Ruby Jean Jensen (1927–2010)
Author of House of Illusions
About the Author
Works by Ruby Jean Jensen
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Other names
- Jensen, R. J.
Kensington, R. J.
Kensington, Ruby Jean - Birthdate
- 1927-03-01
- Date of death
- 2010-11-16
- Gender
- female
- Occupations
- author
- Short biography
- Ruby Jean Jensen was born and raised in southwest Missouri. Most of her life was spent in Missouri or nearby in northwest Arkansas. In addition to writing, Ruby has always been an animal lover, and spends most of her time now caring for her pets. Ruby began her writing career in the 1970's by writing Gothic romance novels with a strong paranormal story line. In the 1980's she switched over to the purely horror genre and has more than twenty five published books, and has an enthusiastic following.
- Nationality
- USA
- Birthplace
- Missouri, USA
Members
Reviews
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 show more 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. show less
This was a very eerie read. I liked the setting, with show more 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. show less
Five-year-old Dorrie’s dad has just died of leukemia and she and her mother, her sister Stephanie, and her brother Tommy move into their late great-grandmother’s old house. Dorrie takes a liking to the attic, which is full of old toys and dolls. She especially likes one celluloid baby doll in particular. She feels sad because the doll looks dented in and twisted. She wants the doll to be healthy and live, not die, like her daddy did. So she breathes on the doll and runs her hands over it show more and to Dorrie’s surprise the doll begins to move/stir. The more she breathes into the doll's mouth, the more alive the doll gets---moving its arm, leg… She decides the doll needs milk and nourishment so she goes to get the doll some milk but when she gives it to the doll, the doll doesn’t want it, it only wants Dorrie’s breath inside it. Soon Dorrie is breathing into the other toys in the attic. The wooden horse, a kitty cat, etc…
As time goes by various members of the family sometimes think they hear movement up in the attic, bumping, dragging, footsteps. Dorrie’s mother goes up to see if there are mice up there but all she sees are Dorrie’s toys all lined up by the toy box. She gets a funny feeling while looking at them, almost as though they are really looking back at her. Then she thinks it is just her imagination. Soon Dorrie’s brother and sister investigate when they keep hearing noises from the attic, above their bedrooms. When they go up to the creepy attic the toy horse, which is perched high on a box, jumps on Tommy and seems to bite him. They are scared and run out of the attic. How could this possibly happen? There must be a logical explanation. Maybe the previous owner put the horse up there and it fell? And after all, Dorrie is up in the attic playing with the dolls. If she isn’t scared then how could ten-year-old Tommy and thirteen-year-old Stephanie be? But the dolls are becoming more and more alive. And more and more menacing.
This was a totally captivating, scary book. I really had a hard time putting this book down. I wanted to see what was going to happen next. The evil dolls were totally creepy. The story got even creepier when the dolls came down the attic stairs and went into the house. And when they kept coming to Dorrie for her kiss/breath. I couldn’t figure out how Dorrie’s mother let Dorrie spend so much time in a dusty old attic, with the windows closed (no fresh air), all alone, every day. She seemed more absorbed in the novel she was trying to write than what was going on with her children. Tommy grew on me throughout the book…he realized the dolls were alive and he was trying to protect Dorrie. This book also had great atmosphere. The reader really felt like they were in that old house.
A very spooky, eerie read. show less
As time goes by various members of the family sometimes think they hear movement up in the attic, bumping, dragging, footsteps. Dorrie’s mother goes up to see if there are mice up there but all she sees are Dorrie’s toys all lined up by the toy box. She gets a funny feeling while looking at them, almost as though they are really looking back at her. Then she thinks it is just her imagination. Soon Dorrie’s brother and sister investigate when they keep hearing noises from the attic, above their bedrooms. When they go up to the creepy attic the toy horse, which is perched high on a box, jumps on Tommy and seems to bite him. They are scared and run out of the attic. How could this possibly happen? There must be a logical explanation. Maybe the previous owner put the horse up there and it fell? And after all, Dorrie is up in the attic playing with the dolls. If she isn’t scared then how could ten-year-old Tommy and thirteen-year-old Stephanie be? But the dolls are becoming more and more alive. And more and more menacing.
This was a totally captivating, scary book. I really had a hard time putting this book down. I wanted to see what was going to happen next. The evil dolls were totally creepy. The story got even creepier when the dolls came down the attic stairs and went into the house. And when they kept coming to Dorrie for her kiss/breath. I couldn’t figure out how Dorrie’s mother let Dorrie spend so much time in a dusty old attic, with the windows closed (no fresh air), all alone, every day. She seemed more absorbed in the novel she was trying to write than what was going on with her children. Tommy grew on me throughout the book…he realized the dolls were alive and he was trying to protect Dorrie. This book also had great atmosphere. The reader really felt like they were in that old house.
A very spooky, eerie read. show less
Greta and Derek (nine-year-old cousins) are playing outside in the grass in an area near their homes that they were told not to play when they find an old, abandoned well with a lid on it. After they open it up, Derek decides he wants to go fishing in it. After fishing for a while, he brings up an old ring. Greta immediately falls in love with it and must have it. Derek’s brother Kenny eventually finds them and sees what they are doing. After they bring an old piece of cloth up from the show more well Kenny tells his mother and they eventually call the police. They later discover human bones in the well. Who could it have been? How did they get in the well? Was it murder?
Greta keeps the ring a secret (wearing it backwards on her finger so no one sees it) because she doesn’t want to give it up. She is also starting to hear a voice talking to her, telling her to do bad things. Where is the voice coming from, or is it in her head? And she feels an evil presence. Then the murders begin…
Wow, Ruby Jean Jensen really knew how to write spooky, atmospheric books that could give you the creeps! It was so captivating, I had a hard time putting this book down, I really wanted to see what was going to happen next. I felt bad and worried for little Greta. I found the characters interesting and the storyline was different. The setting in the small community was good. The malevolent presence following Greta around was totally chilling.
A really good horror story. I thoroughly enjoyed it! show less
Greta keeps the ring a secret (wearing it backwards on her finger so no one sees it) because she doesn’t want to give it up. She is also starting to hear a voice talking to her, telling her to do bad things. Where is the voice coming from, or is it in her head? And she feels an evil presence. Then the murders begin…
Wow, Ruby Jean Jensen really knew how to write spooky, atmospheric books that could give you the creeps! It was so captivating, I had a hard time putting this book down, I really wanted to see what was going to happen next. I felt bad and worried for little Greta. I found the characters interesting and the storyline was different. The setting in the small community was good. The malevolent presence following Greta around was totally chilling.
A really good horror story. I thoroughly enjoyed it! show less
I don’t generally place the back cover blurbs of books on reviews anymore. With Lost and Found, though, I could never summarize the plot better than that. Wow. When I read the back of this I had to read it right away (The Jensen fandom helped a bit too). I guess I just love little kids with needle-sharp teeth; Jensen seems to focus a lot on evil children anyway, which is always effective in book or movie form. Sometimes Jensen veers on the side of cheesiness with a few of her books (Chain show more Letter, Pendulum), but here she tells a truly complex tale with genuinely adult, serious themes.
When reading the book, the plot is confusing and you’re never sure where it’s leading. It begins with an ominous nightmare and action from the start, never slowing down in the center, rolling quickly toward a disturbing climax. I won’t give away what the hidden themes of the book are, but the social commentary is a heavy one.
Characters are rich and intriguing. The mother, Magret, a central character, is a mixture of sanity and insanity, purity and selfishness, avoidance and privacy. Each family member serves their purpose, and I cared what happened to each their personalities complement both each other and the circumstances surrounding the book. As in many stories, there’s a detective here with a dog, seems cliché? but he’s a favorite, likeable and strong. The ending is of course bleak, as with many of Jensen’s books, and it left a dry feeling in my mouth that was a bit reminiscent of Celia. Not many happy endings here.
Violence is brutal, the body count lengthy, and the little mystery involved helps keep this book going. It’s not really needed to say the atmosphere is a bleak one, and as usual, Jensen’s style is fierce and a delight to read, complementing the horror theme. This is true horror, yet gothic as well, while leaving a firm impression on the readers mind when its said and done.
What really makes this book stand out is the creepiness factor. Yes, it’s eerie, chilling, frightening, whatever label you’d like to slap on it. For a change it’s a story that gets in your head and makes the hairs on the back of the neck stand up.
Many scenes focus on suspense and end horribly, all the while keeping the mystery aspect strong and alive. Brrrr. Ruby Jean Jensen is definitely an underrated horror author she’s written dozens of books, many better than others, yet is sorely unnoticed. This book, however, could never be unnoticed, as it not only keeps the reader entertained and addicted, but it delivers the horror full dose. show less
When reading the book, the plot is confusing and you’re never sure where it’s leading. It begins with an ominous nightmare and action from the start, never slowing down in the center, rolling quickly toward a disturbing climax. I won’t give away what the hidden themes of the book are, but the social commentary is a heavy one.
Characters are rich and intriguing. The mother, Magret, a central character, is a mixture of sanity and insanity, purity and selfishness, avoidance and privacy. Each family member serves their purpose, and I cared what happened to each their personalities complement both each other and the circumstances surrounding the book. As in many stories, there’s a detective here with a dog, seems cliché? but he’s a favorite, likeable and strong. The ending is of course bleak, as with many of Jensen’s books, and it left a dry feeling in my mouth that was a bit reminiscent of Celia. Not many happy endings here.
Violence is brutal, the body count lengthy, and the little mystery involved helps keep this book going. It’s not really needed to say the atmosphere is a bleak one, and as usual, Jensen’s style is fierce and a delight to read, complementing the horror theme. This is true horror, yet gothic as well, while leaving a firm impression on the readers mind when its said and done.
What really makes this book stand out is the creepiness factor. Yes, it’s eerie, chilling, frightening, whatever label you’d like to slap on it. For a change it’s a story that gets in your head and makes the hairs on the back of the neck stand up.
Many scenes focus on suspense and end horribly, all the while keeping the mystery aspect strong and alive. Brrrr. Ruby Jean Jensen is definitely an underrated horror author she’s written dozens of books, many better than others, yet is sorely unnoticed. This book, however, could never be unnoticed, as it not only keeps the reader entertained and addicted, but it delivers the horror full dose. show less
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Statistics
- Works
- 32
- Members
- 902
- Popularity
- #28,435
- Rating
- 3.8
- Reviews
- 34
- ISBNs
- 67