Harbinger (Wake-Robin Ridge #3) by Marcia Meara #bookreview #supernatural #suspense #TuesdayBookBlog

On By Teri PolenIn Book Reviews

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.

I’ve said it before, but I’d love to join this family. Although fictional, I guarantee they feel very real when you’re immersed in these books.

Rabbit captured my heart in the second book, and I adore him even more now. His interactions with his little sister are so sweet, and he’s a perfect big brother. One of my favorite parts of the story is when Rabbit is struck nearly speechless when meeting the sister of his best friend – and then tells his mother what he saw in his future. These lighthearted times are a balance to the bleaker parts of the story as Rabbit takes a lot on his young shoulders while using his gift to find the body of a girl murdered several years before. Although not even a teenager, he’s an old soul wise beyond his years and is very insightful when it comes to people and their actions. His adoptive parents, Mac and Sarah, are protective of him, but also understand how his gift can help people and are there with him every step of the way.

It’s no secret who the villain is. Cadey Hagan believes he’s remade himself (he’s still deplorable), and no one will ever discover what he did all those years ago. The author did an amazing job crafting his gradual mental deterioration, and by the end the reader may wonder if Ol’ Shuck is actually mythical.

I can’t recommend this supernatural suspense series enough. I’m excited to read the next book so I can spend more time with these lovely characters (my fictional family).

57 thoughts on “Harbinger (Wake-Robin Ridge #3) by Marcia Meara #bookreview #supernatural #suspense #TuesdayBookBlog”

    1. Aw, thanks, Staci! Rabbit does have a way of worming into some people’s hearts, doesn’t he? 😀 (Yay, Rabbit!) And thanks so much for taking a moment to let folks know your thoughts on Harbinger. So appreciated! 🙂

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    1. Thank you so much, Gwen. This review has just made my morning! And your kind words have added some extra steps to the happy dance I’m doing right now! 😀 I really appreciate them! 🙂 ❤

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    1. So glad you feel that way, Mae! With all the books we’ve discussed over the years, you have to know how much I respect your opinions on writing and story lines. SO happy you love this series and especially Rabbit. He makes you look at things from a very different perspective, doesn’t he? At least, that’s true for me.)

      Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts today! 🙂

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    1. I hope you’ll enjoy meeting Rabbit and his adopted family one of these days, Tessa. He’s a pure joy to write, and you never, ever know what he’s going to say. (Even I don’t. I just write down what he tells me. 😀 )

      Thanks so much for stopping by and taking a moment to comment. 🙂

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    1. I agree about this review, Mischenko. It sure made a gloomy, rainy morning brighter for me! Thanks so much for taking a moment to comment, and I hope you get a chance to check out the series one of these days and meet Rabbit for yourself. 🙂

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  6. Oh, wow! What a great review, Teri, and even better than receiving it is knowing that you love Rabbit and family so much! I can’t tell you how wonderful it is to know there are readers who care about this little boy (and his remarkable gift) as much as I do.

    Thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing your thoughts on the series in general, and on Harbinger, specifically. (It was so much FUN to write about the legend of the Black Dog!)

    I hope you’ll enjoy Rabbit’s next adventure in The Light just as much! Thanks again! 🙂 ❤

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    1. Thanks, Harmony. It’s a lovely review, and certainly brightened my day! I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the series, but especially on Rabbit, when you have a chance to read the books. Thanks so much for stopping by today and taking a moment to comment! 🙂 ❤

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    1. Thank you, Jill! I’m still doing the happy dance. It’s wonderful to hear such beautiful words about a character that’s so near and dear to my own heart. Thanks for stopping by today, too! 🙂

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  10. This series is waiting for me on my Kindle and I intend to devour it from Book one through to the end. Your review matches everything else I’ve read about this book, Teri. I’m anxious to dive into this one. Thank you for sharing and congrats to Marcia!

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    1. Oooooh, I can’t wait to find out what you think, Jan. I do hope you’ll enjoy the series, and will find Rabbit to be a lot of fun. (Except for when he’s breaking your heart, of course. 😀 ) Thanks so much for stopping by and taking the time to comment. And for the congratulations, too! 🙂 ❤

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    1. I’m sorry to hear the cover strikes you as plain, Books, but it actually captures the mood of the Black Dog lurking in the woods perfectly to me, and I get a lot of compliments on it. Still, different strokes and all that. The important thing is how the story itself will strike you, and I hope if you get a chance to read Rabbit’s books, you’ll find you enjoy them all. I’d be interested in hearing your thoughts. Thanks so much for stopping by and taking a moment to comment. It’s greatly appreciated. 🙂

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    1. And that’s a day I’m really looking forward to, Robbie. 😀 Hope you won’t be disappointed when you finally get to meets this little boy with his amazing gift. I’ll be really interested in hearing your thoughts, for sure! Thanks for stopping by today, and taking a moment to comment. 🙂

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  13. Pingback: #ReblogAlert – Author Teri Polen’s Review of Harbinger: Wake-Robin Ridge Book 3 | The Write Stuff

  16. alexcraigie

    I’m another member of the Rabbit Appreciation Society. He stole my heart from his first appearance and that love has grown with each book. Really, really recommended!

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    1. SO nice of you to say that, Trish! Thank you from the bottom of my heart. (Rabbit says he reckons he’s pretty lucky to have such a friends as have shown up ’round here, sayin’ some of the nicest things he’s ever heard in all his whole life!) 🙂 ❤

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      2. Pretty sure I’m going to do a few spinoff novellas, at least, Teri. Though as wordy as I am, they may turn into full length books, in spite of me. 🙂 But by the time I finished The Light, I had a lot of ideas on how I wanted to go forward, and I suspect I’ll be giving Rabbit and crew a few more adventures. 🙂 So pleased you are looking forward to more! 🙂

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    2. Sorry I missed this, Diana, but believe me, I appreciate your kind words. I’m so happy to know you feel that way about Rabbit and his family. And thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts, too! 🙂

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