Ghost Tracks
Ghost Tracks: Case Files of Ed & Lorraine Warren
By Cheryl A. Wicks with Lorraine Warren and Ed Warren
The Sexton’s musings (spoilers are likely):
This is the last book in the Warren series.
Meet the Warrens
There is some well known information in this chapter; however, there is so much more information about there relationship and history than I was aware of. Things that I knew were expanded upon and information about later in their lives is there too. I know that I have expressed this before but I really wish that I had known about them and had to opportunity to at least meet them if not work with them. They were amazing people and I am glad that the mainstream world has been introduced to them through the Conjuring films. Not only does it raise interest but it also allows them to continue to deliver their message to an ever expanding audience. Their goal was always education, knowledge and prevention of having people invite negative entities into their lives.
This is a lovely section to the book. Out of all the previous books this one taught me the most about them personally. Broken record time: I really wish I had had that pleasure of meeting them in life. I could have learned so much.
Section II: Ghosts: Fact or Fiction? Harmless or Harmful?
This is the opening to the second section of this book. The Warrens are giving a lecture at the Society about ghosts. What they are and details about how to recognize a ghost from an apparition from an inhuman spirit. The following four case studies are examples of ghosts/apparitions (the two are considered different) that the Warren’s encountered.
Case Study #1: The Commander’s Ghostly Caretaker
As the family is telling their story they mention that one of their cats was being targeted by the entity. Now I feel animals like children are sensitive to our unseen world so it would stand to reason that he would be afraid. When Ed asks if they still have the cat they state that he stayed outside too long during the winter and froze to death. Now why the hell did they let him outside in the first place? Maybe he escaped if he were frightened enough but why the hell would you not go out and look for him. I think this is the most horrific part of this story. Now that I’ve got that out of the way…the rest of the story is really kinda sweet. Out of all the book this one actually looks at a non-malevolent, earth bound, entity.
Case Study #2: A Murdered Boy’s Unrest
There is a sad story attached to this case. So very sad. The Warren’s are brought in by a police officer whose member of the community confided in about some paranormal incidents they were having in their home. The story surrounding the haunting is horrible. Luckily those that did it were apprehended. This aside the kid was attacked but was left for dead out in the cold. He could have been saved had someone in the community called the police. Instead they turned their back on the boy. Really it’s no wonder that there was a haunting. Interestingly enough the entity targeted a family that was not even there when it all happened. To me that actually makes perfect sense considering that no one helped him when he was dying so why go to them for help now, it’s so very sad. I do hope that he was able to move on. Being mentally handicapped in life may have made his ability to understand limited but I do hope that he has found peace.
Case Study #3: A Ghostly Interview
This is an amazing story. I would love to have heard those tapes. So very sad yet with a happy ending. Or at least is seems that this is the case. There is no mention from Ed about being hungry here. I just think it’s hilarious that it keeps coming up.
Case Study #4: Water Poltergeist
Ed’s hunger is back in this chapter. Never seems to be far from his mind. I can relate…if I’m not eating I’m planning for my next meal. This is a good story. One with a happy ending for once, and it’s super interesting!
Section III: Evil: Beast or Behavior?
In this section they discuss inhuman entities and the steps involved when they decide or are invited into people’s lives. Many are now familiar with the pattern that occurs when something inhuman is involved thanks to the movies and books.
Case Study #5: Amityville: Hoax or Horror
The house now and then, the DeFeo family (top right) and Ronnie DeFeo (lower left)
While the Amityville case was indeed one of the most famous cases the Warren’s ever looked into I’d have to say after reading their books it is hardly the most horrendous. I do think that having this conversation with George Lutz and presenting it here was a good idea. There is a lot of controversy surrounding this but I have to say that this clears up some of it for me. As to what happened with Ronnie DeFeo and the murders of his family…well I think that was the catalyst for whatever invaded that house. There has been some discussion about George being interested in the occult in later books and documentaries. Whether this is true or not, who knows, but it makes sense that the combination of violence that was perpetrated there and the alleged occult interest of George would attract something inhuman to that location. Do I believe that the Lutz family experienced frightening phenomena in that house, yes, absolutely. Do I think Ronnie DeFeo was possessed by something and killed his family while under the influence of the demonic? Honestly on this I am not sure. What happened in that house will remain a mystery. Is it possible that Ronnie walked into his sister murdering their family and killed her in self-defense? Absolutely! After all he was not living in the home at the time of the murders. There is evidence to support this theory. However, even if this was the case was she under some sort of influence? Were multiple members of the family under the influence of something? Was Psychic Paralysis involved? One would think that you would hear a rifle going off and run. There are a lot of possibilities here.
George and Kathy Lutz
I suspect that what occurred here was a combination of many factors. Put them all together and you have the perfect soup for inhuman infestation. George’s answers are straightforward. If he does not know something he says as much. He does not put words into others mouths and seems very credible.
The Amityville House investigation.
Case Study #6: Haunted by Evil
This chapter is an examination of a correspondence (letter) that was sent to the Warren’s from a client of theirs. It’s interesting to hear what she has to say in her own words and then to have Ed explain what is actually happening, based on his experience. Very interesting.
Case Study #7: Like Someone Possessed
This chapter, like the previous one features a letter from a person that contacted the Warren’s for help. While the last one was from the inflicted person themself.. After you read this chapter you will see why I can be so volatile about “witches”. Really, I don’t see these individuals as anything but evil POS’s. Real witches or Wiccan’s don’t use their knowledge to cause pain. Quite the opposite in fact. The other issue I have is that incestuous intensions seem to be at play here, at least on the sister’s part and that’s insanely disgusting. Have ya seen “Wrong Turn”? Yeah that! It’s a damn shame that this chapter ends with the husband still under the curse of his demented sister. I mean let’s call a duck a duck…that bitch was fucked up! There had to have been more going on in that family. A LOT more! Hope she’s ready to pay the piper later…the devil never keeps his promises!
Section IV: The Unexplained: Real or Ridiculous
I am familiar with one of the two cases that will be liked at in this section. Here they explore the world of cryptozoology. Honestly I proud of them for mentioning the field as it seems the Warren’s are more inclined to believe that these creatures are projections of those utilizing black magic or the power of the mind via psychic projection. I myself believe that “Bigfoot” is “Bigfoot”. Potentially an interdimensional traveler but that’s as far as I’ll go. It stands to reason, logically, that there are living things that are out there in our natural world that we have no clue about, have yet to discover or may never truly discover (and that’s okay Ghoulies). I’m curious to see how these cases are presented in this book.
Case Study #8: Bigfoot in Tennessee
There is A LOT more detail here in this book than there was in the other one. There are interviews with those that saw the entity. Okay I’m just going to say it…Ed loved food! Like he keeps talking about being hungry and wondering when he is going to be able to eat. Cracks my ass up!
Interestingly enough there is no mention of projection or the use of black magic in this book. The previous mention of this case the author quotes Ed as saying that he suspected that the entity was most likely the manifestation of some sort of ritual but the tone is different here. Like I said there is no mention of magic at all. Lorraine even suspects that these beings are interdimensional travelers. Or at least that is what she believes. She also believes that it is peaceful and was not intending on hurting anyone. It’s an interesting contrast between this book and the previous one. This account is more along my own suspicions.
There are accounts of the interviews that were conducted with the folks that encountered the entity.
Case Study #9: Scottish Spirits
Once again Ed is “famished”, hangry even. I can relate. Now as for the case itself. It seems that there are a lot of unknowns with this one. Lorraine is able to get impressions of what is happening but I feel that there is some debate about what kind of entity is actually in the hotel. I will say that I agree that the employees that were interviewed were, from the chapter description, genuinely frightened. In other words I don’t believe that they were faking an incident for publicity either. Hell from what I could tell no one there had any idea what an “incident” would even look like. People are tricky wicked though.
Paranormal Research
The battle between science and the paranormal. This chapter gives me hope that there is a possibility that science will acknowledge the unknown and perhaps make some of it known. Although I have still seen many members of the scientific and religious community via documentaries like “House In Between”. But this documentary also shows members of the scientific community willing to explore this area as well. A good chapter.
Closing thoughts:
Honestly I feel like this is the most comprehensive book that I have read from the Warren’s cases. The individual books of course had a lot of info on that particular case but this book looks at many of their cases where their involvement is at different levels whether it is just helping the police with a case, engaging in advice via phone or letter to someone that is struggling, or flat out present for an exorcism. A wide range of their cases is explored here and I really enjoyed it. The last section is one that I think about regularly. There is so much more to our world than what we can touch, taste, smell, hear, and see. What we truly know about our world is micro. Hell we don’t even understand our own bodies let alone everything around those bodies. A true scientist never closes their minds to possibilities or turns their back on truths no matter how contradictory they are to our current understanding. A deeper understanding of our world is sciences bread and butter after all and what better way to way to do that than to study the unknown.
