A-Z

Borley Postscript (2001)

Following in the wake of The Ghosts of Borley (1973), Underwood offers further material and reflection upon ‘the most haunted house in the world’, including the original ‘Borley Report’ based on his own investigation of the site, which he sent to Harry Price, who in return offered him membership to The Ghost Club.

The book also includes a transcript of the lecture he originally toured with: ‘A Pictorial History of the Borley Haunting’.

The top right hand corner image of the Borley Postscript uses a detail from the cover of Harry Price’s The End of Borley Rectory (1946).

Price, the grandfather of ghost hunting as a serious practise (who personally invited Underwood to join the Ghost Club), was most famous for his investigation at Borley.

Illustrated throughout with many hitherto unpublished photographs and drawings, this volume is indeed 'a welcome and valuable contribution to the Borley story'.

Underwood wrote about Price in the first chapter of his book The Ghost Hunters (1985).

Death in Hollywood (1992)

The Hollywood way of life has long been a mix of scandal, secrecy and sensation - and so has the Hollywood way of death.

This book charts the lives, loves and deaths of 30 of Tinseltown's leading stars. Many of the deaths were sad or senseless, and some were tragic. Others were the revenge of old age, while a few were the revenge of something altogether more sinister.

The untimely, sensational deaths of Marilyn Monroe and James Dean are examined. So too is the demise of Jean Harlow, whose Christian-scientist mother banned medical help to the end. Arthur Farnsworth, husband of Bette Davis, is included as a mysterious - not to say suspicious - death, as is the possible murder of "Superman" George Reeves.

Among the others featured are Merle Oberon, Sammy Davis Jr, Mary Pickford, John Wayne, Humphrey Bogart, Gary Cooper and Groucho Marx.

Deeper into the Occult (1975)

The sequel to his successful Into the Occult (1973), Underwood delves deeper into this terrain, attempting to find an explanation for a variety of phenomena that have baffled scientists and contradicted the basic tenets of their calling. Using many case histories, he discusses haunted music, vampires, superstitions, and dowsing and divining.

Do Egyptian or family curses have any effect? Is there any evidence to support the theory of reincarnation? Does psychic surgery work? What part have clairvoyants played in the solution of famous criminal cases? Could there really be fairies at the bottom of your garden?

Through the investigation of these and other fascinating questions, and the inclusion of extensive lists for further reading, Underwood leads the enquirer to an awareness of the possibilities of the occult so that he may pursue an open-minded approach for him or herself, and, like the author, come to the realisation that things are indeed not always what they seem...

Más allá de lo Oculto (1977)

Spanish translation of Deeper Into the Occult (1975).

¿Existen los vampiros?

¿Qué efectos pueden causar las maldiciones egipcias?

¿Cómo se realiza la cirugía psíquica?

¿Pueden doblarse los metales a voluntad?

Estas y otras preguntas del mundo de lo oculto y lo paranormal, nos son explicadas en este libro por uno de los investigadores psíquicos más célebres de nuestra época.

Dictionary of the Supernatural (1978)

Alchemy, apparitions and Atlantis; bell, book and candle; deja vu, demonology and the Devil - just some of the vast number of topics analysed and explained in this unique reference work.

Never before has there been such a comprehensive, in-depth study of the worlds of the occult, the supernatural and the paranormal and all their complex, interwoven strands.

The entires cover all known (and some very little known) organisations, individuals, periodicals, terms of reference, and significant cases, events and incidents relevant to the subject. Under each entry there are notes on other appropriate books and further reading.

The Complete Book of Dowsing and Divining (1980)

This comprehensive volume on dowsing and divining - from the twig and the pendulum to motorscopes and bare hands - traces the story of these fascinating and enigmatic phenomena from its origins in the world of fairy tales and mythology to recent theories that the enigma can be explained in terms of present-day psychology.

The force present in the act of dowsing and divining can be compared to the sensitivity of men and women suffering from rheumatism who feel, in advance, changes of weather. Theories that has been brought forward to explain its presence include suggestion, radiation, colour, the existence of a sixth sense, and changes in the earth's magnetic field. As there are many possible explanations there are also many types and applications of dowsing and divining: map dowsing; being eggs; radiesthesia; the diagnosis and cure of disease; locating missing persons; forces, fields and rays; and detecting thieves.

The book introduces us, in lucid and readable style, to the fascinating world of dowsing and divining, and gives the reader full instructions on how to attempt to become one of this international community.

Exorcism! (1990)

An investigation of the truths and myths behind an age-old ceremony. Throughout history, the practice of exorcism has been used for the purpose of driving out evil spirits and demons though to possess human beings and the places they inhabit. But there are more startling instances where exorcism has been used: to cure a trawler that seemed to be cursed; to expel demons from Bram Stoker's black 'vampire' dog' even to rid Loch Ness and the Bermuda Triangle of their evil ambience.

Peter Underwood explores this frightening ritual in relation to witches, vampires and animals, while his far-flung researches have unearthed dramatic cases in Morocco, Egypt, South Africa and the United States, as well as the British Isles.

Is the rite an archaic throwback, wrongly employed in cases of mental disturbance which would be better served by psychological counselling, or is evil indeed a living force which can be overcome by the power of good? Exorcism! offers some thought-provoking insights into a mysterious and powerful phenomenon. 

Favourite Tales of the Fantastical (2000)

This limited edition is a disturbing collection of his all time favourite occult stories that he keeps returning to over the years, finding them lurking always in the vaults of the mind...

Tales for those who have always wondered if only they experience strange occurrences...

Here you will find yourself in the company of literary legends like Charles Dickens, Sheridan Le Fanu, Robert Louis Stevenson, Edith Nesbin, Ambrose Bierce, 'Mrs' Oliphant and Bram Stoker.

But these stories may not put your mind at rest - they may make you fear what seems to be impossible. As Peter Underwood himself says: 'I wouldn't answer that tap on the door if I were you!'

Gazetteer of British Ghosts (1971)

First published in 1971, Gazetteer of British Ghosts was the result of a quarter of a century of study and on-the-spot investigation by one of the leading authorities on haunted houses.

The first comprehensive guide to the ghost population of the British Isles, it covers a subject that still fascinates and, at the same time, still terrifies. The ghosts of Britain are numerous, and in this book (catalogued and placed in alphabetical order) are well over two-hundred accounts of ghostly happenings - ranging from the legendary to the factually presented and the scientifically investigated.

Included are details not only of such famous haunted houses as Borley and Bettiscombe, Hampton Court and Hinton Ampner, Glamis and Great Bealings, but also lesser known hauntings such as those associated with Woburn, the Gargoyle Theatre in Soho, St. Albans and Bury St. Edmunds.

A full bibliography details all the best books dealing with true ghostly experiences, selected from the author’s library which is considered to be the most extensive private collection of such books.

See also The Ghostly Gazetteer on Wordpress.

Gazetteer of British, Scottish & Irish Ghosts (1985)

Here are such varied phenomena as the 'big grey man of Ben MacDhui', the haunted mountain vouched for by professors, doctors and mountaineers of considerable standing; or the curious disturbances at the Edinburgh home of Sir Alexander Seton subsequent to his wife's removing an ancient bone from an Egyptian tomb. Do you know where an vampire lurks in the shadows of a ruined church? Where giant footsteps cause panic to hardened climbers? Where the red glow of battle shines annually? Where corpses whisper? These and many other strange stories, legends and authentic accounts of ghostly happenings have been catalogued alphabetically for easy reference.

In addition to presenting a profusion of fascinating reports from the towns and valleys, lochs and lakes, mountains and rivers, historic castles and houses of these lovely countries, Peter Underwood draws on his twenty-five years of study and practical investigation to describe a rich patchwork of reported happenings that cannot be explained in material or scientific terms.

The Ghost Hunters (1985)

A leading psychical researcher takes an in-depth look at ghost hunters, both past and present. Who are these intrepid explorers of the unknown? How do they probe and examine the realms of the seemingly inexplicable? What are their conclusions? In fascinating detail, Peter Underwood profiles the lives and adventures of some of the most famous names in psychical investigation.

With authority and enthusiasm Peter Underwood discusses the varying techniques and approaches to ghost hunting, uncovers some notorious fakes and reveals many remarkable mysteries for which no material explanations can be found.

The Ghost Hunter’s Almanac (1993)

 used copies on sale

A selection of hauntings throughout the United Kingdom. Only hauntings where all natural causes have been eliminated are included.

Details of:
- Locations of haunted property
- Where the ghostly figure has been seen
- The probable identity of the ghost
- The witnesses and evidence for haunting

A formidable collection of ghosts, goalies and things that go bump in the night.

The Ghost Hunter’s Guide (1986)

In this book, which is the first real guide to the hunting of ghosts, Peter Underwood manages to cover just about eery aspect of this intriguing and mystifying subject.

Starting from an explanation of the various kinds of ghosts, various kinds of hauntings and the many types of location in which ghosts, poltergeists and associated phenomena occur. He examines in detail methods of investigation, the use of specialist equipment, including a special section on the photography of ghosts, and the associated questionnaires and documentation needed in order to carry out a bona fide and exhaustive research into the haunting.

At this point he takes the reader through a step-by-step investigation of a haunting, bringing in the above-mentioned specialist equipment and paying particular attention to the singular problems associated with poltergeists.

El Manual del Caza Fantasmas (1989)

Spanish translation of The Ghost Hunter’s Guide (1986).

El manual del cazafantasmas presenta un excitante hobby que se ha convertido en el favorito de Europa y se está extendiendo con furor a otras partes del mundo.

La caceria de fa fantasmas es una asombrosa y tentadora actividad que no sólo puede realizarse en zonas de castillos. Esta obra le enseñara todas las técnicas para descubrir lugares embrujados en casas ordinarias, escuelas y conventos, y lo convertirá en un astuto cazador de fenómenos insólitos. Decidase a visualizar fantasmas históricos, a hacer contacto con dimensiones desconocidas y a presenciar el impresionante ‘poltergeist’.

El pasmoso contenido de ‘El manual del caza fantasmas’ supera a las obras maestras del género fantástico. iUsted vivirá una aventura excepcional! 

A Ghost Hunter’s Handbook (1980)

The young person's guide for to becoming a professional ghost hunter: how to find a ghost, what to do when you are face to face with a ghost, how to unmask a fraud and even how to make a ghost trap! For the first time Peter Underwood lets you into all the secrets that have made him the world's top ghost hunter.

Now follow in his footsteps if you dare...

Ghost Hunting with Peter Underwood (2014)

There is an inescapable link between ghosts and historic houses. One has only to think of the gothic towers, the battlements, the ivy-covered ruined abbeys where bats emerge to flit low and dusk between the remains of crumbling stone arches.

This is the spooky territory that Peter Underwood, former President of The Ghost Club, explores in this book.

Ghost and How to See Them (1993)

If you are in the right place at the right time you will in all probability see a ghost!

Richly illustrated with 100 photographs, many in colour and published here for the first time.

Contains a complete calendar of haunted 'hot spots’ from around the world. 

The Ghosts of Borley (1973)

The first complete record of the unique Borley Rectory hauntings, detailing all the evidence known about this notorious haunted house from the early days of the Rev. H. D. E. Bull who built Borley Rectory in 1863, through the incumbencies of the Rev. Harry Bull, the Rev. Guy Eric Smith and the Rev. Lionel Foyster, to the investigations by Harry Price and other members of the Society for Psychical Research (SPR).

Reports of apparently paranormal activity - including appearances of the famous phantom nun - were still being received from the now desolate site of the rectory, its immediate vicinity and the church just across the road where many of the people who figure in the story now lie buried. Underwood studied and investigated the Borley case for thirty years, personally meeting and interviewing practically everyone connected with it.

Ghosts of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight (1982)

An A-Z of haunted places in two southern parts of England - from Abbotts Ann near Andover, to Wroxall near Ventnor.

This guide contains an evocative collection of material concerning inexplicable supernatural experiences in these regions stretching across vast swathes of time. Delve into Bramshott near Liphook, where, ’in the lush and quiet meadow beside the slow-flowing stream, Mistress Elizabeth Butler is said to have been so unhappy that she drowned herself in 1745 and her ghost walks beside the water’.

Discover Ashey Down near Brading, where two local residents once ‘found themselves in the middle of the biggest mystery of their lives…’. Or find out about Arreton Manor, an early Jacobean Manor steeped in history and dates back to as early as 1872, which is said to be haunted by the ghost of Annabel…

Ghosts of Kent (1984)

The first expert exploration of the haunted houses and authentic ghosts of Kent.

This volume is filled with fascinating true ghost stories from times past. Read about the curious case of Anne West of Old Bayhall Manor, who ‘was always worried that she might be buried while yet alive’, or the ‘ghostly old gentleman’ of Cleve Court in Minster, who, when he turns up, is treated ‘more as a guest than a ghost’ - because ‘the dear old thing means no harm’.

And there is Lympne Castle, where Underwood once took a party of Ghost Club members: ‘I had just obtained a description of the room, when one of the Club members rushed into the kitchen begging me to accompany her to one of the towers where “something horrible had once taken place”…’.

Ghosts of North-West England (1978)

It's certainly not a good idea to drive along the Hyde-Mottram road when the phantom lorry is about, and you should think twice before taking a taxi in Stockport - you never know who might be in the back seat with you.

But for those intrepid sounds whose hearts quicken at the thought of eerie footsteps and muffled groans, Peter Underwood has assembled an impressive collection of traditional legends and first-hand sightings of the white ladies, highwaymen, cavaliers, priests and nuns who form the spectral population of haunted Lancashire and Chesire.

Ghosts of Wales (1978)

This is currently available as Haunted Wales (2010).

A fascinating collection of ghost stories from all over Wales brought together by Peter Underwood, an acknowledged expert on the paranormal. This book covers not only more well-known hauntings but also some more recent, and highly surprising, sightings.

In his wide and varied experience Peter has handled objects which were alleged to have been moved by paranormal means and heard a recording of reportedly paranormal music.

Rather more significantly he has met and talked with many, many people who have either seen or heard or even felt a ghostly presence. Welsh folklore and daily life have long been visited by occult phenomenon. Told in chilling detail these stories will delight paranormal enthusiasts of all ages.

Haunted Farnham (2013)

This fascinating collection reveals the dark side of Farnham's history. This idyllic town has seen murders, betrayal and great battles, and these stories remain, trapped within its walls.

The author explores Farnham's castle and many manor houses, as well as inviting us into his own home and investigating the paranormal occurrences he lived with for many years.

The town's pubs, castle, church, homes, and shops are all included here, revealing some extraordinary encounters with the unexplained. With first-hand accounts and more than 60 photographs, this collection will enthrall both residents and visitors alike.

Haunted Gardens (2009)

True ghost stories associated with gardens in a survey that not only covers England and Scotland, but also areas on the continent as well as throughout the United States and Australasia.

Haunted Gardens is an exploration of remarkable and true ghost stories associated with some of the most interesting gardens, not only in England and Scotland, but also on the continent and throughout the United States and Australasia.It is carefully researched and fully illustrated with Underwood's own photographs.

Haunted London (1973)

The first book on London’s ghosts, when Peter Underwood was President of the Ghost Club. He was uniquely qualified to write it, presenting a geographical dictionary of the psychic phenomena of Britain’s capital city — a city with nearly ten million living inhabitants and the ghosts of many dead ones.

Ghostly associations are uncovered in churches, theaters, hotels, inns and scenes of murders. Poltergeist infestation is another phenomenon included in this work which is sure to fascinate anyone wanting to get to know London better — whether they be visitors, psychic researchers, students of history, of legend or folklore, or simply lovers of one of the world’s finest cities.

Hauntings (1977)

In this fascinating account of the best-attested cases of haunting - Hampton Court, the demon drummer of Bedworth, the Wesley ghost, Glamis, Borley Rectory and many others - Britain's foremost ghost-hunter has brought to light a wealth of valuable new evidence.

Using the results of his many years of research and personal investigation into ghosts and hauntings, and providing detailed plans and original photographs, Peter Underwood puts forward some exciting and startling theories which will radically change our ideas about these hauntings.

A Host of Hauntings (1973)

(The most significant investigations covered in this volume can be found in Nights in Haunted Houses (1994), and chapter dedicated to the activities of The Ghost Club chapter is included in the republished edition of No Common Task (1983).)

A stormy night at a lonely church; something scuttling away into invisibility; seances; mysterious noises, unexplained voices, curious odours. A carefully researched record of a quarter-century of psychic investigation.

Detailed accounts of key investigations from the past including Langenhoe, the first 'official ghost hunt', and the Tulip Staircase at the Queen’s House in Greenwich.

Into the Occult (1972)

Despite all the answers that conventional science can provide, there remains certain phenomena for which no explanation can yet be found outside the occult. For this reason exploration of the occult and paranormal provides endless fascination.

In the light of twenty-five years of experience in all aspects of psychical research and a deep and abiding interest in the occult, Mr Underwood seeks to answer a variety of questions dealing with astrology, graphology, palmistry, character-divination from the Tarot cards, phrenology, clairvoyance, and telepathy.

He examines, among many other topics, the kind of people who act as mediums, what really happens at haunted houses and how such phenomena should be investigated, the meaning of dreams, and the history and present practice of Druids, Witches, and those who pursue Black Magin. Actual case histories of hauntings and experiments that the author himself has carried out are recorded in detail. 

Dentro l’Occulto (1973)

Italian translation of Into the Occult (1972).

Lo studio dell’occulto ha un fascino senza fine: infatti, nonostante le spiegazioni che la scienza può dare ai misteri della terra, restano alcuni fenomeni per i quali non si è ancora trovata una risposta al di fuori dell’occulto. Questo libro offre per la prima volta una panoramica aggiornata di tutti i diversi aspetti di questo tema così complesso e affascinante, incluso un intero capitolo sui rapporti tra il sesso e i fenomeni psichici, un tema finora accuratamente evitato da tutti. Alla luce di un’esperienza pratica di venticinque anni in tutti i campi della ricerca psichica e di un profondo e costante interesse per l’occulto, Underwood cerca di rispondere a una infinità di domande di astrologia, grafologia, previsione del futuro e telepatia. Tra i molti altri temi esamina quello dei medium, ciò che avviene nelle case abitate da fantasmi e come questi fenomeni andrebbero studiati, il significato dei sogni, la storia e le pratiche moderne dei Druidi, delle streghe, e di coloro che praticano la magia nera: vere storie di fantasmi ed esperimenti che l’autore stesso ha vissuto di persona. Peter Underwood ci incoraggia ad esplorare e investigare onestamente e rettamente per una maggiore comprensione del supernaturale e delle tremende e sconosciute forze che sono dentro di noi.

Occult (1973)

Dutch translation of Into the Occult (1972).

Er bestaat tegenwoordig meer belangstelling voor het occulte en paranormale dan ooit tevoren.

In dit boek geeft de bekende Engelse psycholoog Peter Underwood een uniek inzicht in het occultisme en de paranormale verschijnselen, aan de hand van een onderzoek dat zich uitstrekte over een periode van 25 year.

- Bestaan er werkelijk zulke gaven als telepathie en helderziendheid?
- Welke mensen zijn geschikt als medium?
- Hebben dromen enige betekenis?
- Kan men karakters bepalen aan de hand van schedelknobbels of handschrift?
- Kan men de toekomst zien via handpalm of tarotkaarten?
- Oefenen de sterren wekelijk invloed op ons uit?

Deze en vele andere vragen worden besproken in het licht van praktische ervaringen op dit gebied en vanuit een grote belangstelling voor de vele zijwegen van het occultisme.

En lo Oculto (1978)

Spanish translation of Into the Occult (1972).
 
Kublai Khan ha sonado en su realidad de opio un palacio que después ha construido y Coleridge he tejido tiempo después sin saberlo su poema que Borges ha magnificado en el Rio de la Plata. Pero los sueños de la razón a veces crean monstruos que un pintor como Goya ha trazado como con hilos de araña. El hombre comienza a descubrir en si un campo multiple donde el ya no es uno, sino varios, que es también la suma de los actos de los demás, que un alma colectiva lo envuelve y atenaza casi en un determinismo, pero no en una fatalidad.

John Aubrey en 1666 mira la tierra sagrada de Stonehenge, tierra de druidas y ramas de muérdago cortadas con hoces de oro y descubre 56 hoyos rituales. En otro lado del tiempo, De Quincey, autor “Del aesinato considerado como una de las bellas artes”, crea la posibilidad de que Homero haya gestado sus personajes mediante el uso de drogas. Alester Crowley (1875-1947) se recrea con la posibilidad de poder construir un templo pantagruélico y así lo hace: el hombre “mas malo de la humanidad” iza la bandera de sus sueños en el mundo. También se alza la Caracterologia donde Joseph Peladan, su fiel, pasea su cuerpo por los salones de la Rosa-Cruz, como Balzac en los salones de Madame Giradin hablando del andrógino: de la dualidad macho-hembra. En el siglo XXI se celebran misas negras en un país nórdico. En 1800 se publican tablas de movimiento de los planetas (Rapharl’s Ephemeris). El hilo del sueno nacido con la proyección de la humanidad se extiende, abarca todo. Hay quien piensa que todo es materia de sueños y que estos poseen mayor o menor intensidad.

Thomas Carlyle, en Sartor Resartum, nos considera como fantasmas: aparecemos y pronto somos invisibles. En un lugar del espacio un autor, Peter Underwood, anota todo esto, habla de Astrología, de casas encantadas, de apariciones y duendes; las lineas de este libro narran el destino, la muerte, sondean lo oculto, muestran las figuras de los dioses, los fantasmas de vivos y muertos y trazan el recorrido de lo extraño.

Irish Ghosts (2012)

The Ghosts of Ireland are as numerous and interesting as they are varied. Indeed, there have been accounts of a man carrying a basin containing his severed head, a frightened girl whose hands are dripping with blood, and a body floating in blood-red water.

It is also possible to hear the wail of a banshee, the sounds of mocking laughter, the din of battle, and the sound of someone choking, and many other sounds and experiences that bring a shiver to your spine.

In this fascinating book, renowned ghost hunter, writer and parapsychologist Peter Underwood provides a practical handbook of over a hundred of Ireland’s most interesting and haunted places with details of the history, the people involved, expedient anecdotes, reported ghostly encounters, the frequency of paranormal activity and the available evidence together with the names of witnesses.

Jack the Ripper (1987)

Jack the Ripper still causes a shudder, synonymous as it is with violent murder and mutilation. But also of mystery and speculation - for the gruesome series of killings in London's East End in that horrific Autumn of 1888 have never been finally solved.

The identity of the Ripper, his motives and his association have been the subject of endless discussion and speculation since Victorian times. Suspects have been as varied as a Jewish slaughter man and the Duke of Clarence.

Marking the centenary of those terrible crimes, comes Peter Underwoods comprehensive look at all aspects of Jack the Ripper. It contains a wealth of new and previously unpublished material with a detailed look at the possible candidates and probable identity, examinations of the murder sites, then and now, the psyche of the murderer and the murdered, the alleged ghosts and spirit contacts and a survey of all writings on the Ripper and his victims, published and unpublished, this is the definitive book, with a 100 year perspective.

Karloff; The Life of Boris Karloff (1972)

Boris Karloff was the most famous of all horror actors. His memorable portrayal of the Frankenstein monster added a new word to English dictionaries.

This, the first biography, tells of his hard, impoverished life in Canada before answering a chance advertisement (for 'an experienced character actor') in the name of Boris Karloff, Karloff being a distant family name, and of his eventual touring of western Canada and the northern States of America. In 1917 he found himself in Los Angeles - in a district with the magic name of Hollywood.

We follow Karloff's career from stage work to his early films. We learn of his classic creation of the screen monster Frankenstein: the origin of the story; the casting of Karloff; the conception of the unforgettable monster make-up; the filming; the preview (to which Karloff was not invited) and the overwhelming success of this most famous of all horror films.

This work, the result of over four years' research, includes a Discography of recordings made by Karloff, and a unique Appendix, giving a full, chronological record of one hundred and sixty-three films in which he appeared. It also contains many striking photographs.

Lives to Remember: A Case Book on Reincarnation (1975)

It is claimed that the trauma of birth leaves an unconscious memory and it is likely that any previous lives would leave similar memories which too can be recalled under hypnosis.

This book is a fascinating and true story of apparent regression (a return to the reactions that belong to an earlier state of development). Under hypnosis Peggy Bailey, an ordinary housewife, relives three completely different lives.

The book is a valuable contribution to the growing literature on the subject of reincarnation and is likely to become a classic of its kind. Psychical researchers, reincarnationists, hypnotists, psychologists and the general reader will find Lives to Remember a book to read and read again; a book that is different, a book that is true and a book that breaks new ground and opens new doors.

For the first time one book we are presented with a full and factual story of a person 'regressed' by a competent hypnotist and the results assessed by an acknowledged psychical researcher. It is the first example of 'regression' to previous lives with an interval of sixteen years between each repeated experiment.

The Murder Club (2004)

Underwood’s only work of fiction, this is an original thriller, set in the 1930s. 

Nights in Haunted Houses (1994)

This volume comprises various accounts of night vigils in haunted houses. Findings include the headless Blue Lady of Bovey House in Devon and the Happy Monk of Bromfield Manor, Shropshire.

The eerie quiet and disorientating darkness of the night have long been associated with the terror of the unknown. In the cold light of day it is all too easy for sceptics to dismiss apparently inexplicable events but in the dead of night, when faced with the evidence of their senses and those of other perfectly rational people, it is far more difficult to ignore the facts - however disturbing they may be.

It collects together existing accounts (‘The Queen’s House’, ‘Woodfield’, ‘The Bull’) with previously unpublished material, and includes an ‘Appendix’ with a list of all the participants who joined him in his investigations.

No Common Task: The Autobiography of a Ghost-hunter (1983)

This is the autobiography of a man who has spent thirty-five years of his life covering scientific psychical research, with detailed investigations into all kinds of manifestation that might be supernatural or paranormal in origin, including spiritualism, ESP, telepathy, hauntings and other occult phenomena. Many of the true experiences from the author's casebook are published here for the first time.

Peter Underwood has been described by objective observers as a 'veteran psychical researcher... representing the middle-ground between scepticism and uncritical belief.'

In his preface, the author states that 'I have long been of the opinion that 98 per cent of reported hauntings have a natural and mundane explantation, but it is the other 2 percent that have interested me for more than forty years.'

Peter Underwood’s Guide to Ghosts & Haunted Places (1996)

A compendium of different writings by Underwood that explores the world of ghosts, apparitions and psychic activity.

Drawing on various cases and personal experience, this book explores the world of ghosts, apparitions and psychic activity. It includes: tales of ghostly traditions; an array of haunted places ranging from castles, stately homes and churches to theatres, pubs, prisons, hospitals, battlefields, trees and roads; bizarre cases of unexplained aerial phenomena; encounters with ghosts of the famous including John Wayne and Marilyn Monroe; the ghosts of dogs and other animals; accounts of time-slips; cyclic ghosts and poltergeists; and the strange happenings surrounding inanimate objects, such as the battle trumpets of Tutankhamen.

Queen Victoria’s Other World (1986)

There have been many books about Queen Victoria but there has never been one that has explored her 'other world' - the world of the strange and unusual, the world of death and her fascination for it, and the world of the unseen and the paranormal that she could never resist.

During his research Peter Underwood gained the distinct impression that there was something of a conspiracy of silence around her interest in the paranormal. however, there is overwhelming evidence that as a fatherless and bewildered princess, as a quickly matured queen, and then as a widowed and often lonely woman, Victoria showed a considerable interest in death and its draperies.

This book covers Victoria's youthful encounters with the occult; her visits to haunted properties, her friends and acquaintances with similar interests and experiences; her alleged involvement with Robert Lees, the medium; her undoubted interest in the Jack-the-Ripper murders; her obsession with omens and superstitions and her fascination with death.

Not long before his death the Prince Consort told the Queen, 'We don't know in what state we shall meet again, but that we shall recognise each other and be together in eternity I am perfectly certain'. Through forty years of widowhood Wueen Victoria believed utterly that this would be so.

Thirteen Famous Ghost Stories (1977)

13 classic tales of terror and the supernatural, edited by Peter Underwood: A. J. Alan, The Dream; E. F. Benson, Caterpillars; Ambrose Bierce, The Damned Thing; Algernon Blackwood, Secret Worship; Charles Dickens, The Signalman; Vincent O'Sullivan, When I was Dead; W. W. Jacobs, The Monkey's Pawl M. R. James, Martin's Close; Rudyard Kipling, They; Lord Lytton, The Haunted and the Haunters; Arthur Machen, Change; Edith Nesbit, John Charrington's Wedding and Edith Wharton, Afterward.

This Haunted Isle (1984)

Peter Underwood has personally visited the historic buildings and sites of Britain, and here presents a wealth of intriguing legends and new stories of ghostly encounters from more than a hundred such throughout the United Kingdom.

Perhaps you will be one of the fortunate (or unfortunate!) visitors who encounters a ghost as you wander through these wonderful houses, castles and mansions, where the atmosphere takes us back in time....

The Vampire’s Bedside Companion (1975)

The Vampire’s Bedside Companion is a riveting compendium of new facts and fiction on the ‘undying’ theme of vampirism.

Here is a new theory on the genesis of Dracula (surely literature’s most compelling and macabre figure?); thoughts on allusions to vampirism in Wuthering Heights; first-hand experience of Vampires in Hampstead, London; publication for the first time of the story of a fifteenth-century Vampire Protection medallion that Montague Summers presented to the author; an account by a professer of English at Dalhousie University of a visit to ‘Castle Dracula’ in Transylvania - The Vampire’s Bedside Companion contains these and a wealth of other hitherto unpublished material on a subject that is of enduring interest: The Vampire Legend.

To many people, vampires are creatures only of legend and fantasy with no reality outside the pages of books. Others, who have studied the folklore of many countries and the continuing reports of vampirism, maintain that there is extensive evidence not only that vampires once existed but that, in fact, they still do exist. In this fascinating book the author, himself an acknowledged expert on the Occult, presents true accounts of vampire infestation in England, America, Ireland, Hungary, China and France. Records of vampires and vampirism are, he claims, as old as the world and as recent as yesterday.

Four new, excisting and authentic vampire fictional stories by Peter Allan, Crispin Derby, Richard Howard and James Turner complete this compelling companion for dark nights, solitude and howling winds!

Where the Ghosts Walk (2013)

A gazetteer of haunted Britain, arranged by the various environments where ghosts appear, airfields, ancient sites, ruins, bridges, battlefields, graveyards, gardens, railways, seascapes, highways and woods.

From the ghost of King Arthur that has been seen in Tintagel, to the phantom Spitfire of Biggin Hill airfield, this ghost hunting guide is a rich and rewarding read. 

Paul Adams, Eddie Brazil & Peter Underwood

Underwood contributed towards these two paranormal works.

The Borely Rectory Companion (2008)

Borley Rectory in Essex, built in 1862, should have been an ordinary Victorian clergyman's house. However, just a year after its construction, unexplained footsteps were heard within the house, and from 1900 until it burned down in 1939 numerous paranormal phenomena, including phantom coaches and shattering windows, were observed.

In 1929 the house was investigated by the "Daily Mail" and paranormal researcher Harry Price, and it was he who called it 'the most haunted house in England'. Price also took out a lease of the rectory from 1937 to 1938, recruiting forty-eight 'official observers' to monitor occurences.

After his death in 1948, the water was muddied by claims that Price's findings were not genuine paranormal activity, and ever since there has been a debate over what really went on at Borley Rectory. Paul Adams, Eddie Brazil and Peter Underwood here present a comprehensive guide to the history of the house and the ghostly (or not) goings-on there.

Shadows in the Nave (2011)

The haunted history of England’s churches and chapels is brought vividly to life in this comprehensive and beautifully illustrated modern guide. Here you will encounter the compelling world of the unseen linked with a thousand years of worship ― including the Tudor phantom of Rycote, the lonely monk of Minsden Chapel and the black-magic ghosts of Clophill, to name but a few.

From the authors of The Borley Rectory Companion comes this astonishing book, which covers seventy-five of the most notorious and lesser known of our haunted ecclesiastical buildings. Combining a wealth of historical and paranormal information with stunning original and atmospheric photographs, this volume is perfect for researchers and armchair ghost hunters alike.

Paranormal historian Paul Adams and writer and photographer Eddie Brazil join Peter Underwood, the UK’s most experienced ghost hunter and respected author of over fifty books on the supernatural, in another literary partnership that will chill all but the sturdiest of hearts.

The West Country & Bossiney Press

In 1983, Bossiney Press began commissioning Underwood to compile guides to parts of the West Country; editions of many titles are still available in bookshops local to this area.