I think this might be the best book I've ever read on the subject of ghosts. I highly recommend it, even if you're a skeptic or non-believer, as I am. It's not exploitive or sensationalized - in fact as a despiser of almost all true crime, I'm struggling to imagine how a true crime fan would receive a book like this. The authors are firmly grounded, not only in reality, but in respect, history, and a strong and holistic understanding of the pressures, anxieties, and fears that create and sustain ghosts and ghost stories. All of the ghost stories discussed are cited whenever possible; for example, among the first stories discussed in the book is the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, and the authors point out that there are no ghost sightings or stories associated with the incident that do not trace back to someone in the ghost or paranormal industries. They go on to discuss the implications of those ghosts being used for that industry, in the context of workers dying due to reckless profit maximization. The entire book is thoughtful and contextualized like that, it's excellent. ( )

I guess I’m not sure what I expected here, but I was fairly disappointed in this read. It’s basically a compilation of ghost stories (from many other sources that the authors read) grouped into archetypes of women. There is definitely some analysis here and there to go along with the stories, but I didn’t get much out of it and was hoping for more. I may have to revisit at some point to see if I can dig deeper into what the authors are going for. I believe ghosts exist and have absolutely no desire to ever see one, so perhaps I’m just not the audience. I did like learning about some places and women that I hadn’t heard of before. ( )

A Haunted History of Invisible Women
by Leanna Renee Hieber + Andrea Janes
Kensington Books/CItadel
September 2022
***** ( 5 stars) everything a book should be!

A unique and fascinating look at the history of American women. Exploring the history of female-centered ghosts and their stories; the hauntings and the spirits many times mirroring the stereotypes, tropes and prejudices from the period on hisory they lived. The fear of powerful women who acted outside societal roles, who dared to be individuals was an attempt to make the female voice-less, invisible.......as if we were merely spirits, or ghosts. The labels many times were meant to be demeaning and insulting and are as ghosts within us. Shattering these preconceptions and identities lies within the spirit of us all.

The stories of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire of 1911 in NYC, the Legendary Pink Palace in Florida, The Winchester House, Sorrel Weed House
and so many others shared here, from across the USA, are eerie. The ghosts and the history go hand in hand, both terrifying, haunting and assumed.
The stories of Eugene O'Neil's mother, of Delphine LaLaurie, Mary Surratt and Lizzy Bordon, and my favorite, the story of Joan Rivers hauntings are fun to read and the historical factors really bring new life to these ghosts and their hauntings.

Leanna Renee Hieber is an actress, best-selling author, playwright and a tour guide for NYC's Boroughs of The Dead ghost tour, and Andrea Janes has always loved the history of NYC and ghosts.

I absolutely enjoyed every page. The stories, the tone of the authors, and the distinctive take on the ghosts make this a remarkable
as well as creepy read that I will be recommending to everyone. It has inspired me to read and think more about these women, and their place in our history. I will look for more from Leanna Renee Hieber and Andrea Janes. Fantastic
#netgalley #AHauntedHistoryofInvisibleWomen
Thanks to netgalley, and Kensington Books for sending this e-book for review. ( )

A Haunted History of Invisible Women, written by Leanna Renee Hieber and Andrea Janes
and narrated by Linda Jones, is an excellent examination and reassessment of the women behind some of the ghost stories and hauntings that have survived the ages. I listened to the audiobook and found the narrator to be just about what I wanted, even if I didn't realize it at first. The narration is more along the lines of a good nonfiction book (which this is) rather than the voice trying to increase the atmosphere in a fiction work. I think I initially expected the second but am happy it was the first.

If you want an anthology of ghost stories, this isn't it, though the ghost stories are part of the overall stories being told. If you want a better understanding of why these women became ghosts this is the book for you. When I say "became ghosts" I am speaking broadly. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, whether these women actually became ghosts or not, because they have survived as ghost stories and/or alleged hauntings, they have in a broad sense become ghosts.

It is understanding why these particular women became ghosts, and how their ghost stories have been told and passed down, where we begin to see both the differences from male ghosts as well as the similarities (as far as who and why chosen) with women as witches. These stories that get passed down are not about the actual women and the lives they lived but about how best to neutralize them and make stories that maintain the status quo. In recovering their actual stories the authors give the ghosts, real or created, a truer story while giving the reader a better idea of how stories of any kind do far more than just, well, tell a story.

For any other avid(mis)readers who have their own issues with truth, this is well researched, one of the authors did her masters with a focus on the Victorian Gothic and often lectures at universities on the topic of ghosts, hauntings, as well as Victorian literature. So their qualifications go well beyond "that they presumably each identify as female." This is not some extreme feminist manifesto. If you read an epic(mis)reader making such demonstrably false statements, ignore it and just pity the small mind.

As I mention earlier, this is not a collection of stories, but for any readers who don't have kneejerk reactions to research that reclaim women's stories this will be a rewarding read. From those wanting some background to ghost stories to those in WGS programs this will be an interesting book that may well send you looking into more examples.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley. ( )