Angie Baby

by Bradford Tatum

Stillman Ayers would do anything for his wife, Doloris. But when she is about to give birth to their first daughter, Angie, Doloris gives him a very particular set of instructions. Ones only a funeral director would be familiar with...

Specifically, how to feed sweet little Angie from her mother's preserved flesh...

As Angie grows, strange things begin happening around abnormal electrical surges and messages being received from a gifted vintage radio.

Despite all his preparations, Stillman is left to wonder exactly what Angie is and what she is capable of.

Who is behind the voice coming across the antique radio waves, whispering to Angie, and will Stillman and Angie survive the answers?

341 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 23, 2025

About the author

Bradford Tatum’s award winning debut novel I Can Only Give You Everything was published in 2010. His second novel, Only the Dead Know Burbank was published by HarperCollins in 2016 and received a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly. His book Gray Matters has been used as a text book in various college business communication courses.



Bradford began his career as an actor appearing in numerous television shows and movies such as 20th Century Fox’s submarine comedy DOWN PERISCOPE, Disney’s POWDER and HBO’s WESTWORLD.



He was a staff writer for Dick Wolf on the NBC series DEADLINE and has written and directed two award winning independent features. He has won an Alfred P. Sloan grant for his written work as well as sold pitches to various production companies.

Reviews

[Bookaholic__Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded to 4.

I don't think I've really read anything else quite like this. I enjoyed it but it was a bit all over the place. I really found the concept to be fascinating albeit a bit morbid. The funeral home setting was also really cool

[Dez Nemec · Rating 4 out of 5]

Angie Baby is the story of Angie Mudstill.



Starting from the moment her mother's water broke throughout her entire life, we get ALL of Angie. Doloris, Angie's mother, knows she will die in childbirth, and has instructed her mortician husband on how to exactly to prepare her body - so it is essentially a cradle for her newborn.



Yeah, that is where the story STARTS. Doloris came from a long line of special women. Witches, Sorceresses, Psychics, call them what you want. Each Mudstill woman has a special gift. Doloris was an animal whisperer, always one with nature. Aunt Miriam is an empath. Great, great, many greats grandma Eunice could time travel. And Angie...she has a special skill of her own...

This story is so unique, and I don't want to spoil anything, so you just have to read it. I almost wish we had better time-frames as sometimes when time moved forward (we are covering a lifetime in 400ish pages, so time flies), I had difficulty keeping track. Otherwise, it was a great read. 4 Stars.

[Horror Haus Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m an absolute sucker for funeral home vibes, so this book hooked me right away. Angie has those creepy kid powers, she’s able to cause electrical surges and other strange disturbances. Honestly, it left me wanting to hunt down an antique radio just to see what might come through the static. The plot is original and unsettling. At times it felt like there was a lot happening all at once, but the sheer creepiness and originality of the story more than make up for it.

[Robin Ginther-Venneri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Angie Baby
By: Bradford Tatum
Publisher: Horrorsmith Publishing
Publication Date: June 23, 2025
ASIN: B0FF9LZLTF
Page Count: 341
Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Skull Dread Rating: 💀 (for “did they just say preserved flesh?”)

Angie Baby is unsettling, bizarre, and oddly touching—like getting a hug from someone whose hands are suspiciously cold. Tatum serves up a story that’s part supernatural mystery, part domestic horror, and entirely one-of-a-kind. You’ll never look at a vintage radio (or a family recipe) the same way again.

What Did I Just Walk Into?
A funeral director’s wife dies giving birth and leaves him a very “unconventional” parenting guide—one that involves snacks you should definitely not serve at playdates. Their daughter Angie grows up with a knack for causing electrical chaos, making the dead twitch, and apparently keeping in touch with Mom via antique radio. Think Carrie meets Pet Sematary, but with a side of artisanal embalming.

Here’s What Slapped:
Creepy, original premise that makes you go “ew” and “ooo” in the same breath

Weirdly heartfelt father–daughter bond… even if it’s steeped in funeral home vibes

Vintage radios as paranormal portals? Yes please

The slow-burn “what exactly is Angie?” mystery keeps you hooked until the last page

What Could’ve Been Better:
Writing is lush and layered—sometimes to the point where you have to re-read just to be sure you caught all the weirdness

Definitely not your “light bedtime read” unless you want nightmares about pot roast for entirely the wrong reasons

Perfect for Readers Who Love:
Creepy kids with uncanny powers
Funeral parlor horror with a side of family drama
Occult fiction with old-school, atmospheric vibes
Asking “should I be disturbed or impressed?” and answering “both”

Reviewed by Robin for Robin’s Review

[Nikki B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Angie Baby is a horror novel. A mother's death, the birth of a child, and the carefully laid out instructions she's left for her husband to follow in regards with what to do with her body and how to raise Angie.
Doloris has a special gift. She can see things before it happens. And what she sees is how the birth of her child will bring about her death. But she knows Angie will be special, just like she was. So she lays out very specific instructions for her husband, a funeral director, to follow. Through Doloris's instructions, Stillman learns how to preserve Doloris's flesh.
As Angie grows, she starts to notice strange things happening around her. Abnormal electrical surges happen around her. In her presence, they can also hear a voice on a vintage radio that they believe to be Dolores. These events happen based on Angie's emotions. She can even manipulate dead bodies and make them move!
The story is captivating and keeps you hooked, though, the writing is a little more complex that your normal typical story. I loved the whole premise of the story, but the writing did confuse my little brain at times. Not enough to take away anything from the story, but enough that I was rereading sentences to make sure I fully understood its true meaning. Overall, the story is great and definitely worth a read!

[David Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Angie Baby. It’s funny and heartfelt, but when the horrors start you’ll feel like you’ve been French kissed by a corpse.

First of all, Angie Baby is a refreshing take on witch culture. I always thought Darrin was an idiot for not embracing Samantha’s witchiness—I mean, who wouldn’t want a spouse with superpowers? But instead of a frothy sitcom, Tatum shows you the thrills and shocks of real people in real relationships when witch meets normal. It’s a primer for men deeply in love with women they barely understand, and women who love them back but refuse to be contained in traditional roles.

Angie Baby comes forward in time from fifties to seventies, and the social satire is razor sharp. Think of Sarah Langan, or a slightly lighter Thomas M. Disch. The references are plot- and character-driven, instead of boxes to check off. He picks exactly the right moment for the dancing Chesterfields commercial or dumb kids “blathering about Dylan.” He can get a laugh describing a 60s hairstyle, and he can twist laughter into gut-wrenching horror when Angie tries to control her powers.

I give it 5 extra-shiny stars, and I’m looking forward to Bradford Tatum’s other novels.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 star review

Creepy, atmospheric, and deeply unsettling—this story takes horror in a direction I didn’t see coming. Stillman’s devotion to Doloris sets the tone for a chillingly unique premise, and Angie’s strange upbringing immediately hooked me. The blend of macabre family secrets, funeral home imagery, and supernatural mystery gave the book a dark originality I really enjoyed. The vintage radio messages added an eerie layer of suspense, and I found myself questioning, right along with Stillman, who Angie truly is and what she’s becoming.

While I wanted just a little more clarity in certain places, the overall tension and haunting imagery kept me invested until the end. A strange, disturbing, and memorable read for fans of atmospheric horror.

[Alexandra Nisneru · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars for originality, I don't think I ever read anything like this. It's been a wild ride for sure, and I enjoyed every moment of it, even the grim details regarding embalming. The connection father daughter was so strong and full of love, it made me painfully aware of my own connection with my dad, who died. As for Angie, she was absolutely perfect from the beginning, the child with terrifying powers that only wants to belong.

[Pooj · Rating 4 out of 5]

Angie Baby is about Angie Mudstill and the supernatural life she had from birth to death. I could not predict where this book was going at any moment. It was very interesting to see the social implications of the Mudstill powers. The time skips were a little difficult to figure out but overall a good read. 4/5 stars.

Thank you to StoryOrigin and Horrorsmith Publishing for providing me with a free ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Leighah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book even though I'm more of a horror reader. I think it was the combination of thriller and the historical timeline that did it for me. This author captured how people can be targeted for being different very well in this. There were places where I needed to get onto google, so I learnt an interesting fact, which was also cool. The supernatural aspect was an interesting twist, which really made this book worth reading.

[Brooke B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really don't even know where to begin with this book. I don't think I've ever read anything quite like it. I appreciated all the different characters, and I didn't find it hard to keep track of them. The pacing was great. But the story and writing were perfect. Some parts were so sad it did make me cry. Some parts were so beautifully written. I took my time finishing this because I really didn't want it to be over. So far, I'd have to say this is my favorite book I read this year. 🖤

[Dan Mckeithan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story about a baby that gives you a charge. Bradford introduces us to Stillman, a funeral director, that must take care of his baby, Angie, after his wife dies. But Angie is special. A creepy kind of special. Full of social satire and emotional turmoil, once the horror starts it doesn't let go. It's easy to get hooked and keep turning the pages until it's finished.

[Shannon pumpkinqueen73 · Rating 3 out of 5]

An unique mystical love story with horror elements.

Angie is a Mudsill; a generation of women with unique abilities and the men that fall in love with a Mudsill women must be open minded and love unconditionally.

A story that is set in the past, the era wasn’t always clear and lots of medical terminology based on the fact Angie’s parents are morticians. The story starts off on the slow side and builds. There are some gruesome parts throughout and a bit of mystery as Angie’s abilities are revealed.

I really enjoyed the fact that the story takes place in Southern California, since I’m from there. Not very many books I’ve read, mention these suburban towns.

I enjoyed the story overall.

Thank you to the author and HorrorSmith Publishing for the opportunity to review

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Horrorsmith Publishing for the ARC copy.

I started off really enjoying the story, but then life got in the way and I had a difficult time picking it back up again. I loved the unique characters and loved the father-daughter relationship between Stillman and Angie. The funeral home setting was different for me but enjoyable.

Overall, the story was great and worth the read.

[Leslie Earnest · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a unique, disturbing and strangely beautiful story. Most definitely unlike any other story I've read. The writing was very technical, and it is apparent that the author is knowledgeable about mortuary science and anatomy. It never made me lose interest in the story, but I did look up quite a few words out of interest. This one kept me guessing and surprised through the entire book! Will most definitely read more by this author!

Thank you Horrorsmith Publishing & the author for this ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Angie Baby was an all right story with unique characters, a little slow in the beginning, but picked up, leading to an interesting conclusion.