Ken Summers’ Queer Hauntings features ghosts and haunted locations of the famous and not-so-famous variety. It is an excellent overview of the many places that are haunted by gay spirits, and provides legends and tales about the hauntings, some detailed and others quite brief. Gay establishments and suspected Hollywood homosexuals all have their place here.
These ghosts and spirits lack malevolence, but seek contact with the living, not having realized their own demise. Of the stories, the Upstairs Lounge fire in New Orleans is particularly terrifying, while the story of the two ladies of Llangollen contrasts with a message of love eternal. The first section of Queer Hauntings focuses on locations within the United States, while the second section explores various parts of the world.
Summers provides contact information for those who are curious and may want to experience a queer haunt. This book is easily the first of its kind and a very welcome edition for gays and lesbians that like to get goose bumps in the middle of the night – for reasons other than someone pulling the covers off of them!
Recommended for any library that wants to add another dimension to its supernatural section. Suitable for teens and adults alike.
Reviewed by, Johnnie N. Gray
Interlibrary Loan Librarian
Christopher Newport University