Evil Incarnate Leaves a Trail of Destruction across the Frontier Book 5 in the True Colors series—Fiction Based on Strange-But True History Rachel Taylor lives a rather mundane existence in 1797 at the way station her family runs along the Wilderness Road in Tennessee. She attends her friend Sally Rice’s wedding only to watch the marriage dissolve into horror has the groom, Wiley Harpe, and his cousin Micajah become murderers on the run, who drag their families along. Declaring a “war on all humanity,” the Harpes won’t be stopped, and Ben Langford is on their trail to see if his own cousin was one of their latest victims. How many will die before peace can return to the frontier? Genre: Christian Historical/Suspense Release Date: March, 2020 |
I knew I was in for a doozy when I started The Blue Cloak. You see, I'd heard of the Harpe brothers years ago while reading an old magazine about treasure hunting. I vaguely remembered them as river pirates around the Cave-In-Rock area and that they were particularly vicious murderers. Uh, yeah, I kinda didn't fully remember just how BAD they really were.
I've read, and enjoyed, all of the books so far in the True Colors series, and, despite the fact that each one has taken on some pretty evil historical villains or places I think this book was the darkest. The horrific crimes the Harpe brothers perpetrated are unimaginable. But in all of it Shannon McNear wove a thread of faith. Her depiction of the power of prayer in the face of evil is inspiring. I also appreciated how she didn't sugercoat the facts but kept the on-page violence from being gratuitous.
There is a lot to The Blue Cloak and I could go on about how much I learned from the story, about the time and the area, how I didn't know that the Harpe brothers had traveled with women and even children, but I really don't think those are the important things. No, aside from the power of prayer which I already mentioned, there's the importance of listening to the spiritual senses that God sometimes sends as warnings of evil. In addition, Shannon McNear's portrayal of women, through the eyes of the heroine's friend Sally Harpe, trapped by fear and abuse is, I think sadly accurate. It's easy to judge when you are on the outside but this book will open your eyes to compassion for the victims, both obvious and unseen.
The True Colors series does feature stories of historical crimes but they also have a romance element that I would be remiss in not mentioning. It was interesting to watch the relationship between Rachel and Ben slowly grow despite the darkness surrounding them. And it was nice to have that thread provide a little light to the story.
If you want to read a good story that mixes true crime with historical romance you should check out The Blue Cloak which is Shannon McNear's addition to the fascinating True Colors series.
Tell Tale Book Reviews gives The Blue Cloak by Shannon McNear a 4.5 Bark rating.
More from Shannon
That was the question I wrestled with when deciding whether or not to take on the story of the Harpes. The histories in Scripture itself aren’t rated G, but writing fiction requires a level of detail and depth of emotion I wasn’t sure would be wise, or helpful, to explore in this case. But as I prayed and sought the counsel of those whose discernment I trust, the answer came back, overwhelmingly …
For the first few weeks of research, I walked around in a state of shock at the horror of the historical accounts, but details surfaced that helped me shape my fictional characters Rachel and Ben. With Rachel working in her family’s trading post near the wild frontier town of Knoxville, Tennessee, and Ben a lawyer who recently passed the bar, the real-life Hugh Lawson White provided a handy connection point between them. Many other details fell together in ways I had not foreseen when I began developing the story. Sally Rice Harpe, however, rose to the forefront. This was more her story than anyone’s, but realizing I couldn’t properly write the book without using her point of view? That was scary. I knew the moments I’d have to visit, some of them in real-time. |
Transplanted to North Dakota after more than two decades in Charleston, South Carolina, Shannon McNear loves losing herself in local history. She’s a military wife, mom of eight, mother-in-law of three, grammie of two, and a member of ACFW and RWA. Her first novella, Defending Truth in A Pioneer Christmas Collection, was a 2014 RITA® finalist. When she’s not sewing, researching, or leaking story from her fingertips, she enjoys being outdoors, basking in the beauty of the northern prairies. Connect with her at www.shannonmcnear.com, or on Facebook and Goodreads. |
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