I originally picked up Gary Jansen's Holy Ghosts (Tarcher, Sept.) from the galley pile because of its subtitle: How a (Not So) Good Catholic Boy Became a Believer in Things That Go Bump in the Night. I was intrigued, but was pretty certain I'd just skim it. Was I ever wrong—I was hooked in the first chapter. Holy Ghosts is more than just a gripping true story about ghosts haunting his family's home and how he got them to leave. I thoroughly enjoyed the fascinating history that Jansen, an editor at Doubleday Religion, incorporates into the story about the Catholic Church and its beliefs in spirits, angels, and demons. He also shares historical data about curses, other cultures' beliefs about death, and what happens after we depart our bodies. His writing style is engaging and informative; I couldn't stop reading. As soon as I was done, I shared it with someone who owns a haunted home. Her review was accurate and succinct: "It scared the shit out of me."