Shaker Run [Mass Market Paperback]

Karen Harper (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2001

Kate Marburn thought her recovery from her former husband's betrayel was a new beginning. A quiet and controlled life as the gose gardener on the estate of Sarah Denbigh, a wealthy widow, seemed the perfect escape.

But when Sarah dies under mysterious circumstances, leaving Kate the unexpected heir to Sarah's vast fortune in Shaker furniture, the police suspect Kate might have had something to do with Sarah's death. Looking for a refuge again, Kate accepts a job as gardener at Shaker Run, a historic and once celibate Shaker village.

But something strange and deadly dangerous is going on beneath the flawless surface of the idyllic town. Kate's hoping Jake Kilcourse, the mysterious and rugged furniture builder who also lives at Shaker Run, can help her figure out what -- but is he only using her to pursue his own agenda?

Kate's dream job just might become her worst nightmare . . .

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 408 pages
• Publisher: Mira (May 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1551668165
• ISBN-13: 978-1551668161
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #269,522 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating background! -- Highly recommended, May 18, 2001

By 

C. Penn "WordWeaving" (Greenville, SC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shaker Run (Mass Market Paperback)

Kate Marburn learned to protect herself carefully after the horrible disgrace that her ex-husband left behind. While he absconded with millions, Kate was left to face charges of fraud in court, plunging from Toledo's elite society to scandal. Her ex-husband also left behind a suicide note but no body, and a daughter whom Kate loves as if the teenager were her own. Making a new start as the rose gardener on the estate of Sarah Denbigh, a wealthy widow, Kate enjoys her new quite life.

Unfortunately, Kate again plunges into the murky world of lawsuits and fear when Sara dies under mysterious circumstances. Subsequently, Shaker Run, a village originally owned by the Shakers and now restored offers Kate a position as their rosarian. There she meets Jack Kilcourse, an expert on Shaker furniture and a gifted furniture builder. Jack's kisses are as dark as they are delicious. Despite not revealing anything about his past or hidden pain, Jack proves entirely too alluring. Little do Kate or Jack suspect the dangerous criminal element that will threaten both of their lives.

SHAKER RUN provides an intriguing look into America past, and while the creative license lends its own shading to the facts, the sparkling originality of the background proves tempting and fascinating. Shakers, as the author clearly states in her note, did not use hallucinogenic drugs, but the shading of history provides a remarkable background for fraud and murder. SHAKER RUN has a couple of distracting weaknesses. Despite defrauding his clients for millions, we never clearly learn what the antihero did with his money, or why he wants Kate's money. In addition, the daughter truly got on my nerves and I wanted to throttle her selfish ways. Nevertheless, SHAKER RUN is enormously entertaining and engaging. Highly recommended.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An enternaing reading experience, April 29, 2001

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shaker Run (Mass Market Paperback)

Two years ago Katherine and Mike Marburn were new kids swimming in the elite social pool of Toledo. That crumbled when the SEC decided Mike committed fraud. He swindled clients out of millions, vanished, leaving behind a suicide note, but no corpse. The furor reigned on Katherine who also was left with Mike's daughter from a previous marriage.

Kate takes a job as companion to the elderly Sarah Denbigh. However when Sarah mysteriously dies, the police feel Kate killed her because the senior citizen changed her will and left everything to Kate rather than her two own children. In the midst of her second public furor, Kate accepts a job at historical Shaker Run where she meets Jack Kilcourse. She quickly realizes that something is not right with her co-workers and soon turns to Jake, a person she is beginning to fall in love with, for help.

SHAKER RUN provides an engaging look at an interesting segment of American History. The story line is loaded with action, but a meander or two too many makes it difficult at times to follow. The lead characters are warm and will hook the reader early on, but Sarah's children especially her daughter is just too obnoxious to be real. Still, fans will enjoy Karen Harper's romantic suspense because Kate and Jack make wonderful romantic guides escorting the audience into a piece of Americana.

Harriet Klausner

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Why ruin a good story with shoddy writing?, September 28, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Shaker Run (Mass Market Paperback)

I was fascinated by the details of Shaker life--the customs, the lifestyle, the furniture. What spoiled it all was the unrealistic dialog of the characters. Their words were not realistic speech; the dialog was there to convey meaning, but one would never hear people speak in such a way. There was no discernible difference between the characters' speech. So often after a good author has a book sell well, she/he rushes to get the next one on the market without tending to the details that made the first one good. I fear this is what happened here. Too bad. I feel cheated, and probably won't buy anything by this author again.