The Amityville Horror Conspiracy

by Roxanne S. Kaplan, Stephen Kaplan, Roxanne Salch Kaplan

Was it horror or was it hoax? For years, the question went unanswered while everyone who ever glanced at the tabloids in a supermarket knew about the Amityville Horror-a house haunted by the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0963749803
• ISBN13: 9780963749802
• Release Date: December 1995
• Publisher: Toad Hall Inc
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.0" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

A great detective story to a great ghost hoax

I don't know why there are so many bad reviews here -- did everyone read the same book? It's great! The late Steve Kaplan (his wife is still living) did a great job. Anyone who's followed the A.H. knows the Lutzes changed the facts of their story to suit themselves, and that Ed and Lorraine Warren were also unreliable. You don't need this book to tell you that: Reading Newsday or the court transcripts of the Lutzes' visits there pretty much rain on the A.H. parade, as it were! Ed and Lorraine Warren, for claiming to be such pious Christians, slander Steve Kaplan viciously on their Web page, which reflects badly on them. The A.H. is a GREAT STORY, but it is just a story. If you want the details about how it became such a big money maker, this is the book for you! :-)

Very illuminating and entertaining

Dr. and Mrs. Kaplan's book is THE final word on the hoax that was the "Amityville Horror," and few could finish this book with any lingering doubt as to whether this case was a fabrication. Containing factual data and quotes, interesting behind-the-scenes anecdotes, newspaper articles, radio transcripts, a slew of logical reasoning, and no small amount of humor, Dr. and Mrs. Kaplan have irrevocably refuted the avaricious fantasies (packaged as a "true story") told by the Lutzes, beyond all shadow of doubt. All one needs is an open mind and a few hours to enjoy the contents and the real story behind the multimillion-dollar industry spawned by this case is laid bare. Proof that "The Amityville Horror" was anything but a true story can be found in several concrete examples from the book. One is Dr. Kaplan's description of an interview with author Jay Anson, who admitted he wrote "The Amityville Horror" based on tapes made by the Lutzes and that he did not verify anything, for the Lutzes "seemed like nice people" and he didn't think they would lie. Another example is a series of statements from individuals such as Sergeant Pat Cammoroto of the Amityville Police Department, reporters Steve Bauman and Marvin Scott, and the priest known in "The Amityville Horror" as Father Mancuso (real name Father Pecoraro), all of whom attest they did not observe or uncover certain paranormal phenomena despite claims by the Lutzes in their book. A third instance involves an analysis of the house itself which reveals that the supernaturally-based damage reported by the Lutzes, the spookiness of the so-called "red room," the alleged history of dead and dying Indians on the property, and the supposed uninhabitability of the place due to malevolent forces were all fabrications. A fourth example is based on the scrutiny of the seemingly countless revisions the Lutzes made to their story, as reported through various mediums including television, magazines, and the hardcover/paperback editions of "The Amityville Horror." A fifth consists of a word-for-word account from attorney William Weber describing how he and the Lutzes cooked up this fairy tale. Last but not least, one of the most powerful examples of proof appears in the form of public confessions from George Lutz himself that many of the details of this ghost story either did not happen the way they were told or did not happen at all (my personal favorite was his statement that everything in the house was just fine until the last week or so, rendering the bulk of his claims false). How anyone could continue to believe in this tale after not only seeing the number of times it evolved but also observing several false pretenses crumble under examination is a mystery. Regardless, the proof about this fraudulent ghost story is all here for anyone who cares to examine it; I have only mentioned a few of the many compelling illustrations.Most readers will rightfully applaud the Kaplans for closing the book on an en

A must have for anyone interested in the paranormal!

This is the most honest book on the paranormal that you will ever find! I only wish that it was published earlier so that not only would Dr.Kaplan get to enjoy it's success, but perhaps we would have been lucky enough to see even more fine work from both Dr.Kaplan and his wife Roxanne. I have read this book several times, amd I often carry it with me because it always provides good reading, no matter how many times I've read it. Honesty and integrity are hard to find in todays paranormal researchers. Stephen Kaplan was one of a kind.

Couldn't put it down!

I've always had my doubts about the truth behind the "Amityville Horror." Even the "true" story points out the financial strain that the family took on when they purchased the property. I too believe deeply in the supernatural. There are things that just cannot be explained. But "The Amityville Horror Conspiracy" makes sense. And it makes a sad point: how quick we are to award the un-true. Oddly enough, many people I have spoken to about Amityville are still not aware that it was all a con. Some of them are from the New Jersey/New York area. You can bet they'll be interested in reading my copy of the book. I also find it interesting that around Halloween of 1994 or 1995, the 700 Club did a short piece on the Amityville horror. Kathy Lutz was interviewed and still claimed that the incident was true. She went as far to say that the incidents portrayed in the movie (i.e., the substance coming from the keyholes, the stuff oozing from the walls) were accurate. (I don't remember the movie mentioning any substance coming from the keyholes.) Unbelievable. This book lays it out quite clearly. The "horror" that occurred in Amityville had nothing to do with the supernatural. I applaud Dr. Kaplan's efforts to expose the truth.

Excellent book - I couldn't put it down!

I purchased the book soon after it came out in 1995, but didn't have a chance to read it since I was getting my BS soon. When I finally did read it, I couldn't put the book down! I am interested in the paranormal and have seen Ed and Lorraine Warren at the University of Connecticut (they give a talk every Halloween), but never felt like they really had done much except tell a good ghost story, like we used to do in Boy Scouts around the campfire. Afterreading the book, I gave it to my Mom to read, and she did the same thing. I almost didn't get the book back. I can't wait for the 2nd printing so that I can get it for her! If you're interested in the paranormal and how to spot a hoax, get this book! PS - I saw thehouse recently while visiting my nearby grandparents on Long Island. The present occupants have done a good job making the house look great.