Haunted Canada 9: Scary True Canada

This collection of scary short stories that are set in Canada is a delicious and riveting read. There are tales from every province and territory, and each one is creepy and unique in its own rights. There is no overriding theme to the book other than that of ghosts and apparitions that are actively haunting some area of Canada. What makes this collection so engaging is that the author spends a little bit of time setting up each story with some background information on the particular area of Canada, and that really helps to set the scene for the reader. Also the author includes anecdotal information that gives each story a sense of authenticity, and it is this factual information that allows the stories to be more effectively chilling.

With this collection Sutherland doesn’t really tread any new area, but he does maintain his quality of writing and research. The way he tells the stories really allows for a creepy reveal and keeps the reader turning page after page (I read the book in one sitting as I found them so engaging and wonderfully creepy). The stories, themselves, are like campfire stories in the sense that it always feels like there is something hiding behind the curtain just waiting to jump out and frighten you. The scares, themselves, are varied, but it is readers’ imagination that will really make these stories pop and keep them up late wondering if an apparition is nearby. Sutherland does an impeccable job of curating these stories and allowing them to unfold in their own natural creepiness. Highlights include the Keg Mansion, the bar in Montreal, the pirate ghost of Prince Edward Island and the restaurant in Moosejaw.

The only thing I can hope for is that Sutherland will have enough fodder for a thirteenth tome as the superstitious number 13 would be a good way to conclude these creepy collections of haunted stories. I guess getting the series to that number really depends on how many ghosts we still have haunting Canada.