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A Curious Presence

By (author): Margo MacDonald

Foreword by: Amal El-Mohtar

A spellbinding, inquisitive journey into the nature of the unseen for anyone as curious about the afterlife as they are about life

Hauntings happen. But why? Are they caused by ghosts, or something else? What is a ghost, anyway? After centuries of ghost-hunting by experts and amateurs alike, are we any closer to knowing?

Like many, Margo MacDonald once believed that all hauntings were the work of restless spirits, but after two decades spent engaging with firsthand accounts of paranormal encounters — and having a few of her own — she has more questions than answers.

MacDonald asks: Why are we haunted by tragedy but not by joy? If a ghost lives in a house but no one experiences it, does it make a haunting? And what does our desire to believe in ghosts say about us?

With insight and humor, A Curious Presence explores the theories that have shaped MacDonald’s understanding of hauntings and the paranormal. Told through conversations with skeptics, sensitives, parapsychologists, investigators, and haunted-house dwellers — interwoven with vivid accounts of real experiences and visits to famously haunted locations — MacDonald proposes an unsettling idea: Perhaps it isn’t the places that are haunted, but the people who move through them. Perhaps we have more in common with ghosts than we think.

Reviews

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“When ghosts are your business, it can be all too easy to sensationalize the suffering of the deceased. Margo MacDonald’s exploration of haunted historical sites makes the deliberate choice to balance both belief and skepticism with an intense respect for the dead, their stories, and whatever other powers may be at play. MacDonald’s objective is not to titillate or frighten, but rather to meet the possibility of the supernatural with the same excited curiosity as a marine biologist capturing images of the sea creatures that dwell in the darkest deep. Readers intrigued by the history and philosophy of hauntings will be very glad they heeded her summons.” — Caitlyn Paxon, historical interpreter and author of A Widow’s Charm

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“Margo MacDonald’s collection of otherworldly experiences and ghostly encounters offers a brew of spine-tingling chills, thoughtful reflection, and devilish fun. Told with empathy, curiosity and a gentle sense of awe and wonder, each paranormal account delves into the emotional heart of the encounter and the enduring questions these experiences inspire. Part spirit-filled travelogue, part psychological exploration, and all heart, this remarkable book is for anyone who has ever wondered about the mysteries of the afterlife, whether you are a believer, a skeptic, or someone who just loves a good old-fashioned ghost story told around a campfire. As a long-time true believer in MacDonald’s playwriting, which often summons stories and voices from the past into the present, I swept through her debut, A Curious Presence, like a woman possessed.” — Allyson McOuat, author The Call Was Coming From Inside The House and Modern Love’s “The Ghost Was the Least of Our Problems”

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Details

Dimensions:

296 Pages
9in * 6in * 0.68in
0.93lb

Published:

October 06, 2026

Publisher:

ECW Press

ISBN:

9781770418226

Language:

eng

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