They say not to judge a book by its cover. But in the case of The Can Sack Ghost by John Russell… maybe we should at least hold an intervention.
This latest entry into the paranormal memoir genre is packed with ghost stories, spiritual lessons, and psychic insights. The problem? The cover looks like a recycling PSA had a run-in with Halloween night at your local elementary school.
Where It All Went Wrong:
The Image
A soda can. In a trash bag. With a 1950s ghost-shaped tissue flapping in the wind like it missed the school play. This isn’t ethereal or mysterious–it’s curbside chaos.
Genre Mismatch
The book promises spiritual insight, cosmic philosophy, and thrilling paranormal tales. The cover promises… maybe a haunted recycling bin? For a title that could dive into cosmic consciousness or haunted history, this visual belongs in the “accidental comedy” bin.
Typography Confusion
The mix of fonts includes gritty horror (THE CAN SACK GHOST), hand-written middle school doodle (subtitle), and a bland sans-serif author name that screams LinkedIn, not liminal planes.
And Yet… The Book Sounds Solid
According to its summary, The Can Sack Ghost covers everything from haunted candy bowls to spectral visitors and ancient coin psychometry. There’s even praise calling John Russell “the Mark Twain of the paranormal.”
But you wouldn’t know it from the packaging.
Our Final Take:
We don’t doubt John Russell’s storytelling chops–but someone clearly ghosted the cover designer. If there’s one thing readers of spiritualism and the paranormal crave, it’s mystery, atmosphere, and that chilling sense of the unknown. Instead, this looks like the recycling ghost no one asked for.
Verdict: Some stories deserve to be told. But not with stock art and grocery bags.