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The Haunting
The abandoned house in the woods is exactly what real estate agent Katie Rogers has been looking for. Thrilled with her find, she moves in with her sister and young niece and nephew -- blissfully unaware of its gruesome history of bloodshed and murder. — Soon bizarre dreams begin... nightmares in which Katie is a small child again, running in terror. Then come horrifying visions of a woman wielding a gleaming butcher knife...
Of course, Katie doesn't believe that any of it is real. Until her niece and nephew disappear. Now only Katie can put an end to a savage evil that is slowly awakening... to unleash a fresh cycle of slaughter and death in which the innocent will die again and again!
Of course, Katie doesn't believe that any of it is real. Until her niece and nephew disappear. Now only Katie can put an end to a savage evil that is slowly awakening... to unleash a fresh cycle of slaughter and death in which the innocent will die again and again!
480 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 1994
10 people are currently reading
760 people want to read
About the author
Ruby Jean Jensen
39 books211 followers
Ruby Jean Jensen
Born McDonald County, Missouri, USA, March 1, 1927
Died November 16, 2010
Website http://www.rubyjeanjensen.com
Twitter RubyJeanJensen1
Facebook www.facebook.com/Rjjhorror
Ruby Jean Jensen authored 30 published and 4 not yet published novels, and over 200 short stories. Her passion for writing developed at an early age, and she worked for many years to develop her writing skills. After having many short stories published, in 1974 the novel The House that Samael Built was accepted for publication. She then quickly established herself as a professional author, with representation by a Literary Agent from New York. She subsequently sold 29 more novels to several New York publishing houses. After four Gothic Romance, three Occult and then three Horror novels, MaMa was published by Zebra books in 1983. With Zebra, Ruby Jean completed nineteen more novels in the Horror genre.
Ruby was involved with creative writing groups for many years, and she often took the time to encourage young authors and to reply to fan mail.
Ruby Jean, a supreme story-teller, quickly captures and holds your attention. Her books, written for adults, are also suitable for adolescents and young adults. She continues to have an enthusiastic following in the Horror genre.
Born McDonald County, Missouri, USA, March 1, 1927
Died November 16, 2010
Website http://www.rubyjeanjensen.com
Twitter RubyJeanJensen1
Facebook www.facebook.com/Rjjhorror
Ruby Jean Jensen authored 30 published and 4 not yet published novels, and over 200 short stories. Her passion for writing developed at an early age, and she worked for many years to develop her writing skills. After having many short stories published, in 1974 the novel The House that Samael Built was accepted for publication. She then quickly established herself as a professional author, with representation by a Literary Agent from New York. She subsequently sold 29 more novels to several New York publishing houses. After four Gothic Romance, three Occult and then three Horror novels, MaMa was published by Zebra books in 1983. With Zebra, Ruby Jean completed nineteen more novels in the Horror genre.
Ruby was involved with creative writing groups for many years, and she often took the time to encourage young authors and to reply to fan mail.
Ruby Jean, a supreme story-teller, quickly captures and holds your attention. Her books, written for adults, are also suitable for adolescents and young adults. She continues to have an enthusiastic following in the Horror genre.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
October 31, 2018
Ruby Jean Jensen was a Queen of horror stories!
The poor kids, people and animals that got it in this book! There are some graphic scenes!
Enjoying reading some of her books from time to time that I read as a kid! I have several more but some I can't get because they are extremely expensive. I would have kept all of her books I owned when I was younger if I knew that at the time. BUT..... who ever knows!
Happy Reading & Happy Halloween! 🎃👻 I hate when it ends!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
The poor kids, people and animals that got it in this book! There are some graphic scenes!
Enjoying reading some of her books from time to time that I read as a kid! I have several more but some I can't get because they are extremely expensive. I would have kept all of her books I owned when I was younger if I knew that at the time. BUT..... who ever knows!
Happy Reading & Happy Halloween! 🎃👻 I hate when it ends!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
October 30, 2024
Young widow Katie Rogers decides to buy an old Victorian mansion in the woods. She loves it and seems drawn to it, but she also seems to be having dreams/experiences of being in this house before, many years ago as a child. Katie’s family convinces her this isn’t possible. Katie moves into the house with her sister Nancy and Nancy’s two children. Katie eventually discovers a dark and evil history to the house, along with a ghost…
This was a very eerie read. I liked the setting, with the mansion in the woods. The long dark hallways, the creepy creatures in the halls, etc. The first half of the book dealt with what happened many years ago in the house. I really liked some characters (mute Eddie and young Katrina). The second half is in present day and focuses on Katie, her family, and her connection to the house and some of the characters from the past.
Another spooky and captivating read by Ruby Jean Jensen.
This was a very eerie read. I liked the setting, with the mansion in the woods. The long dark hallways, the creepy creatures in the halls, etc. The first half of the book dealt with what happened many years ago in the house. I really liked some characters (mute Eddie and young Katrina). The second half is in present day and focuses on Katie, her family, and her connection to the house and some of the characters from the past.
Another spooky and captivating read by Ruby Jean Jensen.
October 10, 2018
I was surprised to see the amount of the depth in this novel. Tackling sexism and grief especially. I loved the characters. I also loved the sense of horror through-out and the creepy atmosphere.
My one real complaint is it felt heavy-handed with the eating meat is bad. Not everyone can actually be a vegetarian even if they wanted to. Medical issues sometimes get in the way. I'm not entirely sure that was ment to come through or not, but it sure felt like it to me.
But over-all I did really like this! I see why people like Ruby jean Jensen's books and why, with them being out of print, it can be hard to find affordable copies of them.
My one real complaint is it felt heavy-handed with the eating meat is bad. Not everyone can actually be a vegetarian even if they wanted to. Medical issues sometimes get in the way. I'm not entirely sure that was ment to come through or not, but it sure felt like it to me.
But over-all I did really like this! I see why people like Ruby jean Jensen's books and why, with them being out of print, it can be hard to find affordable copies of them.
September 13, 2025
I definitely think Ruby Jean Jensen is underrated when it comes to vintage horror. Unfortunately, this one was repetitive and overlong.
January 27, 2025
Ah, Ruby Jean Jensen, the queen of Zebra! I read lots of Jensen back in the day as her books were everywhere. The Haunting represents something a bit different from her, although yeah, there are some dolls involved in the story 😁. Most horror tales of this era start with a banging, short prologue; here, the prologue takes about half the novel. The events on the cover blurb concern the story in the 'now' (1993?), but the first 200 pages or so takes place around 1910.
The protagonist in the first part is one Eddie, a mute 16 year old farm boy, who starts the novel being 'claimed' by his great aunt Theodora. It seems Theodora needs someone to do the chores at her large estate and Eddie got her nod (even though she promised his parents he would be going to a special school in the city). Something is clearly hinky at the old mansion. Eddie is told never to leave his room at night, but he hears strange, slithering noises each night. Also, one of his chores involves sweeping all the house's porches each morning; why are they always so dirty? What is the deal with the drying mud in the halls each morning? Anyway, we does his jobs (milking the cow, feeding the pigs, chickens, etc.) and meets one of his neighbors along the way, little 5 yo Katrina, a bubbly precocious girl, who helps him with his chores. She, her parents and brothers live in a shed on the property. Well, the prologue to the prologue has Eddie on trial for her murder, but he did not do it...
The 'now' part of the tale has Katie as the protagonist. Mid 20s, she recently lost her husband in a plane crash. Katie works in real estate and gets interested in the huge mansion on the edge of town. Turns out it has been on the market since 1949 and what a deal! She thinks she could buy it, fix it up (it has no power and limited water), and turn it into a home for single mothers with no place to go. Yet, on her first visit to the place, she espies a ghost, who we know is Theodora. The old trope 'did I really see it or imagine it' comes into play. Anyhow, she gets her recently separated sister and her two young kids to move in with her there, and let the games begin!
I really liked the first part of the novel, and Jensen did a fine job building some empathy for Eddie and Katrina. Most haunted house stories always pose the question to the reader-- 'why did you stay and not leave?'-- and for Eddie, that was resolved nicely; he really had no place to go. For Katie and her sister, however, WTF? Katie felt some emotional attachment to the place? Meh. Some decent pulpy goodness here, but not her best 2.5 ghostly starts, rounding up for the first part.
The protagonist in the first part is one Eddie, a mute 16 year old farm boy, who starts the novel being 'claimed' by his great aunt Theodora. It seems Theodora needs someone to do the chores at her large estate and Eddie got her nod (even though she promised his parents he would be going to a special school in the city). Something is clearly hinky at the old mansion. Eddie is told never to leave his room at night, but he hears strange, slithering noises each night. Also, one of his chores involves sweeping all the house's porches each morning; why are they always so dirty? What is the deal with the drying mud in the halls each morning? Anyway, we does his jobs (milking the cow, feeding the pigs, chickens, etc.) and meets one of his neighbors along the way, little 5 yo Katrina, a bubbly precocious girl, who helps him with his chores. She, her parents and brothers live in a shed on the property. Well, the prologue to the prologue has Eddie on trial for her murder, but he did not do it...
The 'now' part of the tale has Katie as the protagonist. Mid 20s, she recently lost her husband in a plane crash. Katie works in real estate and gets interested in the huge mansion on the edge of town. Turns out it has been on the market since 1949 and what a deal! She thinks she could buy it, fix it up (it has no power and limited water), and turn it into a home for single mothers with no place to go. Yet, on her first visit to the place, she espies a ghost, who we know is Theodora. The old trope 'did I really see it or imagine it' comes into play. Anyhow, she gets her recently separated sister and her two young kids to move in with her there, and let the games begin!
I really liked the first part of the novel, and Jensen did a fine job building some empathy for Eddie and Katrina. Most haunted house stories always pose the question to the reader-- 'why did you stay and not leave?'-- and for Eddie, that was resolved nicely; he really had no place to go. For Katie and her sister, however, WTF? Katie felt some emotional attachment to the place? Meh. Some decent pulpy goodness here, but not her best 2.5 ghostly starts, rounding up for the first part.
November 12, 2010
Seriously do this. Look at the picture of the author first, then read the book. I mean Ms Jensen looks like the sweetest old grandma, but then she writes these great brutal horror books. It's just too good.
This was one of her last if not her last book, the earlier work has these superbly cheesy covers, but all the books are consistently entertaining.
This was one of her last if not her last book, the earlier work has these superbly cheesy covers, but all the books are consistently entertaining.
January 12, 2020
This book had quite a bit more than just a haunted house going on and I mostly enjoyed it.
It contained equal parts of historical fiction, haunted house, reincarnation and creature feature within its pages. In the first half of the book, the reader is transported back to the early 1900s and introduced to a set of characters that are all living within the boundaries of a dark and foreboding estate. In the second portion of the book, probably right around 200 pages in, the author switches gears and we fast forward into present day where we are then introduced to another set of characters. Present day meets history when the new characters take up residency in the creepy and insidious house.
I liked all of the characters, especially the ones from early on, and Ruby Jean created an extremely dark and claustrophobic atmosphere throughout the entirety of the book. There was definitely scenes in the book that raised the hair on the back of my neck and that is something special indeed.
My complaint actually is with the somewhat mediocre ending. I would have loved to have been given more background on Miss Theodora and her minions. On top of that, there were some scenes that didn't help or continue the actual storyline, they were basically unneeded and had no place in the book. Also, I didn't really like some of the elements at the end that were used to explain the conclusion. Certain things seemed disjointed and didn't really fit together. The book, up until that, was really good and it was still well worth the read.
It contained equal parts of historical fiction, haunted house, reincarnation and creature feature within its pages. In the first half of the book, the reader is transported back to the early 1900s and introduced to a set of characters that are all living within the boundaries of a dark and foreboding estate. In the second portion of the book, probably right around 200 pages in, the author switches gears and we fast forward into present day where we are then introduced to another set of characters. Present day meets history when the new characters take up residency in the creepy and insidious house.
I liked all of the characters, especially the ones from early on, and Ruby Jean created an extremely dark and claustrophobic atmosphere throughout the entirety of the book. There was definitely scenes in the book that raised the hair on the back of my neck and that is something special indeed.
My complaint actually is with the somewhat mediocre ending. I would have loved to have been given more background on Miss Theodora and her minions. On top of that, there were some scenes that didn't help or continue the actual storyline, they were basically unneeded and had no place in the book. Also, I didn't really like some of the elements at the end that were used to explain the conclusion. Certain things seemed disjointed and didn't really fit together. The book, up until that, was really good and it was still well worth the read.
January 10, 2021
It may just be bad timing for me on this one, but I had a difficult time getting into it. The first half takes place in the early 1900's, and then finally picks up in the present, where the synopsis leaves us. By the time I got to the present time, I figured it would be basically a repetition of the first half, only with different characters.
Although it wasn't quite like that, it just didn't hold my attention for some reason. Maybe I'll try it again at another time.
Although it wasn't quite like that, it just didn't hold my attention for some reason. Maybe I'll try it again at another time.
October 11, 2022
4 stars.
This is my first time reading a Ruby Jean Jensen book and I wasn't disappointed. She is a wonderful storyteller.
One thing that is bugging the crap out of me though is that the cover has absolutely nothing to do with the actual story! Sure it's a house and this is, sorta about a haunted house but that's it. Even the name, Newman, that is clearly seen engraved on the wood out front, has NOTHING to do with the story. There is no Newman from the past or in the present storyline. So...why? Also the house featured in the illustration is nothing like the one that is described in the story. Or of any of the homes in the story. It's a completely random image. So....why is the cover not something representative of the story?! I wish I knew because it is driving me a tad nuts. The eyes on the cover, yeah probably Katrina's or Angie's. I guess I'll never know.
The story is broken up into 2 parts. First it tells of what happened almost 100 yrs ago. Then it jumps to the present day and tells of how the story connects.
I quite liked the characters. Eddie was so sweet but because he couldn't speak, people just dismissed him a lot and the labelling back then was harsh. He was labled as Mute and Dumb. But he was far from it. His big brother type love for little Katrina was so beautiful.
There is a decent amount of animal butchering going on in this that made those scenes hard to read. Expecually the one where Katrina witnessed it and her screams were as clear as a blue cloudless sky.
The horror and scare in this was really good. You always knew something evil was going on even if it was in the background.
Definitely a good book chosen for Halloween Month.
This is my first time reading a Ruby Jean Jensen book and I wasn't disappointed. She is a wonderful storyteller.
One thing that is bugging the crap out of me though is that the cover has absolutely nothing to do with the actual story! Sure it's a house and this is, sorta about a haunted house but that's it. Even the name, Newman, that is clearly seen engraved on the wood out front, has NOTHING to do with the story. There is no Newman from the past or in the present storyline. So...why? Also the house featured in the illustration is nothing like the one that is described in the story. Or of any of the homes in the story. It's a completely random image. So....why is the cover not something representative of the story?! I wish I knew because it is driving me a tad nuts. The eyes on the cover, yeah probably Katrina's or Angie's. I guess I'll never know.
The story is broken up into 2 parts. First it tells of what happened almost 100 yrs ago. Then it jumps to the present day and tells of how the story connects.
I quite liked the characters. Eddie was so sweet but because he couldn't speak, people just dismissed him a lot and the labelling back then was harsh. He was labled as Mute and Dumb. But he was far from it. His big brother type love for little Katrina was so beautiful.
There is a decent amount of animal butchering going on in this that made those scenes hard to read. Expecually the one where Katrina witnessed it and her screams were as clear as a blue cloudless sky.
The horror and scare in this was really good. You always knew something evil was going on even if it was in the background.
Definitely a good book chosen for Halloween Month.
January 6, 2015
This book was awesome. I got it from Paper back swap. This is probably my fav book from Ruby Jean. Has lots of history and meshes with the modern. This is deff a VERY spooky book! Will always be in my top 5 of fav books.
April 26, 2021
I tried, I really tried. I read a lot of her books many years ago as a teenager and loved them. I started re-reading recently with house of illusion, which really held up, but each subsequent book has just been worse and worse. I really hit a wall with this one and it will definitely be my last.
June 4, 2014
A friend whose opinion on books I trust suggested I check out Ruby Jean Jensen, insisting that one of the great crimes of our time is that she's a relative unknown these days. And yeah, I really enjoyed this book...straight up creepy, kinda predictable but still interesting. But I think the thing I enjoyed most about it was that it reminded me of what it felt like back when I first started to get into horror stories, when I'd stay up late reading Stephen King with a penlight after everyone else had gone to bed (because hello, that's how you read horror, right?). Not saying it scared me like I was a little girl, just that it was that kind of simple, horror-for-the-sake-of-being-horror scary. Nothing too complex, nothing that left me thinking for too long after I closed the book. These days I get my scares from authors like John Ajvide Lindqvist, but it felt nice to read a horror story and not be scared when I went to bed. ^_^
February 28, 2018
This was one of the first books I read and even after more than 15 years I still remember how I felt..I was looking for it for more than 5 years because I couldn't remember the Author or the title..
Reading the book again after 15 years is a lot different..That's why I gave it 3 starts:
1. The past and present could be switched..
2. More details about the Aunt (background). Why was she doing what she was doing? how long has it been going on?.. The author gives us one hint about her but nothing much...
3. What was the connection between Katie and Katrina
I wish this book has a second book :(
Reading the book again after 15 years is a lot different..That's why I gave it 3 starts:
1. The past and present could be switched..
2. More details about the Aunt (background). Why was she doing what she was doing? how long has it been going on?.. The author gives us one hint about her but nothing much...
3. What was the connection between Katie and Katrina
I wish this book has a second book :(
November 6, 2019
Compared to the others I've read by Jensen, The Haunting is quite dark. The book oozes foreboding and dread. The scenes / descriptions of Eddie or Katie simply walking down the hallways of Wickham House had me biting my nails. It was awful and wonderful at the same time.
Recommend you read with the light on!
Recommend you read with the light on!
September 21, 2019
It seemed like a dream come true for real estate agent Katie Rogers. Just a few days and they would have the old house whipped into shape. However, she began to see things that should not be there ...
Again, Ruby Jean is a master story-teller and captures your attention immediately.
Again, Ruby Jean is a master story-teller and captures your attention immediately.
September 26, 2010
omg this was one of my favorite thrillers that i read back as a teen!!! if you like scary stories this is a great one! i lost my copy and must find another!! so good!!!!
November 14, 2021
3.5 stars out of 5. I had picked this book as my Halloween read and was very pleased. Part 1 takes place in the past and plunges you in the midst of a murder trial. The mansion is just as creepy and ominous and you'd hope it would be! The characters keep their doors closed at night from the "bad things" that slither along the halls. I thought Part 1 was a great start, but felt a little whiplash when the book catches up to its synopsis about halfway through. Then the story really slows down as it introduces new characters and conflicts. The romantic subplots don't really develop and seem to just take up space, they are of no consequence. My biggest problem with the book was the psychological counselor character. As someone who is studying to become a psychological counselor I found myself slogging through his sections because he was so horrible. I guess it's an easy mistake to make, creating a character that is an idea of something without being aware of the intricacies. Also, to Ruby Jean Jensen's credit this was written in 1994 when maybe a counselor's problematic behavior like this would possibly go unchecked like trying to date your client's sister while weighing the unethical nature of it or showing up unannounced at your client's house? I was satisfied with the details about the creatures and the creepy house. The ending was satisfying and somewhat unexpected, although the epilogue felt unnecessary as it provided a bit of closure at the cost of basically repeating the ending a few pages before. I liked this book and I'm looking forward to reading the next Ruby Jean Jensen book I pick up!
April 6, 2020
Reading Ruby Jean Jensen as an experienced horror novel reader is a frustrating experience, at least for me. I know she's capable of a good, outside the box horror novel like The Lake (Tor, 1988), but most of her work doesn't seem to benefit from it.
I guess Jensen found her literary niche of killer dolls/kids/ghosts, and just dug in, which is fine, just not terribly scary if you don't find those topics scary or interesting.
I guess Jensen found her literary niche of killer dolls/kids/ghosts, and just dug in, which is fine, just not terribly scary if you don't find those topics scary or interesting.
September 19, 2023
The first half was incredible and kept me very involved. The second half was a slow burn that was much harder for me to get into and in my opponion lost allot of steam and took a while to really get to the meat and action of the story. Almost thought about DNFing.
October 4, 2023
This was my first RJJ and it did not disappoint! I loved it so much I ordered 3 more of her books to read next. It's creepy but not too gory and she really made me fall in love with the characters and feel for them. This one is definitely going onto my list of favorite horror books of all time.
March 1, 2019
Just downright creepy! Kind of reminds me of an early 70's classic horror movie. Do not read before going to bed.
September 16, 2021
Ruby Jean Jensen was simply a master of her trade.
The Haunting is quite possibly the perfect haunted house novel…
The Haunting is quite possibly the perfect haunted house novel…
May 10, 2024
Scary, spooky, and suspenseful!
October 8, 2024
This was my first scary book when I was a teenager, I loved it. Very interesting and a page turner.
September 17, 2020
Some parts seemed unnecessary, but any parts taking place in the house were good. I enjoyed it.
April 13, 2013
I cannot believe that people are giving this trash four and five stars. The prologue was HALF the book! I think the book would have been much better had the main character in the last half of the book had discovered the first half of the book while she lived in the house instead of the author writing it all out for us as if we were all stupid readers.
That's what bugs me the most. The writer spelled out the whole story for us. There was no surprise.
The characters were poorly written. I really hate seeing female characters who are closet damsels in distress. They put up a good front but in the end a guy always has to be involved and save them. Although ***** spoiler**** the guy here didn't get there in time. But he tried.
I just, I think its just a poorly written book. It wasn't scary at all. It was just really boring. I kept reading it hoping that it would get better and it never did. The characters were 2-dimensional. You can tell that she just recycled the same character study over and over again.
So glad I only paid $.50 for this book at a used book store.
That's what bugs me the most. The writer spelled out the whole story for us. There was no surprise.
The characters were poorly written. I really hate seeing female characters who are closet damsels in distress. They put up a good front but in the end a guy always has to be involved and save them. Although ***** spoiler**** the guy here didn't get there in time. But he tried.
I just, I think its just a poorly written book. It wasn't scary at all. It was just really boring. I kept reading it hoping that it would get better and it never did. The characters were 2-dimensional. You can tell that she just recycled the same character study over and over again.
So glad I only paid $.50 for this book at a used book store.
May 20, 2012
This had all the elements of a classic ghost story and yet somehow wasn't cliche. I like how there wasn't much drwn out subtlety in the plot. The evil of the house was out in the open from the begining.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews