Many people believe they have seen ghosts, many others are doubtful, but despite the rationalism of the present day, there has been no decrease in the number of sightings: old ghosts have survived for centuries and have been joined by modern ones, haunted houses retain their eerie reputations, apparitions are studied by parapsychologists, poltergeists still wreak havoc in homes. Ghost Sightings is a wide-ranging guide to ghostly phenomena from all parts of the globe up to 2015. It covers cases throughout history: many of them famous, others less well known. It examines malign spirits and gentle ghosts, apparitions, wraiths, haunted houses and spooky urban myths. Each entry gives details of the date, location and course of events, as well as providing a historical context and analytical assessment of the phenomenon. The book's extensive appendices provide fascinating additional information, including the differing roles of ghosts in the world's religions, an exploration of out-of-body and near-death experiences, and modern theories offered to explain ghosts by figures such as Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. Ghost Sightings is a thorough study of a subject that has intrigued, amazed and terrified mankind throughout history.

For as long as historical annals have been kept, they have recorded the frauds and fakes that have been imposed upon innocent dupes. Perhaps the earliest Christian story of all is that which tells of the deception that Jacob practised on his unsuspecting father Abraham, pretending to be his brother Esau; and today the theft of identity is reported to be the most rapidly spreading crime. And throughout the ages works of art and literature, coinage, and documents of all kinds have been forged for profit, personal status - and even out of pure mischief. Fakes, Scams and Forgeries details many of the most notorious acts of forgery, fraud and fakery that have taken place over the centuries, describing how they were perpetrated, their acceptance by those who considered themselves experts, and how - often after many years - they were eventually detected. As well as providing entertaining and in-depth profiles of famous forgers and legendary frauds, the text deals with the many modern scientific techniques that have been developed for the examination of suspect materials.

The Terrifying Story of the Most Monstrous Serial Killers through History. Serial Killers are the most notorious and disturbing of all criminals, representing the very darkest side of humanity. Yet they endlessy fascinate and continue to capture the public's attention with their strange charisma and deadly deeds. From Jack the Ripper to Ted Bundy and the Moors Murderers Ian Brady and Myra Hindley, these killers transfix us with their ability to commit utterly savage acts of cruelty and depravity. Only with modern police detection methods and psychological profiling, have these figures that have existed throughout human history finally been identified in the deadliest category: serial killers. These methods, the killers' characters and their crimes are described here in fascinating and terrifyingly gripping detail. The whole history of serial killers is brought to life in 50 chapters, including: Herman Webster Mudget, Devil in the White City John Christie, 10 Rillington Place murders Zodiac Killer Ian Brady and Myra Hindley, The Moors Murderers Ted Bundy Fred and Rosemary West Jeffrey Dahmer Aileen Wuornos Harold Shipman, Dr Death