Those in search of a little extra fright factor this Halloween don't have to go very far to check out some spooky sites around the Twin Cities. Chad Lewis, a co-author of "The Minnesota Road Guide to Haunted Locations," presented some ideas during a program at the Oakdale Library last week.

The guide features jaunts to the land of ghosts and spirits, such as cemeteries, restaurants, college campuses and, of course, haunted houses.

Lewis suggests trying "the infamous dollhouse" in Janesville, Minn. There is a doll in the top floor window that is rumored to represent a young boy killed by his family, he says.

A number of cemeteries are listed in the guide, providing the opportunity to see a ghostly image of a woman walking or be at the site of graves where people were supposedly buried alive. Or, try the haunted dorm at Hamline University in St. Paul or visiting Embarrass in northern Minnesota. There, a man apparently went berserk and drowned his son in a river. According to local legend, the boy's ghost remains in the area of the river and his apparition walking on the water, Lewis says.

Those who want to venture into Wisconsin can see the site where macabre killer and body snatcher Ed Gein's home once stood near Plainfield, he says.

If you believe in ghosts and spirits or simply want to be scared, the guide offers many options to explore haunted places.

Visit Lewis' website, www.unexplainedresearch.com, for more information.