"bluenose ghosts" and "bluenose magic" have been criticized by the canadian cultural historian ian mckay for exaggerating the extent of occult belief in nova scotia and creating a false picture of a people united by superstition. mckay also claims that micmac and african nova scotian stories in the book relegated these cultures to the periphery and promoted racial stereotypes. richard s. tallman published an article in the acadiensis which called bluenose ghosts "one of the better such collections published in north america." tallman called her personal approach which validated belief in the legends refreshing, but characterized her as a parapsychologist rather than a folklorist, due her lack of professional academic training and popularizing slant. some critics also saw the tales collected in bluenose ghosts and its sequel bluenose magic as survivalism and vulgarization a review in resource links was more complimentary, citing, among other elements, creighton's attention to preserving the original voice of the nova scotians storytellers, and the book's ability to demonstrate "how the supernatural is as much a part of nova scotian life as is the sea."