Chasing Ghosts, Texas Style

August 29, 2011
In this enjoyable read, sure to entertain even skeptics, the Klinge brothers (founders of Everyday Paranormal and stars of the popular Discovery Channel show Ghost Lab) recount how they first became interested in ghosts, what led them to start their company, and why they decided to make scientific experimentation the hallmark of their practice. "Rule-breakers" in the ghost-hunting industry, the Klinges refuse to follow conventions, such as speaking only in hushed tones or speculating about whom or what the spirit is or wants, or taking reports of hauntings at face value. Instead, they utilize tools including digital audio recorders, video recorders, and electromagnetic pulse readers to determine if hauntings are really taking place, and focus on the resulting quantifiable scientific measurements. Readers unfamiliar with Ghost Lab will be impressed by this no-nonsense approach. However, despite pointed and funny prose, the ghost hunting stories become repetitive. That said, the Klinges bravely highlight their failures (like the time a "psychic" they worked with faked evidence), and maintain their own healthy skepticism even as they continue to profess the existence of ghosts.

November 28, 2011
Brothers Brad and Barry Klinge aren’t afraid of the dark, and they prove it with this account of some of their most harrowing ghostly encounters during 20 years of paranormal investigation. Unfortunately, Patrick Lawlor’s narration often comes across as sarcastic, slightly amused, and incredulous—and this tone detracts from the authors’ fascinating and frightening stories. While Brad and Barry aren’t professional writers—as evidenced by the book’s abundance of purple prose—they do offer honest and well-documented accounts of what they claim to have seen and the science behind ghost hunting. Lawlor’s uninspired performance won’t impress listeners and will likely diminish the believability of these paranormal findings. A St. Martin’s/Dunne hardcover.