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Marcia Meara

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Swamp Ghosts: Riverbend Book 1 Kindle Edition

by Marcia Meara (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.5 198 ratings

Book 1 of 3: Riverbend

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Marcia Meara, author of the popular Wake-Robin Ridge books, sets her second series in the sleepy little town of Riverbend, Florida, where the hungry creatures swimming in the dark waters of the St. Johns River aren’t nearly as dangerous as those walking along the quiet neighborhood streets.

Wildlife photographer Gunnar Wolfe looked like the kind of guy every man wanted to be and every woman just plain wanted, and the St. Johns River of central Florida drew him like a magnet. EcoTour boat owner Maggie Devlin knew all the river's secrets, including the deadliest ones found in the swamps. But neither Maggie nor Gunn was prepared for the danger that would come after them on two legs.

On a quest to make history photographing the rarest birds of them all, Gunnar hires the fiery, no-nonsense Maggie to canoe him into the most remote wetland areas in the state. He was unprepared for how much he would enjoy both the trips and Maggie’s company. He soon realizes he wants more than she’s able to give, but before he can win her over, they make a grisly discovery that changes everything, and turns the quiet little town of Riverbend upside down. A serial killer is on the prowl among them.

Book 1 of 3

Riverbend
Print length

422 pages
Language

English
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On Kindle Scribe
Publication date

April 28, 2014
File size

2211 KB
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Swamp Ghosts is an intriguing mystery filled with monsters, both on two legs, and four--or none at all." - 5 Star Review

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00K0QXLCS
Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 28, 2014
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 2211 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 422 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #1,815,385 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #27,534 in Contemporary Women's Fiction
- #33,849 in Women's Romance Fiction
- #53,346 in Romantic Suspense (Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews:
4.5 198 ratings

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Marcia Meara

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Marcia Meara lives in central Florida, just north of Orlando, with her husband of over thirty years and four big cats.

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?

CONTACT MARCIA HERE:

The Write Stuff: http://marciamearawrites.com/

Twitter: @marciameara

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/marciameara/

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF MARCIA'S BOOKS:

Wake-Robin Ridge

A Boy Named Rabbit: Wake-Robin Ridge Book 2

Harbinger: Wake-Robin Ridge Book 3

The Light: Wake-Robin Ridge Book 4

Swamp Ghosts: A Riverbend Novel

Finding Hunter: Riverbend Book 2

That Darkest Place: Riverbend Book 3

The Emissary: A Riverbend Spinoff Novella

The Emissary 2: To Love Somebody

The Emissary 3: Love Hurts

The Emissary Trilogy: A Riverbend Spinoff Collection

Summer Magic: Poems of Life & Love

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4.5 out of 5

198 global ratings

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D. W. Peach

Romance with a dose of thrills!

Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2018

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Swamp Ghosts takes place in Riverbend, Florida where alligators and snakes are a regular part of Maggie Devlin’s life. She’s a single woman who runs boat tours through the river channels for tourists, and lately, paying her bills has been a challenge.

Gunnar Wolfe is a photographer who needs someone to accompany him into the backcountry, and he can pay for the service. It’s a match made in heaven except the two start off on a very bad foot! And just when everything looks like it’s going to work out fine, they discover human bones while out on an excursion. Lots of bones.

The story is primarily a romance, but parallel to the romantic elements of the plot is another more sinister story of a serial killer who eventually sets his sights on Maggie and Gunn. Things ramp up and get pretty intense when this plotline reaches a fevered pitch. And there are some fun red herrings before the big reveal.

The plot holds together well, and the action feels authentic as did the relationships among the characters. There are some intriguing personalities, and they’re fleshed out with full personalities and complex emotions. The serial killer’s transformation was a bit dramatic, but it caught the characters off guard as much as it did me.

Meara clearly knows the landscape, so the swamps are well-described and easy to picture. The book is expertly edited and a reading delight. Readers of romance will enjoy the relationship between Maggie and Gunn, as well as the thrills that rev up the plot and put their lives on the line.

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LA Kristy

Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2014

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Well written and edited with just a few issues, mostly missing words. This is a stand-alone book with no cliffhanger, although the stage is set for a follow-up about two supporting characters.

This book features a strong-willed, smart, self-sufficient woman who owns her own business, lives alone and is satisfied with her friends and pet. I appreciated the tone of the story right from the beginning, because most divorced women from bad marriages aren't running right out in their sexiest clothes to snag a man. They spend a lot of time rebuilding their lives and their personal energy -- which is just what this character does.

I also appreciated the lead male character who has never found a reason to settle down because he's everyone's friend and having a good time just hanging out. Until that changes. His friends start settling down, he meets an interesting woman who's unique and not trying to be his friend at all.

Although this is a mystery/suspense story, at the core, this story is a really lovely romance about two admirable and likeable people. As a bonus, they are surrounded by interesting people and they have interesting jobs. Throw in the Florida wildlife, serial killer, and an albino who collects albinos, and I was hooked.

The suspense is very well done and builds in a slow, creepy way. The romance is sweet -- there are a couple of scenes with heat, but they're brief and not very spicy.

I really enjoyed this story and am looking forward to a follow-up story about the best friends. I highly recommend this to fans of Romantic Suspense and/or Florida.

One person found this helpful

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D.L. Finn

I look forward to reading the rest of the series!

Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2021

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I’ve read the Wake-Robin and Emissary Series by Ms. Meara, so I was eager to jump into this story. This was a romantic thriller with some added mystery that I couldn’t put down. I loved the developing relationship between Maggie and Gunn. Their exploring Florida’s wilderness in search of a believed extinct bird was one of my favorite parts. Showing Maggie opening up was handled well and believable, even at the fast pace, it happened. A serial killer is thrown in along with a misunderstood man. I guessed who the killer was, but I still enjoyed the characters figuring it out. I loved the pets and their names in this story, including Gunn’s cat, Maggie’s bird, and Lester’s array of reptiles. It added that extra layer to the story. Maggie’s best friend is someone I’d like to know and have on my side. I enjoyed this and look forward to reading the rest of the series!

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Jjspina

A Suspenseful Mystery!

Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2019

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Book 1 of Swamp Ghosts is a intriguing mystery rote with monsters both on two legs and four or none at all. The story centers around the main protagonist, Maggie Devlin, owner of a tour boat who loves to be on the water and exploring. When she meets wildlife photographer, Gunnar Wolfe, a giant among men she is drawn to him in more ways than she wants to admit.

The story demonstrates the physical attraction between these two well-defined characters as the storyline begins to create suspense. A mystery evolves around a killer at large when the couple find some bones of more than one victim in the swamp.

The question is were these victims killed by an alligator or a human? The author keeps the reader guessing. All the pieces fit together eventually and leads to a shocking conclusion.

I enjoyed the characters in this book - flawed but strong, resilient, and fearless under dire circumstances. This was an intriguing beginning to this series and I look forward to the next book.

One person found this helpful

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Pat

It held my attention from the beginning to the end.

Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2022

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I really enjoyed this book. I can't wait to read the next two in this series. It was a romance, thriller and mystery all in one. Marcia Meara is my cousin. She is a very smart and talented person in so many ways. It doesn't surprise me that she has been so successful with her books.
"Cousin Marcia" I am so happy you are fulfilling your dream. This is the first book I have read of yours but it definitely won't be the last. Love you and miss you.♥️

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MacTrish

A perfect blend of setting, characters and plot resulting in a brilliant novel.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 13, 2018

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I came across the author Marcia Meara when I read her Wake-Robin Ridge books. I really enjoyed her first one and so I took a punt on the second in the series which introduces a boy called 'Rabbit' and, in my opinion, the second and third books managed to surpass the first one. I've subsequently discovered that there's more 'Rabbit' to come but in the meanwhile I thought I'd give the first of her Riverbend books a go.
Swamp Ghosts, despite the title, has nothing to do with ghostly hauntings. It's a romantic thriller and so the development of a tender love between feisty, suspicious Maddie and Gunnar (a wildlife photographer who needs her boating skills to navigate the wetlands) is set against the sadistic appetite of a serial killer in their midst.
As with her other books, Marcia Meara excels at painting the scenes so uniquely and vividly yet without spoiling the flow of the narrative. I live thousands of miles from Florida but I've been in those wetlands in my head now. The brooding menace is another of her strengths and some of this is real edge of the seat stuff!
I'm not going to say any more about the beautifully crafted plot because there's a stunning twist there I didn't see coming and I don't want to inadvertently give away any spoilers.
This book didn't disappoint and I'm now going to buy the next one in the Riverbend series. Keep 'em coming, Marcia!

Harmony Kent

A Great Read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 30, 2019

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4.5 Stars

I loved this book and read it in one sitting. The author obviously knows and loves Florida and its wildlife, and she portrays all of that wonderfully in Swamp Ghosts, the first book in the Riverbend series.

The main character is Maggie Devlin, who is one tough cookie. After a violent and abusive marraige, she vows off men, but then–8 years later–a ‘big, dumb Viking’ shows up, and everything’s up for grabs. All of the cast play a role and all are three-dimensional and well developed.

While I sussed out who the killer was fairly early on, it didn’t spoil the read for me. If anything, it enhanced it, as I could see how much danger the other characters were in around this monster in their midst.

The only thing that let this read down for me was the end. The main denouement came far too early, and I felt that the final chapters were drawn out, and I grew impatient with it. Even though the book is listed as Romance/Suspense, I felt that the gripping resolution could have been closer to the close of the tale. Hence the loss of the half a star. Otherwise, this book is a great read that I couldn’t put down.

The book is well formatted, and the narrative pretty clean of errors. All in all, I would highly recommend this author, and I look forward to reading the next two books in the Riverbend Series. So, a solid 4.5 stars from me.

***

NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.

5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.
4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.
3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.
2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.
1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.

Janet Gogerty

The human creatures are as scary as the crocodiles in this romantic thriller.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 31, 2017

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My first Riverbend novel after reading all three of the Wake-Robin Ridge books. I love the sense of place the author gives to her novels. I have never been to the USA, but I would like to go on one of Maggie Devlin's boat trips. Marcia Meara's research into wildlife pays off as we enter the home of crocodiles; their rightful home, but full of other wild life and for newborn crocodiles great danger lurks. On land with the humans there are some strange characters and some very creepy ones, but Marcia leads us up the creek as to who we can trust! This story is scarier than gruesome television murder mysteries and a terrible fate awaits the two lovers...

One person found this helpful

Callum M

Boldly original

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 26, 2014

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Swamp Ghosts gripped me from the opening scene and held me until the very end. The writing is fantastic; the story one that is both original and entertaining in equal measure.

The book's first major draw for me was Maggie, the charismatic and instantly likable protagonist who was very skilfully realised. The second highlight was the phenomenal attention to detail when it came to describing the wonderful, vibrant setting and all its natural inhabitants - Meara's love for nature and knowledge of the area shine in abundance from her words.

All in all, this is a book full of tension, intrigue, action and romance that I am glad I read, and an author whose other work I'm excited to explore.

Cathy

Great story

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 3, 2015

Verified Purchase

4.5 stars

Maggie Devlin, after a horrendous and violent marriage, has been happily single for the last eight years. She owns and skippers an eco tour boat, the Undine, taking tourists out on the St John’s River and into the Florida swamps, to check out the varied plant and animal life. Along with the boat, her father left her a battered old truck and his heavily mortgaged house. The business is virtually bankrupt and that’s why, when local photographer, Gunnar Wolfe, shows up at the quay one day wanting to hire Maggie as his guide, against her better judgement, she accepts.

Gunn’s passion is wildlife photography and his dream is to find and photograph the rarest of creatures. The ones people don’t generally see. The ones that might snag him the cover of National Geographic. To do that he knows a canoe would have to be the mode of travel, but he also knows he would never be able to navigate the tributaries and waterways off the river. He would need a guide. There was only one problem. Gunn had never been in a canoe before, being on the water is completely out of his comfort zone and a daunting prospect.

The prologue sets up the chilling and disturbing mystery/suspense aspect of the story, and I like how I was lead one way only to feel uncertain the more the story progressed. And yes, I was completely wrong. The narrative switches from Maggie’s first person point of view to other third person perspectives throughout, which is different but works well.

A great cast of characters which include Maggie and Gunn, easy to picture and like, as is Willow, Maggie’s best friend. Maggie, strong and independent, not needing or looking for romance. After the horror that was her marriage she is rebuilding her life and is content with her best friends and going home to Bogey, her Quaker parrot. Gunn, an easy-going, decent man who loves his work and hasn’t yet found the woman of his dreams. Lester, the strange loner with the hobby which is the stuff of nightmares – for me anyway. And Billy, the boyish charmer, first mate on the Undine.

The scenery is described in beautiful and vivid detail and really gives a feel for the area. Suspense and tension are built gradually after a grisly find by Maggie and Gunnar lead to more discoveries, and the realisation there is a serial killer on the loose in Riverbend. The romance didn’t overwhelm the story and there’s a great twist at the end.

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