The spooky side of Door County gets thrust under the spotlight in a new book penned by author Gayle Soucek.
Soucek says Haunted Door County represents a departure for her because she usually writes non-fiction and a ghost book "has kind of got a foot in both worlds."
She says the tale that gave her the most chills was one of a late night car crash and what one responding paramedic saw -- or didn't see -- on the way to the accident scene.
Soucek, who splits her time between homes in Baileys Harbor and Chicago, says her favorite story in a different way is that of Huey Melvin, the child buried at Pioneer Cemetery who's made his presence known.
"He seems kind of mischievous and cute and I mean that's not so much scary as it is warm and fuzzy," says Soucek.
Unlike many such books, Soucek says she went pretty deep into the historical background of each ghost story.
Door County's history-laden lighthouses get plenty of attention in the 128-page paperback. There are also pages devoted to the ghosts of County Road T, haunted ships, and gangster Al Capone's connection to the county.
Haunted Door County, published by The History Press, can be found at many area bookstores and is also available online. The foreword is written by Bob Desh, executive director of the Door County Maritime Museum.
