# Mrs. Baxter — The Necromancers character guide > Mrs. Baxter in The Necromancers by Robert Hugh Benson. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** dear Mrs. Baxter, Dear Mrs. Baxter, IV Mrs. Baxter, Mrs. ¬†Baxter **First appearance:** 0002-i ## Who they are A placid, sleepy household matriarch whose comfortable domestic routines form the quiet backdrop against which the novel's spiritual terrors gather. ## Relationships ### [Laurie Baxter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_necromancers_se/characters/laurie_baxter) _family_ Laurie's mother, who is more sympathetic to his emotional turmoil but also worried about his mental state. ### [Mr. Vincent](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_necromancers_se/characters/mr_vincent) _psychological_ Vincent subtly manipulates Mrs. Baxter's grief and religious guilt to gain influence over the household. ### [Mr. Baxter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_necromancers_se/characters/mr_baxter) _family_ The Baxters are a married couple who disagree on how to handle Laurie's spiritualist involvement, causing marital tension. ### [Maggie Deronnais](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_necromancers_se/characters/maggie_deronnais) _professional_ Maggie provides séances for Mrs. Baxter, who is a grieving mother seeking contact with a deceased child. ### [Mr. Baxter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_necromancers_se/characters/mr_baxter) _family_ The Baxters are a married couple who disagree on how to handle Laurie's spiritualist involvement, causing marital tension. ### [Laurie Baxter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_necromancers_se/characters/laurie_baxter) _family_ Laurie's mother, who is more sympathetic to his emotional turmoil but also worried about his mental state. ### [Mr. Vincent](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_necromancers_se/characters/mr_vincent) _psychological_ Vincent subtly manipulates Mrs. Baxter's grief and religious guilt to gain influence over the household. ### [Maggie Deronnais](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_necromancers_se/characters/maggie_deronnais) _professional_ Maggie provides séances for Mrs. Baxter, who is a grieving mother seeking contact with a deceased child. ### [Maggie Deronnais](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_necromancers_se/characters/maggie_deronnais) _professional_ Maggie provides séances for Mrs. Baxter, who is a grieving mother seeking contact with a deceased child. ### [Mr. Baxter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_necromancers_se/characters/mr_baxter) _family_ The Baxters are a married couple who disagree on how to handle Laurie's spiritualist involvement, causing marital tension. ### [Laurie Baxter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_necromancers_se/characters/laurie_baxter) _family_ Laurie's mother, who is more sympathetic to his emotional turmoil but also worried about his mental state. ## In the story ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_necromancers_se/chapters/i) Mrs. Baxter is anxious about Laurie's state and hopes Maggie can help him. She reflects on the past conflicts over Laurie's conversion and his relationship with Amy. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_necromancers_se/chapters/i) Hosts Mrs. Stapleton, uneasy about her spiritualist talk, seeks Maggie's advice. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_necromancers_se/chapters/ii) Troubled by Mrs. Stapleton's claims, she seeks the Vicar's opinion to settle the matter. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_necromancers_se/chapters/iii) Mentions Mr. Rymer's dismissal of Spiritualism, but is largely oblivious to Laurie's deeper turmoil. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_necromancers_se/chapters/iv) Mrs. Baxter follows her nightly routine, signaling bedtime for the household, and is a figure of normalcy against Laurie's inner chaos. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_necromancers_se/chapters/i) Mrs. Baxter is content and unobservant, contrasting with Maggie's inner turmoil. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_necromancers_se/chapters/ii) Worries that Laurie is unhappy in his religion and plans to have Mr. Rymer influence him during his visit. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_necromancers_se/chapters/ii) Shows maternal concern, noticing Laurie's peaked appearance and questioning him about Spiritualism. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_necromancers_se/chapters/vii) Writes to Maggie, detailing her fears about Laurie's obsession with Amy and his declining health. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_necromancers_se/chapters/iii) Seen in Laurie's vision, nodding in her chair in the drawing room at home. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_necromancers_se/chapters/i) Dismisses the letter as trivial, showing her serene and narrow-minded nature. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_necromancers_se/chapters/iii) Displays symptoms of avoidance and dignity, wishing to ignore the subject of Laurie's behavior. ### [XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_necromancers_se/chapters/xii) Mrs. Baxter is present in the household, and her reactions to the unfolding events contribute to the atmosphere of concern and unease. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_necromancers_se/chapters/i) Maggie deliberately keeps her uninformed about Laurie's condition, believing she would be of no help. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_necromancers_se/chapters/ii) Absorbed in her devotional book, she feels unwell and retires to bed. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_necromancers_se/chapters/i) Fractious and recovering from influenza, unaware of the vague perils surrounding her son. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_necromancers_se/chapters/iii) Kept in the dark about Maggie's absence; her condition is a concern. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_necromancers_se/chapters/iv) Dines in bed, experiences a frightening vision of Laurie, and shares it with Maggie. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_necromancers_se/chapters/v) Her house is the focus of the watchers' attention, though she is unseen. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_necromancers_se/chapters/iii) Mentioned as being upstairs, also unaware of the conflict. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_necromancers_se/characters/mrs_baxter - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_necromancers_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_necromancers_se/characters