Beware the Banshee’s Cry: The Folklore & History of Messengers of Death

Gaze with Trembling Breath Upon the Dreaded Banshee

Journey to the Emerald Isle and beyond as you explore the history and mystery of banshees. These beings bridge the gap between life and death, myth and reality. From the Morrigan to the Doppelgänger, Steven J. Rolfes examines what messengers of death are and how they have captivated humanity for centuries.

Rolfes presents numerous examples of banshees, such as the ghostly maiden who appeared at Lady Fanshawe’s window and the omens leading up to President Lincoln’s murder. Experience the phantom washerwomen of Brittany, the Japanese ikiryo, the death hag of Wales, Scotland’s Specter of the Bloody Hand, and much more. From ghostly white women in Germany to avian creatures in the jungles of Sri Lanka, this book will thrill you with tales of banshees across the world.

Steven J Rolfes is the author of numerous books on Ohio and Cincinnati, including Historic Downtown Cincinnati (with Kent Jones), Cincinnati Theaters, and Supernatural Lore of Ohio. Passionate about history, Rolfes has been published in various magazines and hosts a summer radio program telling ghost stories. He has worked as a teacher, border patrol agent, salesman, jeweler, former ESL teacher for Spanish-speaking immigrants, and detective. He is a volunteer at the Cincinnati History Museum and an employee at the Ohio Regional Transit Authority.