Adobe Angels: Arizona Ghost Stories

First Line: Arivaca, about 11 miles north of Arizona's border with Mexico, was mapped by Father Eusebio Kino in 1695. Author Garcez takes us on a journey through the state of Arizona. All the towns he stops in along the way are in alphabetical order, and he gives a little history of each to set the stage for the ghost stories. In addition, ghost stories from several of the Native American tribes in the state are shared. Garcez doesn't set out to explain ghosts, and he lets each person tell his own story. If you want to read a book filled with tales that are going to make the hair stand up on the back of your neck, I wouldn't pick this book up because I found it rather tame in that respect. But as a history (of sorts) of each town, I found it to be very interesting and well worth my time. I have to confess that I did get a few cold chills reading about Bisbee and the Copper Queen Hotel. Denis and I spent our honeymoon in that historic hotel in a room on the third floor. On our way down to Bisbee, I joked with Denis, telling him that the third floor of the Copper Queen was supposedly haunted. That was the extent of my knowledge. We laughed about it for a minute or two, and then we forgot all about it. On our second night there, I was awakened at 3 AM by what sounded like an angry Shaquille O'Neal in a pair of hob-nailed boots stomping up and down the hallway right outside our door. When it didn't stop, I got out of bed, crept over to the door, and looked out the peephole. Even though I could hear that loud, angry stomping right outside the door, I couldn't see a thing. I was immediately covered in goose flesh. Deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, I got back in bed, pulled the covers up to my ears and plastered myself to Denis's back. In reading Arizona Ghost Stories I discovered that I'm not the only person who's heard that ghostly stomping-- and that there are several other things going on up on the third floor of the Copper Queen. I enjoyed this book, and even if you decide you don't need to know anything about Arizona's ghosts, I'll just bet there are books written about the ghosts in your own area. You ought to check and see!

As the author of this and other books on the subject of ghosts of the southwest, I wish to set forth the fact, that my books are not at all apppropriate for very young children. Indeed they are a collection of never before printed stories, of actual interviews I personally conducted, with individuals who have had one on one encounters with ghosts. These are not stories that have been handed down from one generation to another. These facinating stories are drawn from people that have sat before me, and with only a tape recorder and camera, I've recorded an astonishing collection of personal accounts of their paranormal experiences. Included among these persons are american indians, teachers, sheriffs, hispanics, medical staff, state administrators-- essentially ordnary folk. The stories being authentic and detailed, will take the reader on an eye-opening journey. I know this book will engage readers to seek out my other books on similar topics. Make no mistake, this book is definitely, DEFINITELY like no other!

The major complaint I have with this book is all the typos. Putting that aside, Arizona Ghost Stories was a very interesting read. Every chapter deals with a specific town or city. Garcez gives a short bio and location of the area before he launches into the ghost story itself. Most of the hauntings took place in or around a home, though there are other sites such as saloons (big surprise), a hotel, a courthouse, and a prison. The accounts were written down as though the narrators were talking themselves.The most chilling was the haunting which occurred in a rural area outside of Phoenix. Two women were on a nature hike when they met up with a couple. The four of them got acquainted with each other. They were talking among themselves when one of the women caught a naked Indian woman running across the desert. Blood seeped though her fingers as she held onto her stomach. From two hundred yards away, the people felt her intense fear as she was obviously running from something or someone. They tried to run after her, but she literally vanished. Park rangers have also spotted this ghost while they were out surveying the land.There are two haunted sites (maybe more that are not included in this book) in Yuma. The first is the Yuma Court House. It is haunted by an elderly caretaker, who gave the night watchman a good scare. The second, is the old prison, which is now an historical landmark. The most affected of that area is the Dark Cell, where several inmates went insane after several days of solitary confinement. If you enjoy true-to-life ghost stories, I think you will like this book.