others, including the 1920’s-era ghost of a woman in white and a man in top hat haunt places like the Columbia Gorge Hotel.

Join author Ira Wesley Kitmacher as he takes you on a journey through one of the most haunted regions in America.

With its sweeping vistas and rugged beauty, the Pacific Northwest is a natural setting for the extraordinary.



Strange tales of paranormal phenomena and other wild stories thrive among the trees and waterways, including sightings of Bigfoot, werewolves, and other mysterious cryptids. Is there a curse tied to the worst streetcar disaster in Tacoma—and America—that resulted in 44 deaths? Rumor has it that a model carved from the wooden remains of the crash claimed at least three more lives. A tree stump in Crater Lake is said to have power over the weather, and Terrible Tilly, a lighthouse on Tillamook Head, claimed several victims both before and after it was built.

Author and historian Ira Wesley Kitmacher explores the mysterious side of the Pacific Northwest. 

Spokane is brimming with haunted buildings and shades reluctant to leave their beloved city.

Patsy and Mary Clark have refused to leave their glorious mansion even after their passing, and the ghost of Ellen, who plunged to her death from a skylight in 1920, still whispers to current guests at the extravagant Davenport Hotel. In Greenwood Cemetery, a set of haunted stairs attracts visitors who come to see if the spirits will prevent them from reaching the top.

Join author Deborah Cuyle as she explores the Lilac City’s haunted landmarks and the colorful stories of its former residents.

“Offers a glimpse into Salem’s complex, haunted history—murders, hangings, corruption—and provides a handful of ghostly tales.” —Statesman Journal

Salem’s haunted tales date back to the 1830s, when indigenous tribes, trappers and homesteaders shared the lush Willamette Valley. Murders, hangings and dark underground passageways defined the city’s early days as the Willamette River moved old stern-wheelers up to the city’s docks.

Today, the sounds of those phantom vessels can be heard plying along the river late at night. Oregon’s capital city has long been the site of mental hospitals, prisons and other notorious institutions, famously depicted in the movie One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. The residual effects of decades of torture and depravity cling to the old facilities in both sight and sound.

Author Tim King examines many of these chilling encounters along with eyewitness accounts of spirits that refuse to be quiet.

Tales of death, disaster and heartbreak lurk beneath the beautiful vistas of Eastern Washington from Wenatchee all the way to Pullman.

On Mission Ridge, where the fatal 1944 Liberator crash occurred, the forlorn ghost of an aviator still wanders the snowy peaks. Dozens of UFOs have been sighted near Mt. Rainier, sparking endless speculation about their origin from those who witnessed the phenomenon. In Spokane, the restless spirit of a woman wanders the area of Heller Block, the cause of her death still unknown. Join author Deborah Cuyle on a thrilling journey through the unusual and mysterious stories of Eastern Washington.

Take a paranormal tour of this Pacific Northwest town.

Historic Snohomish has enough ghostly tales for a town twice its size. A policeman named Henry, who died on the floor of the Oxford Tavern, haunts the popular watering hole alongside nearly twenty other impish spirits. Incarcerated for everything from public drunkenness to coldblooded murder, former inmates still crowd the cells of the old county jail on First Street, banging against the metal confines. Locals attribute the faint lilt of a fiddle heard near the railroad tracks to the spirit of the sad, sullen man who committed suicide on the nearby bluff.

In this spooky guide to Snohomish, Washington, Deborah Cuyle reveals the chilling history, strange stories, and wandering souls that refuse to leave their lovely town.

The Puget Sound region is known for its idyllic scenery—and for harboring the paranormal. 

From the spirits of frontiersmen and adventurers to specters of soldiers and sailors, chilling tales abound. Ghostly full body apparitions are said to endlessly travel the Oregon Trail, and the doomed 17-man crew of the Andelana, drowned in Tacoma’s Commencement Bay, have been spotted still sailing. In Olympia, a ghostly boy wanders the Governor’s Mansion, and the spirit of Tacoma Hotel mascot Jack, an 800-pound brown bear, haunts the streets nearby. 

Author and historian Ira Wesley Kitmacher reveals the fascinating history of Puget Sound’s resident spirits.