Elliott O'Donnell

Born in Clifton, England, on February 27, 1872, Elliott O'Donnell became famous for books about ghosts and the supernatural. He said a childhood sighting of a ghost sparked his lifelong fascination with hauntings, and that interest became the center of a long and productive writing career.

O'Donnell wrote dozens of works, including ghost lore, supernatural investigations, and fiction. He is especially remembered for presenting himself not just as a writer, but as an active ghost hunter, which gave his books an immediate, personal feel that appealed to readers curious about haunted places and uncanny experiences.

He died on May 8, 1965. Today, he is remembered as one of the most recognizable popular writers of ghost literature from his era, sitting somewhere between folklorist, entertainer, and believer.