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Zita Harrison
Author
Owl Manor - the Dawning
A tale of unspeakable murder, a doomed alliance, and retribution from the beyond Sometimes the tide sweeps us into a fog where dark forces are at work…suddenly good and evil become blurred. Powerless and defenseless, we swim toward it, and wonder if we’re going mad. Eva is born in the wrong era. In 1800s America, women are required to obey their husbands without question and to submit to their presumed superiority. But Eva wants more. Willful and ambitious, she considers herself equal to men. But the times are unrelenting, and it is her curse to remain unheard. Rafe is a misogynist. Born of a demented mother who shattered his childhood and family, he is forever tormented by a scathing mistrust of women. The tide brings them together at Owl Manor, a place shrouded in darkness, forsaken by the sun. A place where owls breathe in the very fabric of the walls, and shadows wander the passages. Where good and evil blur. Will Eva make the right choice? Owl Manor – the Dawning, the first in a trilogy of Gothic suspense novels, is inspired by authors such as Daphne du Maurier (Jamaica Inn), Carlos Ruiz Zafon (Shadow of the Wind), Shirley Jackson (The Haunting of Hill House).
Reviews
Amazon Review

5.0 out of 5 stars Riveting story

I love gothic horror novels so Owl Manor by Zita Harrison was a must-read for me.

The story is set in the 1850s and 60s when options for women were few, get married, raise children, keep house. That’s about it. Eva wants more, she is more than disappointed with how her life turned out to be. She is married with a child. And to top that her husband moves the family to a different city. After a misfortune with her husband, Eva has to agree to work at Owl Manor. As she starts working there she starts to have visions about a woman and see owls. The descriptions about those instances are very vivid and creepy. So is the whole setting. I loved every word of them.

The owls have a very significant meaning, their stone counterparts adorn Owl Manor’s every surface. Owl Manor is owned by Rafe Bradstone, a very rich mine owner. He has some very serious mother issues. I can’t say I liked him that much but he is an interesting character and I wanted to find out everything about him. In a way his character is the best in the book, the most developed.

At the same there is a serial killer on the prowl, killing ladies of the night in horrible ways. The whole town of Denver lives in fear of their lives.

Excellent storytelling. I had to keep reading even if it meant that I stay up way past my bedtime.

Amazon Review

5.0 out of 5 stars Poe and gothic fans will love this!

There has possibly never been another book like this one. The author crafts a story in duality with the strident suffragist Eva - who seems to be at least sixty years ahead of her time, and with Rafe - the deranged yet calm when not fulminating murderer of 'sinful' women. The book carries you through two tales that only begin to intersect halfway along. The relationship between Eva and Rafe is one of the most complex ever created by an author. You have a woman who has spent her life fighting for the right to be considered an equal and a man who has spent his life thinking all women are scheming and evil.

The twist is when Eva, knowing only that there is something seriously wrong with Rafe, but finds comfort in his accepting her forthright opinions. Rafe detests all women but comes to find Eva has a way about her that doesn't remind him of any other woman he has met and that enthralls him.

One might think the central point of this book is a philosophical analysis of women's rights in mid 19th century America. The premise seems to be a woman who demands an equal place and voice in society is so alien to society that only a mentally deranged murderer sees value in her.

This book seeps into your soul. I found myself dreaming about this book as I read it. The reader will also find that this story is all-encompassing that the length of time spent reading will seem like an endless journey.

There is so much in this book that it has the capability of appealing to almost everyone. I recommend it to any fans of gothic horror like Poe wrote and anyone who enjoys deep character exploration rarely seen in 21st-century fiction.

Amazon review

5.0 out of 5 stars Gothic Romantic Suspense In A Whole New Light

First in a historical Gothic romance series, OWL MANOR THE DAWNING also contains some strong doses of feminism, depth psychology, and unexpected characters, situations, events. I grew up devouring Gothic suspense--yes, a genre to itself--not only the mainstream writers, such as Dorothy Eden, Phyllis A. Whitney, Victoria Holt, and the Queen, Daphne du Maurier, as well as the paperback Gothic romantic suspense of the 1960's and 1970's. So when I encountered OWL MANOR THE DAWNING, I felt at home, but also thought "Gothic was never like this,, in that Zita Harrison digs deeper and ranges farther. I think she may write with the spirit of Shirley Jackson peering over her shoulder.

Amazon review

5.0 out of 5 stars Wish I could give this book 10 stars...

WOW a page turner that is well written and just wow. The characters are believable and I found myself caring for them. I felt I had been transported back in time. Owl Manor is a must read! I cannot wait for book 2 but no worries book 1 can be read as a stand alone. Wish I could give it 10 stars.

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