I read some amazing books in 2020 and I would like to share them again with you, updated with the authors most recent releases and their biography.
I enjoyed all the Wake-Robin Ridge series by Marcia Meara and this was my review from October 2020 for book three – Harbinger
About the book
Continuing in the tradition of Wake-Robin Ridge and A Boy Named Rabbit, Marcia Meara’s North Carolina mountain series takes a shivery turn with the Appalachian Legend of Ol’ Shuck, the Harbinger of Death.
“. . . he felt the wet slide of the dog’s burning hot tongue on his face, and the scrape of its razor sharp teeth against the top of his head. A white-hot agony of crushing pain followed, as the jaws began to close.”
The wine-red trillium that carpets the forests of the North Carolina Mountains is considered a welcome harbinger of spring—but not all such omens are happy ones. An Appalachian legend claims the Black Dog, or Ol’ Shuck, as he’s often called, is a harbinger of death. If you see him, you or someone you know is going to die.
But what happens when Ol’ Shuck starts coming for you in your dreams? Nightmares of epic proportions haunt the deacon of the Light of Grace Baptist Church, and bring terror into the lives of everyone around him. Even MacKenzie Cole and his adopted son, Rabbit, find themselves pulled into danger.
When Sheriff Raleigh Wardell asks Mac and Rabbit to help him solve a twenty-year-old cold case, Rabbit’s visions of a little girl lost set them on a path that soon collides with that of a desperate man being slowly driven mad by guilt.
As Rabbit’s gift of the Sight grows ever more powerful, his commitment to those who seek justice grows as well, even when their pleas come from beyond the grave.
My 5 star review for the book October 20th 2020
Another lovely chapter in the life of Rabbit as he adapts to life as the adopted son of Mac and Sarah and brother to baby Branna. This magical little boy is an old soul with a special gift that sometimes shakes him to the core. He feels and sees people and events that others cannot even conceive of, and it is a heavy burden at times. But Rabbit feels obligated to do what he can to help other people.
In this new case that the local sheriff has had on his desk for twenty years, Rabbit and Mac partner up to make the best use of modern technology and the boy’s unique gift. The mystery that surrounds the disappearance of a young girl twenty years before haunts both the sheriff and her family, and they are all looking for closure.
There is also a dark soul who is haunted by the mythical Ol’ Shuck, a large black dog that prowls the outer edges of sanity looking for an opportunity to pounce. Secrets are about to be exposed and lives torn apart by the actions of the past and Rabbit and Mac are caught right in the middle of the events.
Beautifully written as always; the author draws us in and reinforces the connection readers have made to Rabbit and his family in the previous two books. New characters expand the circle of family and friends, and others involved in the life and death struggle in this particular book, are interesting and stand both sides of good and evil.
I suggest you read books one and two of the series and I can recommend the series to readers who enjoy paranormal, supernatural mysteries and thrillers.
Read the other reviews and buy the book: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK
A selection of books by Marcia Meara
Marcia Meara, Buy: Amazon US – And : Amazon UK – Marcia Meara on: Goodreads – Blog:Marcia Meara Writes – Twitter: @MarciaMeara
Marcia Meara lives in central Florida, just north of Orlando, with her husband of over thirty years, four big cats, and one small dachshund.
When not writing or blogging, she spends her time gardening, and enjoying the surprising amount of wildlife that manages to make a home in her suburban yard. She enjoys nature. Really, really enjoys it. All of it! Well, almost all of it, anyway. From birds, to furry critters, to her very favorites, snakes. The exception would be spiders, which she truly loathes, convinced that anything with eight hairy legs is surely up to no good. She does not, however, kill spiders anymore, since she knows they have their place in the world. Besides, her husband now handles her Arachnid Catch and Release Program, and she’s good with that.
Spiders aside, the one thing Marcia would like to tell each of her readers is that it’s never too late to make your dreams come true. If, at the age of 69, she could write and publish a book (and thus fulfill 64 years of longing to do that very thing), you can make your own dreams a reality, too. Go for it! What have you got to lose?
Thanks for dropping by today and I hope you have enjoyed my review and will check out this book and the others by Marcia Meara. Thanks Sally
You can find all my other reviews for books I have enjoyed: Smorgasbord Book Reviews
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Ok’ Shuck sounds pretty terrifying! Add a good dose of the paranormal, and Wow! Marcia, this sounds like a series worth investigating. Thanks for the post, Sally.
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Glad it sounds interesting to you, Maura. It started out as a Bucket List thing with my first book, but then along came Rabbit, and next thing I knew, I had four books out in the series. Now I also have a Florida series with nothing paranormal at all going on, because the good people of Riverbend are weird enough all by themselves! 😀 If you get a chance to check out either series, I’ll be interested in your thoughts.
Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
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Such a great review, Sally, and Marcia’s book sounds so deeply enthralling. Toni x
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Thanks Toni.. the whole series was a delight and so pleased that there will be some spin offs to look forward to.. hugsx
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Definitely planning spinoffs, Sally. And as you obviously know by now, I’m a wordy person. The planned novellas could morph into full-length books in the blink of an eye. 😀 Either way, if the bridge don’t go, an’ the creek don’t rise, Rabbit will be back with a few more adventures. 😀
Thanks so much for your kind words and support! 🤗<3
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I am counting on catching up with Rabbit again Marcia.. something to look forward to…hugsxx♥
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Thanks, Toni. I’d like to think most readers enjoy this series, especially after Rabbit joins the cast and crew. 🙂 Hope you get a chance to check it out someday. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
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Good one, Sally. Congratulations to Marcia.
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Thanks John..hugsx
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Thanks, John. It was a wonderful review and I was so happy to see Sally sharing it today. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
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😊
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Thank you for the very impressive review, Sally! Marcia did a really good job with this series. Its bringing me forward also in learning vocables. :-)) Michael
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A wonderful series and Marcia writes beautifully and glad you are enjoying..hugs
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Indeed, Sally! Thank you for remembering. My language skills are growing, from book to book. Thats great! xx hugs
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Lovely to know, Michael, and yes, the mountain folks have a language all their own, sometimes. I’m glad you are enjoying the books! 🙂
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Thanky you for writing them, Marcia! My language skills are hopefully increasing, so i will be able to read (and understand) English much faster. xx Have a nice weekend! Michael
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And to you, as well! 🙂
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Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful review of Harbinger, Sally! I was so pleased to see it come through in my email that I HAD to stop by to thank you, blog break or no blog break! It’s a treat to know you enjoy this series so much, and that you hold Rabbit near and dear to your heart. He’s pretty special to me, too. In fact, I’m looking forward to doing a series of spinoff novellas (I think) when I finish Riverbend #4. I’d like to focus on Rabbit, Mac, and a new character introduced in The Light, and hope the idea goes over well when I actually get it underway.
In the meantime, thanks so much for sharing today, and I hope some of your many followers will check out the books for themselves. And if they do, I also hope they’ll enjoy them! 😀
In the meantime, keep on Rockin’!!! 🤗 ❤
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My pleasure Marcia and glad to showcase Rabbit anytime.. enjoy your blog break and the weekend..hugsx♥
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Wonderful review, Sally. Rabbit is one of my favourite characters, ever! xx
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Thanks Alex and me too..hugsx
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Aw, thanks, Trish! So happy you feel that way about this little boy. He’s been the most fun to write of all my characters, and I love hearing good things about him. 🙂 ❤
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“Beautifully written as always.” That says it all, Sally, besides the advice about reading the whole series. Congrats to Marcia! A great share.
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Thanks Diana.. I am working my way through the various series.. addictive..hugsx
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You are always so kind, Diana! And I’m delighted that you’ve enjoyed the series! Thank you for taking the time to say so! 🙂 ❤
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What a wonderful review, Sally. This series is coming up soon on my TBR list! Thank you for sharing!
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Thanks Jan and I am sure you will enjoy…hugs
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Can’t wait to hear what you think, Jan, when you get a chance to check out what’s happening on the Ridge. 😀 Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
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I just finished this one a couple months ago – you know I’m a Rabbit fan. Hoping to start the next one soon. Awesome review for a wonderful series – thanks for re-sharing it, Sally!
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Thanks very much Teri.. and Rabbit has a legion of fans.. lovely little boy and I agree with you about the series..hugs
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Thank you so much, Teri! I’m so glad you’re a Rabbit fan, and I hope you’ll enjoy The Light when you have a chance to read it. 🙂 ❤
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