True Colors: The Blue Cloak (Paperback)

This isn't the first book that I've read by this author but it is certainly one that I will long remember! The Blue Cloak is historical fiction and some may consider it hard to read but in the end, it is a story that proves God's providence in our lives. McNear has based her book on true facts that occurred in Tennessee and Kentucky during a two year span that began in 1797. Two men known as Big and Little Harpe began a reign of murder and terror and took with them three women who were victims themselves. These women were accused of these heinous crimes but were ultimately acquitted of any wrongdoing. Their punishment had certainly been in the treatment that they themselves endured. This was a time when frontier settlements were miles apart and it took months to receive news and McNear clearly shows the fear and uncertainty along the Wilderness Road. The Harpes have been called some of America's first serial killers and she explains in her author's notes how she struggled with presenting these true facts in her fictional story. She admits that she considered giving the project up because of the truly evil deeds of these two men but she decided to show that "God is truly stronger than evil". As I read McNear's account, I found myself wanting to stop but unable to do so. Yes, there is violence but the author avoids offending readers and through it all, she is quick to remind us that there were Godly people praying for guidance and for God's protection as they feverishly worked to stop this evil. I also appreciated that she shows forgiveness as a central theme through it all. The Blue Cloak is the latest book in The True Colors Crime series from Barbour Publishing and I am giving it 5 stars. It is beautifully written and McNear's attention to historical detail and her efforts to share God's presence in her story makes it a wonderful historical Christian novel. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

The Blue Cloak continues the True Colors series, this time in the early days of Western Expansion in Kentucky and Tennessee. This book begins with the author's cautionary words, because the tale is one of unthinkable brutality. As gruesome as the Harpe's killing spree was, the author does spare the reader from any gory details, but not from the impact of the Harpe's actions. They spread fear, horror, and misery wherever they went. That niggling feeling that something is off? That's how Rachel Taylor felt when her best friend Sally Rice married Wiley Harpe. No one had any idea of the extent of the heinous crimes that Wiley would commit alongside his brother, Micajah Harpe. Rachel and Ben were able to give Sally and her companions a measure of hope through their prayers and interactions. Rachel and Ben had a sweet love story, which they had to put on hold until the Harpes were apprehended. This was not a fun story to read, but it was a good story. History beffs will appreciate this novel, as well as true crime enthusiasts. I received an ARC of this novel through Celebrate Lit, for review purposes. The thoughts expressed here are my own.