About the author
Deborah Frethem, billed in her own books as the 'Queen of Haunts,' writes regional ghost-story collections centred on the Tampa Bay area of Florida. Ghost Stories of St. Petersburg, Clearwater and Pinellas County: Tales from a Haunted Peninsula (2007, History Press) gathers local hauntings tied to Gulfport, John's Pass and other specific sites, drawing on years of collected local lore. Haunted Tampa: Spirits of the Bay (2013) extends the same approach to hotels, theatres and public buildings across the city, and Haunted Ybor City (2014) focuses on the historic cigar-district neighbourhood, including reported activity at the former Florida Brewing Company site. Frethem's books favour a light, conversational tone built from local history and reported sightings rather than investigative method or paranormal theory, and are aimed at readers with a regional interest in Tampa Bay's history as much as in ghosts specifically.
📖 Where to start with Deborah Frethem
💬 What our editors say about Deborah Frethem's books
“This collection offers a delightful blend of regional history and ghostly anecdote, successfully capturing the eerie atmosphere of Florida’s Gulf Coast. Frethem’s background in ghost tours lends credibility to the tales, making…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on Ghost Stories of St. Petersburg, Clearwater and Pinellas County: Tales from a Haunted Peninsula
“While Deborah Frethem delivers a meticulously compiled guide to Ybor City’s spectral history, this volume is strictly a niche offering. It will not suit readers seeking rigorous academic analysis or scientific debunking of…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on Haunted Ybor City
“This title serves as an engaging entry point for casual paranormal enthusiasts drawn to local legends rather than academic rigor. Frethem effectively maps the spectral geography of Tampa, highlighting how historic hotels and…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on Haunted Tampa: Spirits of the Bay
📋 Editions by Deborah Frethem in the catalog
| Edition | Year | Publisher | Pages | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ghost Stories of St. Petersburg, Clearwater and Pinellas County: | 2007 | History Press Library Edit | 98 | 9781540217912 |
| Haunted Ybor City | 2014 | History Press Library Edit | 130 | 9781540211040 |
| Haunted Tampa: Spirits of the Bay | 2013 | History Press Library Edit | 98 | 9781540209108 |
| Ghost Stories of St. Petersburg, Clearwater and Pinellas County: | 2007 | History Press | 96 | 9781596293076 |
| Haunted Ybor City Frethem, Deborah | 2014 | History Press | 128 | 9781626196223 |
| Haunted Tampa: Spirits of the Bay Frethem, Deborah | 2013 | History Press | 96 | 9781626192133 |
