Crowe: Sometimes they’re difficult to get rid of. Some are lost and afraid and latch onto anyone who speaks to them. It’s not frightening. It’s like having a clinging, needy person around. Irritating. Some hang around for days until they work out how to move on, or come to terms with their situation. It comes down to a difficult choice. You want to tell them to go away and stop bothering you, but at the same time you want them to hang around in case they produce an image you can photograph, or record a voice saying something that can be verified later. So far they’ve just been irritating.

Valentine: What advice would you give an amateur ghost-hunter who has a ghost-hunting experience that turns out to be more than he bargained for?

Crowe: Get out of there quick, but be sure to make clear that the ghost, or whatever it is, is not welcome to follow you. There are rules, and even the bad ones have to respect them. Remember, you’re a ghost too, but in a physical body. That makes you the more powerful. Don’t let them think otherwise.

Valentine: Ever given any thought to what you’d like your epitaph to say when you depart from the material world?

Crowe: I once saw a drawing of a gravestone with the simple epitaph, “Well this sucks.” It made me laugh. I’ve wondered about being buried under an enormous slab of granite with the words “Let’s see you get out of that,” on it. I haven’t thought of my last words yet. I hope there’ll be plenty of time for that.

Valentine: Will you be conducting an investigation for Halloween?

Crowe: I don’t have a specific location in mind yet, but yes, I’ll be out somewhere for Halloween. It’s actually Celtic New Year, not the witch-fest the Church made it out to be when they tried to discredit the old British religion. However, there are many people pressing for ghosts to appear on that night, so the chance of getting one interested is high.

Valentine: Thank you for taking this time with us. Have any last words you’d like to share?

Crowe: Have you ever screamed at a spider and been told it was more scared of you than you were of it? It’s often the same way with ghosts. There’s nothing to be scared of. They can’t hurt you, and most don’t want to. Don’t run screaming. Be patient and talk to them. Find out what it’s like for them. Then, when it’s your turn, you’ll be ready.