Shadows of Evil

Shadows of Evil is a collection of reported hauntings and uncanny tales centred on trees, woods and the apparitions associated with them. Its subjects include Herne’s Oak, haunted ash trees, a haunted Christmas tree and the ghosts of Whittlebury Forest, bringing together folklore, alleged encounters and stories linked to particular landscapes.

The book also ranges beyond arboreal lore, with accounts involving the phantom horseman of Bickford House, a ghost dog, Marietta the werewolf and supernatural associations with apple trees. Originally published as Trees of Ghostly Dread, it reflects Elliott O’Donnell’s recurring interest in reported hauntings, ghostly legends and the darker possibilities attached to familiar rural settings.