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The Lebo Coven
When Matt tried to kill Barry with his car, the two brothers went their separate ways. Barry moved to Atlanta and Matt stayed in the family home in Aiken Mill, Virginia. One day Barry is notified that Matt disappeared. Since he lost his job and his girl, he returns home and is shocked by the damage someone did to his house. Even more perplexing is the word Lebo painted in Matt's room in cow's blood.
The first night he is in the house strange things happen like a glass moving of its own volition; Barry hears strange inhuman noises and the word Lebo starts to glow. Jennifer Brand joins Barry in seeking answers. Since she is a gray mage, she senses the dark forces gathering around Barry and his house. They learn that Matt rented a room to Ren, a practitioner of the dark arts, who intends to invoke a spell that will require a blood sacrifice, preferably Matt's but Barry will do in a pinch. The two Riggs brothers and Jennifer try to stop him.
The first night he is in the house strange things happen like a glass moving of its own volition; Barry hears strange inhuman noises and the word Lebo starts to glow. Jennifer Brand joins Barry in seeking answers. Since she is a gray mage, she senses the dark forces gathering around Barry and his house. They learn that Matt rented a room to Ren, a practitioner of the dark arts, who intends to invoke a spell that will require a blood sacrifice, preferably Matt's but Barry will do in a pinch. The two Riggs brothers and Jennifer try to stop him.
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First published January 1, 2004
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About the author
Stephen Mark Rainey
82 books103 followersStephen Mark Rainey is the author of numerous novels, including BALAK, THE LEBO COVEN, DARK SHADOWS: DREAMS OF THE DARK (with Elizabeth Massie), BLUE DEVIL ISLAND, THE HOUSE AT BLACK TOOTH POND, and others, including several in Elizabeth Massie's Ameri-Scares Series for Young Readers. In addition, Mark's work includes six short story collections; over 200 published works of short fiction; and the scripts for several DARK SHADOWS audio productions, which feature members of the original ABC-TV series cast. For ten years, he edited the multi-award-winning DEATHREALM magazine and, most recently, the best-selling anthology, DEATHREALM: SPIRITS (Shortwave Publishing). He has also edited anthologies for Delirium Press, Chaosium, and Arkham House. Mark lives in Martinsville, VA, with his wife, Kimberly, and a passel of precocious house cats. He is a regular panelist on the weekly Lovecraft eZine Podcast and an active member of the Horror Writers Association.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 27, 2024
I'm a sucker for Rainey's blend of weird, occult horror and small-town southern charm (and lack thereof). This story takes place in fictional Aiken Mill, also the setting of the short stories in Rainey's collection The Last Trumpet. The Lebo Coven is essentially a story of coming home to face old demons. Although the demons in the story are much more than metaphors, the author wisely keeps them in the shadows. As a result, this book reminded me a lot of the film Night/Curse of the Demon, one of the great metaphysical horror films of all time. A compelling read.
October 2, 2024
Stephen Mark Rainey hits it out of the park again with The Lebo Coven. When you have creepy goings-on in a small town, warring witch contingents, and a black-hearted villain who makes Hitler look like Mary Poppins, how can you go wrong? And all this without a whole lot of blood and guts and veins in the teeth.
The Lebo Coven opens with Barry Riggs’s arrival at a place he swore he’d never go back to.
Home.
Aiken Mill, Virginia.
And his brother, Matt, is the entire reason for that.
After his parents died and his brother inherited the house, there was never a reason to return. But, since his place of employment had just folded, he was at loose ends, and blood, as they say, is thicker. So, when Barry receives word that Matt is missing, he reluctantly returns. Reluctantly, because the two have never gotten along…in fact, they despise each other.
What he finds is a completely trashed house with words painted on a wall in what looked like blood, and worst of all, no Matt to help him clean it up. At least, that is how he initially regarded his current situation.
The townspeople want to know what happened, but they all seem kind of, well, off to Barry—from Matt’s underage girlfriend to the town sheriff. Jennifer Brand, a girl who was born with spina bifida, and who somehow has overcome it and is gorgeous, joins forces with Barry to get to the bottom of things in Aiken Mill.
But it’s about so much more than just his brother.
Initially, Barry was extremely shallow and it’s the first time I’ve actively disliked a protagonist, but the author made it easy. Jennifer shows up, and he remembers—and she does too– how horrible he was to her when they were young, when she was severely handicapped—splitting on her, treating her like dirt—and enjoying it. But now, she’s beautiful, and at last, good enough for him. Hurrah. His apology to her was as shallow as he was, since it was given with an accompanying erection. As it turned out, growth or no growth, he wasn’t fit to shine her shoes. Barry’s only saving grace was that his character grew a bit and finally morphed into an adult. He became more open-minded about Jennifer’s abilities, the reality of what was happening in the town, and about his brother.
Jennifer was my favorite character. She was a complete human being overflowing with compassion, and intelligence—not to mention her white witch abilities, which came in handy. Beyond Jennifer, the characters in the book were not the most likable, but this is set in a small town in East Nowhere, filled with small-minded people and a river of evil undercurrent to keep them company. What can you expect? It was realistic.
Move over Mr. Lovecraft—Stephen Mark Rainey is in town!
The Lebo Coven opens with Barry Riggs’s arrival at a place he swore he’d never go back to.
Home.
Aiken Mill, Virginia.
And his brother, Matt, is the entire reason for that.
After his parents died and his brother inherited the house, there was never a reason to return. But, since his place of employment had just folded, he was at loose ends, and blood, as they say, is thicker. So, when Barry receives word that Matt is missing, he reluctantly returns. Reluctantly, because the two have never gotten along…in fact, they despise each other.
What he finds is a completely trashed house with words painted on a wall in what looked like blood, and worst of all, no Matt to help him clean it up. At least, that is how he initially regarded his current situation.
The townspeople want to know what happened, but they all seem kind of, well, off to Barry—from Matt’s underage girlfriend to the town sheriff. Jennifer Brand, a girl who was born with spina bifida, and who somehow has overcome it and is gorgeous, joins forces with Barry to get to the bottom of things in Aiken Mill.
But it’s about so much more than just his brother.
Initially, Barry was extremely shallow and it’s the first time I’ve actively disliked a protagonist, but the author made it easy. Jennifer shows up, and he remembers—and she does too– how horrible he was to her when they were young, when she was severely handicapped—splitting on her, treating her like dirt—and enjoying it. But now, she’s beautiful, and at last, good enough for him. Hurrah. His apology to her was as shallow as he was, since it was given with an accompanying erection. As it turned out, growth or no growth, he wasn’t fit to shine her shoes. Barry’s only saving grace was that his character grew a bit and finally morphed into an adult. He became more open-minded about Jennifer’s abilities, the reality of what was happening in the town, and about his brother.
Jennifer was my favorite character. She was a complete human being overflowing with compassion, and intelligence—not to mention her white witch abilities, which came in handy. Beyond Jennifer, the characters in the book were not the most likable, but this is set in a small town in East Nowhere, filled with small-minded people and a river of evil undercurrent to keep them company. What can you expect? It was realistic.
Move over Mr. Lovecraft—Stephen Mark Rainey is in town!
July 12, 2015
** I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review **
Barry comes home after being informed his brother Matt is missing to find a thrashed house, and a whole heap of spooky stuff going on! He meets up with Jennifer an old high school acquaintance whom he had treated very poorly, due to a disability...well they form a bond, and he learns Jennifer can feel energies and is a practitioner of magic..well there is a bad spirit in Barry's childhood home...Matt is no where to be found and Jennifer is all Barry has to help him and possibly save his life! Slow starter, but a spooky good story, with good narration, and well worth a listen! I recommend!
Thank You Audiobookblast(dot)com
Barry comes home after being informed his brother Matt is missing to find a thrashed house, and a whole heap of spooky stuff going on! He meets up with Jennifer an old high school acquaintance whom he had treated very poorly, due to a disability...well they form a bond, and he learns Jennifer can feel energies and is a practitioner of magic..well there is a bad spirit in Barry's childhood home...Matt is no where to be found and Jennifer is all Barry has to help him and possibly save his life! Slow starter, but a spooky good story, with good narration, and well worth a listen! I recommend!
Thank You Audiobookblast(dot)com
December 28, 2015
Chris Andrew Ciulla narrates this book with great feeling.Barry returns 'home 'after a call saying that his brother is missing.Years earlier the brothers parted company after Matt tried to run over Barry with his car.When the parents died Matt got the house.Barry is astonished at the destruction that happened to the house when he arrives.Every room has been ransacked and on a bedroom wall is a name,LEBO, written in cows blood.Barry starts seeing and hearing things and invites an old school mate in to see what she...and her weird witchy ways,can make of the situation.There are twists and turns and quite an ending,that I won't give away.
"This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of Audiobook Blast."
"This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of Audiobook Blast."
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews