The Rural Voice, 2006-12, Page 50Yet More
Tales
Ufiiusuai
my m.rrs rrr Our 11111nry
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Yet More
Tales of the
Unusual
By Diane
Madden, The
Brucedale
Press at Port
Elgin costs
only $9.99
Reviewed by Arnold Mathers
This is the third book about
mysterious events that Diane Madden
has published. The little book of just
over 100 pages contains 26 stories
about unusual happenings in and
around Bruce County. Most of the
stories are three or four pages long.
The stories are based on mysterious
events that took place between 1851
and 2004 with the majority
happening before 1910.
The author suggests that "these
stories of the odd and the eerie make
Book Review
Mysteries in our histories
perfect reading at the cottage, even
under the covers by flashlight." I read
the book while on a flight between
London, England and Johannesburg,
South Africa. This review was
written during a three-hour bus ride
between Johannesburg and the
Kruger National Park Game Reserve.
Undoubtedly the circumstances under
which a book review is written
flavours the content of the review. A
review done after a busy work day
yields a different result than one
written on a rainy afternoon at the
cottage. So, that said, this review was
written in a somewhat unusual
setting.
I enjoyed the stories. The author
mixes a bit of history and a bit of
mystery. She does not attempt to
explain the supernatural which leaves
some thinking to the reader. The
stories will have the most appeal to
residents of Bruce County since they
will easily recognize the settings of
the stories. It would have enhanced
the appeal of the book to those
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46 THE RURAL VOICE
outside Bruce County if a map had
been included with the "Contents".
There is a blank page behind the
contents page that would have been
perfect for a map. While there is a
sketch map on the back cover of the
book it does not have the place names
on it. So, I would recommend whilst
reading this book to have a road map
of Ontario at hand to locate each
event.
The book can easily be read in an
evening. Some of the stories may
raise the hairs on the back of the
reader's neck. Maybe the book
should not be read when you are
alone on a dark, windy night when
the tree branches scrape the window
and the hydro is apt to blink out.
This little book should be a
recommended part of the Bruce
County tourism display. Perhaps a
vacation itinerary like a shunpiker's
tour could be developed by the
tourism folks that features several of
the haunted sites even staying in one
of the haunted B&Bs. Call it A
Haunted Tour of Bruce and Beyond.
In my late public school days I
read the story Beautiful Joe but did
not realize that the setting was
Meaford or that the story was based
on a real event. One of the stories in
this book chronicles the background
for this novel.
The King 's Royal Hotel is an
excellent tidbit of history and could
be the setting for a longer story. Yet
More Tales of the Unusual was
written by Diane Madden from
Hepworth, Ontario and published by
The Brucedale Press at Port Elgin
costs only $9.99 and is printed on
archival chlorine -free paper
(whatever that is).0
The Rural Voice
welcomes your opinions for our
Feedback letters to the
editor column.
Mail to: The Rural Voice,
PO Box 429, Blyth, ON
NOM 1H0