In a Dark Place (Ed & Lorraine Warren)

This book is "Outstanding" and don't read it at night while you are home alone...it stays with you long after the book is ended....You'll never be able to walk in any part of your house or be on a computer late at night without looking over your shoulder or feel that you are being watched....I know this book is hard to come-by but I will never sell mine...I wanted it for my home library collection...but if you can get your hands on a copy...it is a great read.

Horrifying story, and ultimately very, very sad.

I just hate it when parents don't believe their kids. I don't like it either when people deny other people's reality because it hasn't happened to them, although that runs rampant in our world (as well as in the distant past: "The world is flat and you shall die for suggesting it's round!") Anyhoo, this was a terrifying story. Highly recommended.

Oh my gosh I loved this book. I love Ed and Lorraine Warren anyway but this book was so good. It was a very specific kind of book--not the kind that just anyone would love, you would have to be familiar with the Warrens to really get into it. BUT I loved it. I read some reviews that complained about shifts in focus but I didn't get that. I thought the book was fast moving and interesting. And no, I did not pay $300 for it! I was lucky to get it significantly cheaper but I was glad to get it at any price--I have read other books related to the HAUNTED series and this is the best. Also there is an interesting DVD with the Warrens based on this case available on the store. It is very scratchy and clearly not a commercially prepared DVD but I enjoyed it. Rest in peace, Ed, you did well.

I did not like this book. It was well written but didn't have the essence of truth. It was like the author was more worried about the sexual aspects of the haunting than anything. And after a while, it seemed as though that was the only thing happening. I do not believe this really happened. I do NOT believe that if any person was in this situation of such abuse, would just stay. Money or no, kids' safety would be top priority, especially a sick one. It is such a recurring theme of the residents not being able to move due to money in these types of books. Get something new. Not worth the money.

Which is the only reason I bought this book. Ray Garton tells a hell of a story and isn't afraid to admit that is all it is, a great story. He doesn't claim it as truth. If you like scary stories about creepy old haunted houses you will enjoy this book.

I've read a lot of "true haunting" stories, but this one rates as the most disturbing one. What this poor family had to endure due to demonic infestation and oppression is truly horrifying, and makes the reader sympathize with their plight. I've not seen the movie based on the book, and I'm not sure I want to. This book is definitely not for the faint of heart.

This book was awful not because of the writer but the reactions of the characters. Barley was able to read this junk. But this book made "The loveliest dead" by the same author so much more enjoyable.

SO disappointed! This is my favorite genre of writing (supernatural thrillers), and I have seen and enjoyed the movie that was made from this book, but the book itself is a yawnfest. I made it to page 155 before I gave up. It's just page after page of the kids seeing and hearing things, then telling the parents who just get angry and refuse to believe them. Then the PARENTS start seeing and hearing things and they even DENY THEIR OWN SENSES. Ok, these people are idiots! Who experiences this stuff and just denies it? Ohhhhh, that's right -- they're CATHOLICS. So they believe that the bread and wine turns into Jesus' flesh and blood, but they don't believe when they see and hear entities in their own home. Smh.

I had really high expectations from this book, which is what probably led to me being as disappointed with it as I was. I thought that the first half of the book was building up to a good ghost story, but it seemed that once the Warrens appeared in the book everything sort of fell apart. The story lost a lot of the ambiance that the first half contained.
Good for one read, but I don't think I would read it again.

(The reviewer was compensated for posting this review. However, the opinion stated in the review is that of the reviewer and the reviewer alone. Further, the reviewer independently selected this product to review and has no affiliation with the product maker/distributor, the store or the review requester.)

I liked this book in some ways, but felt that it was mislabeled as "nonfiction."

My main beef with 'In a Dark Place' wasn't so much in the content, but in how it was presented: rather than being an account of facts and events, the book was a dramatization. That is, the author didn't just take minor "liberties" with the story from Ed and Lorraine Warren and the Snedekers (as would be reasonable for such an adaptation, to make it more readable and coherent for the audience), but instead wrote it entirely in narrative format, right down to specific dialogue and small details and all sorts of other stuff that he couldn't possibly have known (plus a good helping of classical horror-movie cliches thrown in the mix, showing just how much of the author's imagination filled the final product). In the end, the book reads completely like a novel, such that the reader is unable to differentiate between fact and fiction, rendering it unfit for research purposes and unworthy of a "nonfiction" classification. However, with that said, the book remains reasonably engaging, and I did finish it; I simply read it like it was written: as a fictional horror novel, and entertainment. If that's what you're looking for, you'll probably be pleased; if you're looking for something factual and objective, however, look elsewhere.

For all its literary shortcomings, 'Dark Place' does have one redeeming characteristic, in my opinion: as an object lesson in the power of denial, in its portrayal of the Snedeker family's reaction when confronted with supernatural phenomena (fictional or not). In my experience, this is the predominant mentality in modern-day Western culture, in which non-communication, consensual ignorance, and subtle punishment for acknowledgement is the way we deal with problems, whether in the family or in the public sphere. Of course, such thinking is natural and understandable, especially in our present cultural context, yet it remains no less illogical and self-destructive; and though 'In a Dark Place' is far from the first book to shed light on this common dysfunction, the message is no less relevant for it, as evidenced by the popularity of this mentality (and, our general uawareness of its existence). Whatever this book may or may not be, it remains important as a cautionary tale, demonstrating the terrible power of denial (and the consequences thereof). We'd all do well to consider such behavior, I think, for the Snedekers would not be alone in suffering from denial of the inconvenient reality lying before them.

My thanks goes out to this book's authors, subjects, and publishers. I am grateful for, and have benefited from, your work and service.

This book, In A Dark Place, is, without a doubt, the best book I have ever read. It's exceptionally written, terrifying, and unsettling: just to think that such a thing could really happen to a family like the Snedekers. The most frightening thing, for me, was Stephen's transformation from a happy, normal boy into the dark, brooding, evil person he became, as he was, in essence, posessed by these demons and spirits in the house. I still wonder if he's ok now. The description in the book is so vivid, and I felt as though I was there. With the spirits in the basement, the voices that were heard, all of it. Stephen, Carmen, and the whole Snedeker family, I wish you the best of luck in the future. I highly recommend this book to anyone, who, like me, is an unofficial, though truly dedicated, ghosthunter.

The hardest challenge was separating what I knew about the Snedeker Case from the movie, The Conjuring and several docudramas and documentaries. The book is written Carmen reed & Al Snedeker with Ray Garton. It is well-constructed but does move slowly during the first 100 pages. The last 60% are stellar because we get answers and resolution. The Warrens (Ed & Lorraine) do not appear on the scene until the last 30% of the novelized story. they are alluded to but their presence is almost negligible in many respects. That aside, this is a good accounting with flair provided by veteran horror novel writer, Ray Garton. Yes, he may have taken some literary license and there are graphic descriptions and foul language that essential to the story. Give this book a shot, you will become riveted.

I won this book through Goodreads, and I'll admit that there were moments when I wished I hadn't! This story scared the everloving crap out of me. I had to steal the night light from the kitchen and put in in my bedroom. Ghosts don't scare me overly much, as I've lived in a few haunted houses. Demons? Yeah, those s.o.b.s. scare me senseless! I usually avoid books like that. Did I believe the happenings in this story? No, not much. Some? Sure. But, a lot of it was way too outlandish. Still, it managed to make me jump at every little noise! Yep, I'd recommend this book.

I came into In A Dark Place from an interesting place of my own. I've spoken to the author, Ray Garton, online numerous times and read his account of the writing of the book. This includes some fairly damning testimony regarding the Warrens, the Snedekers, and others involved in the case.

This also adds a layer to the reading of the book. While it is presented as a non-fiction telling of haunting and demon possession, the reader gains a new appreciation for Garton's skill as a writer when one knows that it is actually a fictional tale passing as non-fiction. Sure, many of the standard haunting tropes are there, but Garton does an excellent job of creating genuine tension.

The story is interesting, however, readers should be aware that Ray Garton was interviewed in March 2009. He says in regards to this book, that Ed Warren told him, "All the people who come to us are crazy, that's why they come to us. Just use what you can and make the rest up. You write scary books, right? Well, make it up and make it scary. That's why we hired you." Do a search and you should come across the interview. Make up your own mind.

A few months ago a friend and I were talking about Ray Garton. We both collect his books and somehow, this one completely slipped under my radar. After reading about the book's history, I now see why. Mr. Garton doesn't seem to care much for this book, not because it's a bad book, or one that doesn't show off his unnerving prowess for tense, deftly executed situations; no, he doesn't care much for this book because of the circumstances under which it was written. In A Dark Place concerns the haunting of a family in Connecticut in the mid 1980s. To make life easier on their ailing son, the Snedekers move into an affordable, spacious Colonial in Southington, CT that not so many years ago had been a funeral home. Possibly because of his already weakened condition, son Matthew begins to feel an overwhelming uneasiness the day his family moves into the lower level of the house. As the story progresses, each family member is harassed in increasingly more malignant ways by the terrifying Presence.

Let me say, if you've seen the movie, you haven't read the book. Besides the basic setup and the obligatory Presence, the stories are very, very different. Since I haven't done much research on the actual "haunting", be it true or falsified, I can't say which is closer to the Truth. I do know, as previously mentioned, that Garton has problems with his own version because he's said he was not told the truth by anyone involved. Garton claims the Warrens, a husband-wife ghost hunting team who attempt to save the Snedekers near the end of the book, told him to "just make it up, you're a horror writer aren't you?" whenever he found a place in his manuscript where there were holes or information gleamed from the Snedekers didn't add up.

With that said, I still have to admit that what Garton has created with In A Dark Place is one of the scariest books I've ever read. Each night of the 3 or 4 days it took to read, I waited til 11 or 11:30 at night, switched on a small reading lamp beside my rocking chair, turned off all appliances so I could only here the natural (or unnatural) sounds of the house, and let the words work their magic. I've been a fan and devourer of horror books and movies for at least 20 years now and I can't recall anything creeping me out more than this book. The scenes involving the Presence always made the little hairs on my arms stand on end, even though I knew they were inevitable. You just knew something was fixing to happen and you even got to where you had a good idea what it would involve, but it still creeped. me. out.

The only problem I had w/ the book, discounting its factual or nonfactual information, was that the ending was a bit abrupt. You spent the previous 300 pages getting to know the family, their plight, and all of a sudden, it was over. Since the book was published in 1994, this edition at least, I'd hoped Garton could've filled us in a little more. But, considering the troubles he had while writing it, I wouldn't doubt that he was not privy to the full aftermath and, quite possibly, just wanted to get the damned thing out of his hands, considering the problems he'd had.

Still, what fans of a good horror story are left with is arguably the scariest fictional or nonfictional account of a haunted house they will ever read.

And to Kasia, who turned me on to this book in the first place, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! Merry Christmas!

I found a copy of this book a couple of years ago after watching the documentary version of it, "A Haunting In Connecticut" on the Discovery Channel. The TV show was one of the scariest I'd seen, and the book tracks the film pretty closely.

The premise of the book is that the Snedeker family needs to move closer to where the oldest son, Stephen, is being treated for cancer. The family thinks they have found the answer to their prayers when they find a large home that has just been remodeled that is being leased for a very reasonable price. However, they soon learn the reason for the bargain. The house is a former funeral home. However, with the expense of the son's cancer treatment weighing heavily on the family budget, the Snedekers are unable to afford breaking their lease and moving to yet another house. According to the book, demons invade their domicile - or they invade the demon's domicile, depending on how you look at it - until the supernatural detectives, the Warrens, are called in and with the help of an exorcism, restore peace to the household.

Just as much as fright, though, I felt a great deal of anger at the Snedekers as parents. For one thing, Mr. Snedeker seems to believe that the size of his electricity bill is more important than the mental health of a child recovering from cancer since he removes all of the light bulbs from the basement bedroom so that Stephen can no longer sleep with the lights on. Then he forces the boy to continue sleeping in this bedroom in spite of his tales of horror of being tormented by apparitions coming from the former embalming room adjacent to his basement bedroom. He does this in spite of the fact that he and his wife have both personally been the victims of attacks and witnesses of various manifestations of the house's spirits. Afterwards, in despair, the boy just gives in to the demons' collective will, manifesting in more and more bizarre behavior until he finally attacks a visiting cousin. How Mrs. Snedeker could have invited this young niece into her home in the first place just because she wanted the companionship and help around the house, having witnessed firsthand the mayhem that the house's demons can cause, as well as her son's deteriorating mental state, is a wonder to me.

I have read an interview with the author, and he paints both the Warrens and the Snedekers in a very unflattering light in that interview. He basically says that he does not really believe the Snedekers' stories, since even the Warrens themselves told the author that they think that all of their clients are crazy including the Snedekers. Plus, apparently there was considerable drug and alcohol abuse going on in the Snedeker household and the family members would never tell the same story twice. The author only went through with writing the book because he was already legally obligated to do so. However, even if the account is total fiction, it is well told and frightening fiction and I highly recommend it if you can find a copy. If not, the next time the documentary comes on TV, you should watch it. Also, there have been rumors this story is going to be made into a feature film to be released some time in 2006, but I haven't been able to find any other details on this alleged movie.

I purchased this book on my iPhone through the iBooks app. I've been a fan of both Ed and Lorraine Warren for a long time so I knew I'd be interested in this reading material. I like the book however, the author tends to go on and on, creating more pages than necessary. Maybe it was early on in his writing career but in this book, he's the type of author that won't just tell you, "That is a crayon box." He will write and write about, "That is a crayon box. You've got your red crayon. You've got a green crayon. You've got a blue crayon, etc..." Other than that, frightening book!

Okay, so maybe you've never heard of IN A DARK PLACE; but believe me: if you like horror mixed with the struggles that a family goes through in the never-ending saga known as life, read it. One of the only books that have ever sent shivers down my spine. I was, cautiously, racing through the book, having finished it in two or three days.
Words cannot describe (well, obviously they can if they're in the book) the atmosphere that this book presents, the way its pages reach out with their hands and grab you, not releasing its grip until the very last page is read.
Although I'm not really sure if this book was ENTIRELY true I think it was still a very dark, entertaining journey into the realms of the Unknown.
Do read it!

I think the way to approach reading this book is to stop judging it's merits beforehand and just enjoy a good ghost story. Yes... some of the lesser star reviews here are correct.Over-hyped nonsense? Yes. Hoax? Maybe. Unbelievable? It's a ghost story... isn't it suspossed to be unbelievable?
But on the other hand... if it was sold as fiction, the 1&2 star reviews would be 4&5. It's all in what you are expecting BEFORE you read the book. Sure.. read all of the reviews here and then buy it anyway. It really is a good read. Whether or not you want to believe is up to you. My advice is to read the book if you can find it and afford it. The re-sale value of this book makes it worth reading and selling to someone else... or keep it if it moves you.
I live a mile from this house. Driving by it is rather spooky in itself. The "loading" doors for the cadavers are still there. The back parking lot is still there. You can still get a funeral home feel for the place. By the way... the house on the cover of the book IS the actual house! That's really a great plus.
I have a few copies of the Devil In Connecticut. I bought them because I have loaned out a couple to friends and have never seen them again. One copy is mine for good now. I will never get rid of it. It's the scariest book that I have ever read and will read it again. (my wife thinks so, too) It's unbelievable, yes. It is also sold as a true account of a haunting. But it's fun to think about it as being true just for the scare factor. In A Dark Place comes in as a close second on this account.
The reason these books become so collectible anyway, is because everyone keeps talking about the story it tells and the discussion starts all over again. Now a few more people will want to give their two cents, so they buy it and read it and talk about it and a few more people buy it and.... see what I mean? That said... how could a book that stirs up so much controversy be a waste of money OR a bad read at all. I have two copies that were autographed personally for me. I would never part with one of them... the other is always available to a good home who truly apprieciates a good scare and who at least respects what goes into entertaining the reading public... true story or not.
I LOVED this book! I recommend it to fans of Halloween everywhere. Just read it for what it is. A scary story that puts you in great place... if you like to be in those places. Personally I love to be in those places. At least until I get my own ghost...

What disturbs me about this book is that it appears to be true. Having met and spent several months working with Allen Snedeker, I had a chance to discuss with him some of the happenings detailed in the book, and some of the things that continued to happen to him and his family afterwards. Allen told me about the book, which I then special-ordered after our discussions. He was reluctant to discuss some of the things, but graciously talked at length with me about his feelings on what happened, etc. One thing he wanted to stress was that the Snedeker family tried very hard to keep any record of the haunting as factual as possible. Having said that, he also stated that they had turned down offers of a movie several times, knowing it would be blown way out of proportion and not be factual at all. He also mentioned that the book is close to truth, but still embellishes slightly in some ways. A very, very scary book, simply because I know it must be true. "Stephen. Come down here Stephen. You've got to see this....."

This is the scariest book I have ever read. I have read Live Girls and more of Ray Garton's books and consider him it be on par with Stephen King. For those who complain of the price of this book you might be interested to know I spoke with Mr. Garton. He told me he would be happy to run more additions of the book on one condition. He will not sign off on the book unless it is listed as fiction because that is what it is. He was told to write the book, given the information and told to " make something of it" I was a bit disappointed to hear this but the thrills the book gave me and everyone in my family. who read it were worth it.I don't think Ray Garton realized the phenomenon his book would create. I for one have been mightily entertained by this book the several times I have read it over a period of 20 years. Thanks for writing it Ray :)

Please watch the documentaries based on the real true story. This author twisted a lot of events. Made horrible lies about the family as well as Ed and Lorraine. No one had editorial rights to this book besides the author. And strangely enough he declined to be interviewed or put in the documentaries.

This is the scariest book I have ever read. I have read Live Girls and more of Ray Garton's books and consider him it be on par with Stephen King. For those who complain of the price of this book you might be interested to know I spoke with Mr. Garton. He told me he would be happy to run more additions of the book on one condition. He will not sign off on the book unless it is listed as fiction because that is what it is. He was told to write the book, given the information and told to " make something of it" I was a bit disappointed to hear this but the thrills the book gave me and everyone in my family. who read it were worth it.I don't think Ray Garton realized the phenomenon his book would create. I for one have been mightily entertained by this book the several times I have read it over a period of 20 years. Thanks for writing it Ray :)

Please watch the documentaries based on the real true story. This author twisted a lot of events. Made horrible lies about the family as well as Ed and Lorraine. No one had editorial rights to this book besides the author. And strangely enough he declined to be interviewed or put in the documentaries.

There is no question that this was a wonderfully-written and powerful book. And I truly believe that the house that the Snedikers lived in was haunted, but I find it hard to believe EVERYTHING in the book. I think a lot of it was exaguratted. I find it hard to believe everything that supossedly happened to these people; but if it did all happen, God bless the pour souls that lived through it. I COULDN'T imagine. This is a truly horrifying book and I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in a good scare.

I cannot believe this book is out of print.It's still the scariest thing I've read on ANY subject and had me spooked of funeral homes,old drains,and rusty sinks for a long time. Not to mention the poor boy who's bedroom turned out to be the south coffin room.Different,chilling, and true, and the grotesque events leading to the hauntings made my skin crawl.Thank you, Mrs. Snedeker for telling the world your story. Thanks also to Ed and Lorraine Warren, and the state of Connenticut which I can't pass through anymore without thinking of this book...it's that good---

In this book, derived from the experiences of Ed and Lorraine Warren (who are well respected, self-proclaimed Demonologists), with regard to the Snedeker family, the reader is brought into the realm of the unknown and seemingly impossible, world of demonic possession. Through this compelling saga, one is tranported into the horrific lore of the Snedeker's reality. A family of seven persecuted maliciously by a group of apparitions that catapult the family into an incubus of acopocolyptic proportions. The demons manage to invade the very core of the Snedeker's family, trying desperately to destroy their familial bonds. The devilements of these omnipotent, devilish demons increases more and more as they gain control over the Snedeker family. Not one member of the family is left untouched by these oppressive entities. This book leaves the reader in awe of the potential danger of the unknown realm of spiritualism and demonic possession. Whether you "believe" or not, it is a truly compelling story worth putting some effort into reading.

In A Dark Place.......
I grew up in the town where this 'report' takes place.......Southington, Ct. The house involved was indeed a funeral home...Haloran's Funeral Home on Meriden Avenue...a stones throw from the hospital...Bradley Memorial.. Unless things have changed, it was certainly NOT a major Cancer Center..the only one it could possibly be referring to is in New Haven...a good 25 miles away. I had a lot of friends who lived on Meriden Avenue, we all went to the same school..there was only one grammer school in Southington and only one Jr. high school, so I was many, many times on Meriden Avenue and was quite familiar with Halorans. I remember one Halloween night we were 'trick or treating' near the funeral home and decided to be brave and 'lurk' around the home. there were a couple of incidents that scared the bejezus out of us so we NEVER did it again. but, as far as the events that occured after the home was sold as a private home..??? Who knows? That there may have been a lingering 'presence' in the home, I have no doubt. Then the imaginations of the new family perhaps began to blossom. Those of us who were familiar with the home question this whole event. The Warrens may have been called in, I don't know. I had married by then and bought a new home in the next town over..Kensington. But my very dear friend had contacted the Warrens for help in something, we visited them at their home in Monroe, Ct. and they were no help at all. (Charged my friend $200.00) Is this story a 'true account' or simply an embellished tale..
BTW...i bought the book at a yard sale for 50 cents!

The reason this book is out of print is due to the legal troubles between the Snedekers and Ray Garton. The Snedekers claim Mr. Garton lied throughout his book about many of the characteristics of the family as well as some of the accounts. Mr. Garton has declined numerous times to be interviewed about this. HOWEVER... the book is still very, very good. If you are looking to really be scared, this is the book. Regardless if it's true or not, if it has been embellished or not, it is still a story that will entertain, frighten, and definitely have you leaving the lights on at night. That's all we can ask of any good book, regardless if it's true or not. It's just a shame that so many will never get the chance to read it because of the controversy. I feel very lucky to have bought my copy when it first came out and only paid cover price. If you have the means, it is a book well worth buying.

There is alot of talk about this story being a 'hoax', but the fact remains that this is one of the most truly terrifying books on the topic of supernatural activity. Garton does an excellent job of instilling fear and dread in the reader; one of the most interesting parts of this book is how the adults in this family refused to believe the children who were being terrorized by unseen entities. The family dynamic in this story is just as interesting - and as frightening - as the supernateral tale.

It's kind of irrelevant whether, as the author claims, this is a true story. But even read as fiction, this is one of the scariest books I've ever read, and I've read a lot on this theme. Makes the "Amityville Horror" school of "true haunting" books look like children's fairy tales by comparison. A truly frightening book about a young family who unknowingly move into a converted Funeral Home, and despite their terror are unable to afford to move out. I've read it multiple times and it gives me chills every single time.

Ghosts and I have a long and turbulent past, but nothing could have prepared me for the utter terror that this book brings to mind. Just thinking about it in the past tense I get goosebumps. A loud voice screaming your name from the wide open basement door, "Get down here!" just absolutely thirlls me. I have yet to read anything scarier than this book and it is a travesty that it is out of print.

I cannot believe all the great reviews of this book, and how many people claim that it is terrifying. Really? I got it from the library after a few months of waiting, and I was severely unimpressed. The writing was mediocre at best and fell into every bad horror cliche there is. The dialogue was laughable. Every direction it went in was completely predictable to anyone who has a passing knowledge of the exorcism/haunted house genre, from the parents who refuse to believe the children to the invisible rape scenes (which, frankly, just got old).

The book couldn't seem to figure out what it wanted to do; it started out following Stephen, Carmen, and some of the other immediate family members, and finished by following the demonologists and some other random characters who appeared over halfway through. I'm sorry, but that's not good writing. It's a general rule that you don't just switch the focus to characters you've introduced in the second to last act. By the end, I was fed up with the whole thing, especially the way the parents assumed that a teenager who wanted to listen to rock music must be EVIL! Please. Fair warning to other atheists out there, this book will probably bug the crap out of you. My advice? Stick to the movie. At least that had some entertainment value, was fairly original in the direction of the plot, and provided characters that you can actually give a crap about. That or pick up a Stephen King book.

THIS BOOK WAS VERY SCARY AND I ENJOYED IT ALOT, BUT THERE WAS ALOT OF THINGS I FOUND UNBELIEVABLE, IF YOUR HOUSE WAS HAUNTED BY A DEMON WOULDNT YOU FIND A WAY TO MOVE TO A SAFER PLACE FOR YOUR FAMILY? AND AS FAR AS THE DAD (AL) GETTING RAPED IN THE REAR BY THE DEMON WAS A BIT TO MUCH. THERE WAS A SHOW ON DISCOVERY ABOUT IT LAST NIGHT CALLED "A HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT" THAY WERE CALLED THE PARKERS IN THIS SHOW BUT IT WAS DEFINATELY THE SNEDDECKER STORY ( IF THATS EVEN THERE REAL LAST NAME)
I WENT TO SEE THE HOUSE A FEW YEARS AGO AND I SPOKE TO NEIGHBORS AND THEY TOLD ME ALOT WENT ON IN THAT HOUSE WHEN IT WAS A FUNERAL HOME. BUT THEY DIDNT KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE SNEDDECKERS STORY. I BELIEVE THE HOUSE WAS HAUNTED BY SOMETHING BUT IM SURE NOT TO THE EXTREME THE SNEDDECKERS SAY IT WAS.

This was such a chilling story that I could barely put it down! It was very well written and I can't believe that it is actually a true story! Carmen, if you ever read this, my thoughts and prayers are with you. Thank God you got out of their alive...while you could. The book was so good that I had to read it twice. The scenes that are forever in my mind are when the ghosts are in the basement and they look at the boys and say "toys", and when one of the scientist guys is going to the bathroom and when he comes out, sees the ghost coming up the stairs towards him. That must have been the most terrifying thing in his life!!!

This book, In A Dark Place, is, without a doubt, the best book I have ever read. It's exceptionally written, terrifying, and unsettling: just to think that such a thing could really happen to a family like the Snedekers. The most frightening thing, for me, was Stephen's transformation from a happy, normal boy into the dark, brooding, evil person he became, as he was, in essence, posessed by these demons and spirits in the house. I still wonder if he's ok now. The description in the book is so vivid, and I felt as though I was there. With the spirits in the basement, the voices that were heard, all of it. Stephen, Carmen, and the whole Snedeker family, I wish you the best of luck in the future. I highly recommend this book to anyone, who, like me, is an unofficial, though truly dedicated, ghosthunter.

I think some of the more critical reviews are missing the point. In every haunted house/possession book or movie, one of the by-products is apathy on the part of other family members. They are under the spell of the demon as well. This leads to the isolation of the member who is being actively pursued and further fracturing the family unit. All of these types of stories display that when they leave the house for a period of time, they come to their senses and realize belatedly what has been happening around them.
I read this book years ago and can still recall passages of the book and am chilled by the concept. It is an excellent book that has stood the test of time.

I first read this book about two years ago!! It is the first True Haunting story I have ever come across--and believe me I've read almost everything that deals with the supernatural!! This is a book that even scared me---which is a FIRST!!!!

This book was spooky, you can judge this book by it's cover! What drew me to the book was the cover, it was creepy and read "The Story of a true haunting" I could not put the book down and I never read it alone. Ed & Lorraine Warren are truly remarkable in thier work. I have the upmost respect for the unknown and will never dabble with anything dark. I guarantee when you read this true story, you will be looking in your closets and under your bed and definately over your shoulders. I am an owner of the hardcover edition!

I love a good ghost story and personally have seen things that I consider unexplained. I remember seeing the TV special from the then to become series "A Haunting" that featured this story. I was interested in the book as a result. More details than the TV special, nothing particularly special for this style of writing. I'm not a fan of the Warrens and I hate frauds. Being a lover of true stories, I think it's important to note that the author himself has been upset over the writing and publishing of this books for years. Now with the recent movie made (not based on this book as the producer explained) people are interested again in the story and it's basis in fact. Well, I'm finally convinced any who believe in this true tale are being fooled. You can read interviews by the author on the topic Here:

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What's EXTREMELY funny is that the mother, Carmen Snedeker, now Carmen Reed, has become a self proclaimed Spiritual advisor. What a crock. Here's her website for those interested:

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Someone should try to find Stephen Snedeker or any of the other children now all grown up for their comments on this story. (You ever notice children are never around years later to back up old haunting/exorcism tales?) But I'm sure they will keep their mouths shut so long as the family is cashing in. WOW.

I read this book when I was like...8 years old. I still remember it like it was yesterday though. Problem is, I lost it when I was like...8 years old. Don't know how but I've been searching for it again ever since and when I saw that A Haunting in Connecticut was coming out, it brought back all my memories of the book. I want to get it again, but I was just wondering...does anyone know why the book is SO expensive wherever I look?

One night I couldn't fall asleep, so I picked this book from my mom's book stash to read. It definately didn't help me sleep! It was so good I would stay up for hours every night reading it. The fact that it was a true haunting just fascinated me. Reading about the encounters the Snedekers had truley freaked me out. I literally slept with my bedroom light on every night I read this book. It has a way of making you scared in your own home, and not wanting to go in your own basement. I don't read much but this is a book I will read over and over. I recomend trying to find a copy. It is spooky and excellent!

I just finished this book. I made the mistake of reading it before bed and then couldn't sleep!! One thing I found odd: The house was converted into 2 apts. An upstairs and a downstairs. The Snedeckers lived in the downstairs apt. There was a family living in the upstairs apt, but they never had any problems? I find this strange. I mean, it was the same house. They only mention them briefly in the book.

I was stuck staying up all night until I finished this book, that's how good I found this book to read. Truly freaks you what what this family went through. This book brand new was not even over $15.00 when I bought it. The price they are asking for here I find is extremely outrageous and very much a rip off..

Very scary but great book! Very well written and would suggest this book to anyone looking to for a story of ghosts and hauntings! Best scary story I have heard and/or seen! If you are spooked easily i would not recommend this book, unless reading it in the light!! Great, great scary story!

Don't make too much out of the stories in this book in terms of it being the truth or not --

Garton has, however, noted that he doesn't like this book, and is glad it is out of print, saying: "The family involved, which was going through some serious problems like alcoholism and drug addiction, could not keep their story straight, and I became very frustrated; it's hard writing a non-fiction book when all the people involved are telling you different stories"

It has been years since I read a library copy of this book. The contents of this story stayed with me and I wonder 'till this day what became of this poor family. This book should not be out of print. It terrified me to think that this really happened to somebody and I honor their courage.

I recommand that you DON'T buy this book in excess of $200. I found this book not at all scary or believable. If you really are intent on reading this book, I suggest you borrow it from the library. I did and I am glad I didn't waste alot of money to read this.

Execrable, badly written, derivative, cheesy, In a Dark Place is as scary as a smeared gum on the sidewalk. Follows the standard template nice-family-moves-into-house-with-evil-spirits-that-threaten-children-threating-spookiness-ensues-nice-spiritualists-provide-guidance-Catholic-clergy-saves-the-day. Why do evil spirits always require Catholic exorcisms? No Protestant exorcists need apply, I suppose.

The book does serve as a good example of how low to which the horror genre can sink.

The only evil spirits here are the publishers.

You have been warned.

I didnt pay but $16.95 for this book new I cannot believe the rip off charges for it. It is an excellent book and yes it is a true story. You can contact Ed & Lorraine Warren about it or visit there web site. This book should be a movie!!!

Somewhat enjoyable read with phantasmic beasts that pine to commit sodomy on witless victims. Really, in all honesty, the one star rating mirrors the tremendously ill, high cost the sellers are asking for imbibing this made up horror. A curse and a byword on those greedy beast sellers!!!! Be not the next fool to pay such a high price. Hearken to the stingy voice within.

Even if it is "the story of a true haunting," this is a fairly sick book. The author is obviously relishing the necrophilia theme, and sensationalizes it ludicrously. Worse is the book's obvious "Christian" agenda, which might be summarized, "DON'T listen to that evil heavy metal music, DO keep bibles beside your bed, and whatever you do, DON'T touch an Ouija board!"