The Haunting of Alma Fielding

Kate Summerscale’s book blends true crime, psychology, and ghost story in her account of a notorious 1930s poltergeist case. Focusing on Alma Fielding and the investigators who studied her, Summerscale explores belief, performance, and the unconscious mind. Her narrative is atmospheric and precise, revealing how class, gender, and scientific ambition shaped interpretations of the supernatural. The book probes the boundaries between fraud and faith, science and suggestion. Summerscale excels at leaving questions open rather than offering easy conclusions. It’s eerie, intelligent, and deeply absorbing.