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Such a Good Baby
When Jeremy was born in the mansion called Tanglewood, he was beautiful. Felicia closed her eyes, exhausted by giving birth. After all, she was only 14. And when she woke, her mother would be after her again. Mrs. Stewart wouldn’t believe that Felicia was still a virgin. But it was true . . .
Mrs. Stewart would do anything to prevent scandal. She claimed Jeremy as her own, and forced Felicia to leave the baby to the nurse’s care. Then, the first nurse quit, and the second, and the third. “But why?”, Mrs. Stewart asked. “He never gives any trouble!”
They couldn’t tell her. Felicia knew. It was his way of calling. Not with words—with tiny, icy hands, touching her in the dark. Always in the dark. And when the light went on, no one was there. No one at all.
But that was while Jeremy gathered his strength, before people began to die . . . Jeremy was beautiful . . . he was—Such a Good Baby
Mrs. Stewart would do anything to prevent scandal. She claimed Jeremy as her own, and forced Felicia to leave the baby to the nurse’s care. Then, the first nurse quit, and the second, and the third. “But why?”, Mrs. Stewart asked. “He never gives any trouble!”
They couldn’t tell her. Felicia knew. It was his way of calling. Not with words—with tiny, icy hands, touching her in the dark. Always in the dark. And when the light went on, no one was there. No one at all.
But that was while Jeremy gathered his strength, before people began to die . . . Jeremy was beautiful . . . he was—Such a Good Baby
- GenresHorror
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1982
5 people are currently reading
197 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 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 30, 2022
Young Felicia is attacked one night while going through the woods near her home. Nine months later she gives birth to a son, Jeremy. But why does Jeremy never cry? Why do the nurses hired to watch him never last long? Why do strange things happen when the lights are out?
This was a totally captivating read that had me quickly turning the pages to see what was going to happen next. Jeremy was a very creepy baby. The book had lots of tense situations and an interesting cast of characters. Another chilling read by Ruby Jean Jensen.
This was a totally captivating read that had me quickly turning the pages to see what was going to happen next. Jeremy was a very creepy baby. The book had lots of tense situations and an interesting cast of characters. Another chilling read by Ruby Jean Jensen.
March 3, 2024
I have a soft spot for Ruby Jean Jensen and her no nonsense, pointed prose, and Such a Good Baby constitutes one of her early, good efforts at horror. The 'creepy kids' horror subgenre had just about reached apogee when this came out in 1982 and Ruby gives her own spin here; not so much about creepy kids, but creepy babies. You know with a title like this one there will be some mean baby foo and Ruby does not disappoint.
Our main protagonist, Felicia, starts the novel about 13 years old, and one day when taking a short cut through the woods home is raped by something and ends up preggers. Her mother and father divorced soon after, with him wanting her to have an abortion but her mother adamantly opposed. Felicia's mom is from an old school, rich southern family and to avoid scandal, keeps Felicia at home from school and after the birth, claims it was hers. It is a rather odd baby, however, as it never cries and periodically goes into 'trances' where he seems dead to the world.
Now, the housekeeper/nanny of the family has a pretty good inkling of what the baby is, a 'changeling', based upon the 'folklore' from the old country (Ireland). It seems evil fae creatures can sometimes impregnate women and the offspring are evil, although they look so innocent! After going through wet nurses like booze on a wedding day, all of whom resign after just a few days, it is pretty obvious something is hinky about the kid. Felicia, however, loves the little guy, and heaven help anyone who stands between her and her baby...
While this did have some spooky aspects, it was more creepy than scary. Who said babies cannot be creepy! Overall, however, this is not really a stand out of the genre, or even subgenre, but a decent, lite read to while away some time. 3 creepy babies!
Our main protagonist, Felicia, starts the novel about 13 years old, and one day when taking a short cut through the woods home is raped by something and ends up preggers. Her mother and father divorced soon after, with him wanting her to have an abortion but her mother adamantly opposed. Felicia's mom is from an old school, rich southern family and to avoid scandal, keeps Felicia at home from school and after the birth, claims it was hers. It is a rather odd baby, however, as it never cries and periodically goes into 'trances' where he seems dead to the world.
Now, the housekeeper/nanny of the family has a pretty good inkling of what the baby is, a 'changeling', based upon the 'folklore' from the old country (Ireland). It seems evil fae creatures can sometimes impregnate women and the offspring are evil, although they look so innocent! After going through wet nurses like booze on a wedding day, all of whom resign after just a few days, it is pretty obvious something is hinky about the kid. Felicia, however, loves the little guy, and heaven help anyone who stands between her and her baby...
While this did have some spooky aspects, it was more creepy than scary. Who said babies cannot be creepy! Overall, however, this is not really a stand out of the genre, or even subgenre, but a decent, lite read to while away some time. 3 creepy babies!
July 4, 2023
Ruby Jean does it again! Fantastic writer who does subtle horror with finesse. I loved this story. It had just enough mystery to keep me going and was just gruesome enough to peak my curiosity. Can't wait to read more of her books!
January 5, 2017
As with all Ruby Jean Jensen books, this one was phenomenal. She was the best darn female horror writer ever!
This was one creepy book. A young teenage girl, rich, cared for, walking in the woods one day is attacked by something. Something she cant remember, someone she isn't sure was a someone but a something.
Nice months later, a baby boy is born. A beautiful baby, but a strange one. Never crying, never moving. He only wants one person in his life and thats his mother. However, people do not feel it is best for the mother to take care for this strange child, who obviously has disabilities of some sort, never seen before.
Anyone who gets in the baby's way in being with his mother, is doomed. BUT.....is the mother doomed as well?
This was one creepy book. A young teenage girl, rich, cared for, walking in the woods one day is attacked by something. Something she cant remember, someone she isn't sure was a someone but a something.
Nice months later, a baby boy is born. A beautiful baby, but a strange one. Never crying, never moving. He only wants one person in his life and thats his mother. However, people do not feel it is best for the mother to take care for this strange child, who obviously has disabilities of some sort, never seen before.
Anyone who gets in the baby's way in being with his mother, is doomed. BUT.....is the mother doomed as well?
April 14, 2020
I'm versed enough at old-school horror novels to know that the title of this book was going to be ironic....
Jensen has a good, clean style that becomes more apparent in her horror novels than it did in her Gothic novels. It's easy to read, and it keeps the story moving along at a swift pace. She has a tendency to rush through dialogue, and her plots aren't the most artful (in this book, she introduces a character from the narrative ether when she needs one more body), but the stories are entertaining and appropriately spooky.
Such a Good Baby does show its age, though, when it introduces lesbianism as some sort of perversity, something unnatural. It overlooks the whole unwanted-sexual-advances aspect of the plot point and focuses instead on that it was one woman doing something to another and how that was what was wrong with it. It's unfortunate, but the book was published in 1982, after all.
Jensen has a good, clean style that becomes more apparent in her horror novels than it did in her Gothic novels. It's easy to read, and it keeps the story moving along at a swift pace. She has a tendency to rush through dialogue, and her plots aren't the most artful (in this book, she introduces a character from the narrative ether when she needs one more body), but the stories are entertaining and appropriately spooky.
Such a Good Baby does show its age, though, when it introduces lesbianism as some sort of perversity, something unnatural. It overlooks the whole unwanted-sexual-advances aspect of the plot point and focuses instead on that it was one woman doing something to another and how that was what was wrong with it. It's unfortunate, but the book was published in 1982, after all.
November 16, 2016
Sometimes a mom just has to admit that her child isn't perfect. As the bodies pile up, she may need to look at her little darling and face facts: she's given birth to a flying, glowing, evil vomit machine with a body count. Can you handle the truth?
May 27, 2024
I wasn't sure what to expect going in but this was quite a page-turner. The story tells the tale of a young girl who is attacked in the woods by a mysterious creature and finds herself pregnant. To many, he appears to be your average-looking baby but when the lights go out the baby turns into something cold and frightening. What I liked was that there seems to be a bond between him and his mother but at the same time he isn't afraid of even hurting her.
September 23, 2019
Felicia tried to explain that she had done nothing to cause the pregnancy, but no one would believe her. When the baby came he seemed so normal that she almost forgot her concerns. But then she began to notice strange things when the lights went out. And they could not seem to hire anyone to work in the nursery. Any spell-binding from Ruby Jean.
May 3, 2024
Some creepy, goosebumps giving scenes in this one. An author I will be reading in the future.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews