Search - The Bell Witch : An American Haunting

A truly frightening true ghost story, with and ending that rivals anything that fiction can come up with.

The Bell Witch is a tale that allegedly happened in 1817/1818. The family Bell tormented by an evil spirit causing noises, pushing, slapping and cursing the family, especially John Bell, the father, and his daughter Betsy, eventually causing John Bell's death.

The way it is with tales over time things get messed up, a lot is added or worsened and so it seems exactly that happened with the Bell Witt Haunting.
There were several reasons why I couldn't finish the book:
First and foremost it couldn't keep up my interest. Although the author tried to stay factual it pretty much stayed too factual without creating the necessary atmosphere for the reader.
The things he writes about sound all too fictitious and it is hard to really be believed.

In the end the book feels like a tale - fairy that is.

This is a detailed first-hand account of the Bell family's supernatural experiences. Although the author is listed as Monahan, the book is actually written by Richard Powell who witnessed the events. Powell was married to Elizabeth Bell, the young woman who bore the brunt of the ghost's violence. Determined to make sense of the haunting, Powell eventually learns the ugly truth from his own wife.

Good, entertaining book. It reads like a diary and flows through in a quick, thorough narrative. My only complaint is that the ending makes a pretty nasty accusation towards someone. Since the book is a work of fiction presented like an authentic diary, it is a bit unsettling to know that someone could mistakenly take this book as FACT when it is not. John Bell was a man who actually lived and to sully his name without giving him a chance to defend himself smacks of a cheap blow.

Took 1 day for me to read. Engrossing & Scary!