Ghost buffs and lovers of history (and historic sites) will prize this collection of more than 100 episodes of haunted happenings throughout California. The product of more than 30 years of research and interviews, these accounts-many of them published here for the first time-reveal the eerie side of scores of famous and little-known sites, from the fabulous Hotel del Coronado to historic Gold Country inns, from the Queen Mary to Alcatraz. More than two dozen photographs make this book a keepsake for residents, tourists, and those who travel to California in the comfort of their armchairs. Whether you visit these sites in person or in your imagination, you'll discover there is a lot more to the history of the Golden State than meets the mortal eye!

Softcover
248 pages, illustrated $11.95

June 12, 1999 From the Coleman Mansion in Menlo Park, my wife and I headed for San Francisco and its charming York Hotel . . .

Located at 940 Sutter Street, this "European-style boutique hotel" was built in 1922 and was completely renovated in 1995. Among its attractions is the Plush Room, a cabaret-style room with a very colorful history. It was here that the hotel opened the Plush Room Cabaret in the Roaring '20s, at the height of Prohibition. A maze of secret passageways led to the popular-and highly illegal-night spot, where many of the top entertainers of the day are said to have performed.

One night in particular stands out in the minds of ghost buffs. When the cabaret lights began to dim, a tall, slender man entered the room. Dressed in top hat and tails, he crossed the stage and sat down at the baby grand piano. Soon the crowded room was swaying to the man's ragtime tunes.

Then, without warning, the music stopped. Suddenly the pianist slumped in his seat, and his head came crashing down on the keyboard! Word is that the man was dead even before his head hit the keys, and that his ghost has haunted the hotel ever since.

Today the Plush Room continues to be a popular (and legal) nighttime attraction-and apparently the pianist is still around, too! His elegantly dressed image has been sighted not only in the cabaret, but also wandering the halls and in the basement. He may even have a companion, as our hostess informed us that the ghostly image of a woman has been observed on the dance floor of the Plush Room, accompanied by a partner who is tall, thin, and well-dressed. As you might guess, he is said to "greatly resemble" the ragtime pianist . . .