I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I had not heard of this story before coming upon this book on NetGalley.

It is well written and draws the reader into the story. Compelling and terrifying in equal measure.

Four very solid stars for Trail of Terror by Richard Estep.

The following are my criteria for how I rate books. Each one the book is lacking, it loses a star.
-it captivates/enthralls/literally can't put it down or can barely wait to get back to reading
-it made me laugh out loud/cry/truly FEEL
-writing style/sentence structure/story/information flowed smoothly and was well edited
-I'll talk to people about this book and/or recommend it to them
-I'll read it again.

I'll be honest, this was the first book pertaining to paranormal investigations that I have ever read. I am a skeptic when it comes to anything "paranormal", so I wasn't sure that I would be able to even finish reading the book completely. I can easily say that this book surprised me. Not only did I read the whole book, I did it in only one afternoon. The author did a great job of telling his story, keeping it interesting, and even kept a healthy dose of skepticism present in each case he recounted.

To be very fair to this book, the only reason I didn't give it five stars was because I am unlikely to read it again in the future. However, that is due to my reading preferences rather than any fault in the book itself. I read it in one sitting, definitely got a few chills now and then, and at times laughed with the humor he sprinkled into the content. I found Estep's writing style as intelligent, well researched and well formatted. The book flowed, and I didn't notice any annoying editorial "oops" that would distract a reader. As soon as I finished it, I sent the book information to a friend of mine who participates in paranormal investigations, so that covers the "would I recommend" portion. Even if this genre is not what you typically reach for, I recommend you give Estep a try. He may surprise you, just as he did me.

Good book! Doesn’t stand out much against the other horror and spooky themed books out there but I enjoyed it!

I received an ARC of this from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love reading about ghosts and haunted places and this book just caught my eye. I think I may have seen a few of author's shows as well. Very interesting and a bit unsettling read. I admit I needed to sleep with the lights on for a night. I appreciated the honesty of the author as well with the realities of ghost hunting and the fact that it's not as glamorous or active as it is made out to be on tv.
What really resonated with me though, was the ending. I really really loved the ending.

I'll be checking out this author more both on tv and in the book world.

This was a very well written collection of haunted places the author had visited. My favorite chapter was the one titled "Drowning and Bleeding". The results that the author and his colleagues got at this location were amazing. A few of the stories were not filled with many results, but I appreciate that, knowing not everywhere is haunted. The stories were interesting and varied and made for a fun read!

Ok, so I read this book the week of Halloween, after reading a tepid book about ghosts in the castles in England. This was sooo much better! I enjoyed how the author related their paranormal investigations one property at a time. While there was sometimes not a lot of things to show that there is paranormal activity in the place, it was nonetheless facinating to see how such investigations are done nowadays. More scientific now. I couldn't read it at night since my imagination always works overtime with books like these.

Hope the author will visit other places soon! And write about it.

I love a good ghost story that feels real, not so much the horror shows and movies that seem to be so popular (although I did start watching The Haunting of Hill House). I also used to love watching Ghost Hunters so this book was a definite pick when I saw it. It was a lot of fun to read and I always appreciate when ghost hunters try first to debunk an event as not ghostly and also when things don't always go as thrillingly as they had hoped but there were plenty of events that seemed to truly be otherworldly. This book has all of that and if you like real (up to the reader to decide) ghost stories then I say try it! This is definitely the perfect time of year for this book!

I stopped reading this book at the beginning. I thought the book would feature more paranormal stories, but the writing was very bland. It read more like a historical nonfiction book than paranormal.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars, I really liked it.

I'm fascinated with ghosts and things that go bump in the night. I know myself well enough to know that ghost hunting isn't for me, (The closest I've come is multiple visits to the Stanley Hotel, but never actually looking for ghosts.). Knowing that, I live a little vicariously through books and tv shows on the subject instead.

Richard Estep has a gift for story telling that almost makes the reader feel like they are on the investigation with him and his team, which frankly, is rare these days. Most recent books on the subject are either poorly written or dry as dust.

In this book, Estep tackles multiple locations in the U.S. and Great Britain. He doesn't skimp on details, each location gets its own chapter. I love the fact that he details his team's investigation in each spot, including the fact that a lot of the time, nothing happens. Each location was interesting, and I always love getting a bit of the history along with the ghost hunt.

I am looking forward to Richard's next book, whatever it may be.

Such a creepy and well documented account of some of Estep's cases, Trail of Terror is aptly named and will definitely get you in that Halloween spirit.

I haven't heard of most of the ones mentioned in the book, but each was more chilling than the last.

So much better than watching it on tv. Estep takes the reader on a journey that is as real and intriguing as it is disturbing.

Read with the lights on!!!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this creepy book to read and provide my honest opinion.

The author Richard Estep is a ghost hunter. This is his investigations into locations in the United States and Great Britain. There are nine chapters with each chapters being a different location. I enjoyed each location especially the last one. The investigations are believable and do not sound crazy like you see on television. I would recommend this book to anyone that has a interest in ghost hunting.

Ghost and paranormal stories are often good for a change of pace and this book was certainly that. Written by Richard Estep, a Brit who relocated to the US who is an EMT and also does paranormal work and writes about it, this was my first delve into his writing. It was a good read about some of his favorite cases in the US and the UK, a nice mix of some of the different ones he’s been on.

Some cases I was familiar with, and some that were new to me. I have a decent liking for the topic, so it kept my interest and I liked reading about his investigations. If you also have an interest in ghosts and paranormal investigations or want to read about it, give this one a look. They investigate some really famous, creeped out places. I was given a free electronic copy by NetGalley, author Richard Estep, and publisher in return for my fair review.

Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd 288 pages
Pub: Oct. 8th, 2018

This is now the third Estep book I have read, and I have several more of his titles patiently waiting on my TBR. My favorite of his so far is a title I reviewed a few months back about a haunted medieval prison that had been converted into a living space - a building you could not pay me to go into even on the brightest of sunshine-y days. It was truly one of the spookier paranormal books I have read and I enjoyed it so much because it was so in-depth. Estep was there several days investigating, then wrote about those experiences. Here in Trail of Terror we find exactly the same methodology. Estep writes about the haunted places we find in his books because he HAS BEEN THERE. He has conducted the investigations himself, with a varying number of team members, and I find his work gets better and better as I read more and more. he has had quite a few strange, or downright scary encounters, and I know he will always weave a good story.

I also appreciate his necessary habit of knowing when to call something paranormal, and when to simply say, "We don't know". Debunking is as important to any paranormal investigation as any other part of the process, and something that sometimes gets overlooked when investigators are so anxious to show off their evidence. I appreciate his dismissal of anything that is not a solid clue, and the thoroughness of his investigations. I also appreciate the fact that he provides background for each of the places he visits, as well as the haunted history. He explains carefully why he uses certain equipment in certain places, and even what he is hoping to find. I would love to explore so many of the places he has been.

There is one quote in particular that I would like to touch on, which I found especially thought-provoking. Too often we assume something is demonic because of the rage that might accompany the spirit. The quote is rather long, but please bear with me, as I think it is important enough to recall the majority of it here. Of this topic Estep says:

"I do not believe that all 'dark hauntings' are necessarily demonic or inhuman in nature. If we accept the possibility that our spirit may survive bodily death and transition into some form of afterlife - one in which is may still interact with the living in various ways - then it would also seem quite logical to me that our personality would remain mostly unchanged too...we do not instantly become all-knowing, all-seeing, and practically angelic in behavior when we die and leave the body, but rather we retain the same quirks, behavioral characteristics, and essentially the same mental state as we had when our heart was still beating. Imagine yourself being invisible, intangible, and above all unable to communicate with those loved ones you have lost...Imagine the sheer frustration of finding your circumstances so dramatically changed, and not necessarily for the better. Would you be sad? Bitter? Angry? Enraged?" (67%)

To me, a very sensible train of thought. That's not to say there are no demonic and/or inhuman haunts. It simply means that not everything that is pissed off and mean is a demon.

I highly recommend this one (and Spirits of the Cage, another top-notch investigation with some really amazing and terrifying encounters!)

I'd like to thank Netgalley, Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd, and Richard Estep for this ARC of Trail of Terror.

I have always loved ghost stories and watching paranormal TV shows, so I was ecstatic about getting the opportunity to read this. Trail of Terror is a very well written, first hand account of some amazing paranormal cases. Richard Estep did a great job at giving the history of the haunted places as well as his own personal experiences. I was very intrigued at what he has witnessed and I even had goosebumps on more than one occasion. I will definitely read this book again! I truly suggest this book for anyone who has a love for the paranormal (especially real life experiences)!

Trail if Terror is a fantastic book for the reader just getting into the realm of ghosts and hauntings. Richard Estep discusses the techniques of his ghost hunts, some basic history, and the history behind the hauntings. The truth is, this book is a good ghost book but very much like most on the market. This book is a fun ghost delight.

With a title like "Trail of Terror," I was expecting some paranormal tales that were...well, terrifying. Instead, this book is mostly a blow-by-blow account of a "Ghost Hunters"-esque group sitting around in various places waiting for stuff to happen (spoiler alert: it rarely does). "One of the best-kept open secrets of our fields is this: ghost hunting is usually pretty boring," Estep says in the book's Introduction. Unfortunately, that also makes for a pretty boring book about ghost hunting.

Too often, books of ghost stories are either badly written, poorly edited, or not at all scary. Trail of Terror suffers from none of those issues. Well written, entertaining, with excellent historical backstories, this book is a highly entertaining read and a great addition to the library of anyone who loves a real life haunting story.

Like having a season of Ghost Hunters running around in your head, Estep recounts a few fascinating tales about hauntings both eerie and odd. This written case study of the paranormal is something quite interesting.

Things that go bump in the night, can't be explained, and keep you awake at night? Then you have found the right adventure "Trail of Terror" to keep you company. You will feel as if you were there investigating and debunking some of the strange and sometimes hair raising experiences. A very fast read and you might want to leave a light on.

This book caught my interest because we live in Colorado and my husband works in Cripple Creek. I love reading about the area we live in/around, especially stories centered around hauntings and the history of the old buildings. Although the book wasn’t what I expected or hoped for, I found some of the stories and information very interesting. Others might find this book to be a much better read than I did. Overall, I would rate it 3 1/2 stars.

The stories were interesting, but I would have enjoyed more background history on the different places and information on other hauntings (verified or alleged). The bulk of these stories are centered around the author’s visits and experiences while trying to verify paranormal activity. I almost felt like I was reading a t.v. script, at times (although I guess the author is a paranormal investigator, so I should have expected it). A lot of time was spent on certain places/stories and I thought the author went into too many unneeded details, while other stories were quite brief.

Thank you NetGalley, Richard Estep and Llewellyn Publications for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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