Deborah Frethem

I really enjoyed this book about hauntings in Tampa, Florida. I was born and raised in Tampa, so it was really cool to read about all the places that are haunted. Some places I knew about and some I didn't. There are also photos of all the haunted places throughout the book.

The author had one place in particular that was haunted named "The Sykes Building" which is really called "Rivergate Tower". There was a picture of the building and it gave me a jolt. Two weeks ago I went out with friends on their boat taking pictures of the buildings in Tampa Bay as I wanted up close shots from the Bay. I took one of that building along with some other buildings of Tampa and so it came as a surprise to find it within the pages of this book! Haunted no less! How cool is that?

Places I knew were haunted is the Sulphur Springs Water Tower which was built in 1927 and the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. The original Sunshine Skyway Bridge was built in 1954 with additions made to it in 1971. In January of 1980 a tanker and a buoy tender collided under the bridge and there were lives lost, but in May of 1980 (which I remember this happening when I was a teenager as it was on our local news) a freighter hit the bridge and vehicles that were on the bridge went careening down into the ocean, killing everyone in those vehicles. Thirty five people died that day and it was a horrific day for Tampa Bay. The Skyway had to be rebuilt and it took them near seven years to build it. Since that time there have been over 200 suicides from that bridge. Haunted? I can see why it would be with so many tragic deaths.

The book was short with 98 pages, but the author did a good job fitting all the haunted places within this book. Giving this book three stars!



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