The Blue Cloak

Wow. The Blue Cloak by Shannon McNear is another great addition to the True Colors series of historical stories of American Crime written by a variety of authors. The author draws the reader in immediately, as in the first few pages she describes the 1797 Tennessee wedding of a sweet young preacher's daughter to a fidgety, young man who was considerably less than proper for those concerned with proper. Instead of finding herself on the primrose path of married life, Sally finds herself on a dark path with dangerous and ruthless individuals. I loved the suspense as Sally lives out her heartbreaking and horrifying life with the Harpe brothers. Interest was kept high with the intensity of her experience, and wondering how in the world will she get out of these awful circumstances, or even will she get out alive. Would the nightmare ever end and justice prevail? The characters are realistic and either likable, relatable, or despicable. The dialogue flowed seamlessly without sounding forced. The story pulls on the reader’s emotions, shock, horror, anger, sorrow, and compassion. It is a book that kept my interest, and I look forward to reading more from this author. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review. The opinions are my own.

THE BLUE CLOAK (True Colors Series, Historical Stories of American Crime) By: Shannon McNear Form: Paperback Pages: 256 Published: 3/1/2020 Isbn: 1643523147 Publisher: Barbour Books Reviewed by: mrsboone4, Green Forest, AR USA Date: 3/3/2020 Rating: 5 Stars Sally Rice is a minister's daughter. She and a young man are caught in a compromising position and they have to get married. She loves Wiley Harpe, her new husband. Her childhood as a minister's daughter in no way prepared her for the horrible life she will live with her husband, his brother Micajah and two additional women. Sally thinks that she and Wiley are on their way home, where they will live and she will keep house and raise their babies. She is sadly mistaken. Wiley has them meet up with his older brother Micajah and two other women-one of whom Micajah later marries up with. Then, Micajah informs her that He will share her, Sally also! Sally is horrified. She has no other choice. The other two women Susan and Betsey were kidnapped as young pre-teen girls and held by these two evil men. They tell Sally to submit to both men and keep her mouth shut, don't complain and you will live. Micajah and Wiley decide to start murdering anyone whom they come into contact with. Everyone is advised on the Wilderness Trail, to join up with another group to prevent and deter crime against the settlers on the Wilderness Trail. But, what happens when you unknowingly join up with the wild Harpe Brothers? You will be hacked to pieces and all of your belongings stolen, even your clothes and your horse. Sally's girlhood friend Rachel gives her a lovely blue cloak for a wedding gift. Rachel's family owns several trading posts along the Wilderness Trail. Rachel gives Sally a hug and tells her that she is praying for her. That's all Sally has to hold onto, as she is carried off into the wilds of Tennessee. Ben's cousin Thomas is not very responsible and Thomas ends up being murdered by the Harpe Brothers. Ben stops in at a trading post and asks about joining up with a posse who is going after the murderers. He is gone a long time. Eventually, Micajah is killed. The women are rescued. Ben continues his hunt for Wiley. Ben and Rachel fall in love. Wiley is eventually captured and killed as well. It is all very hard for Sally and Rachel, because neither ever thought that Sally would be involved with this class of fiends. Exciting story. Ms. McNear has done extensive historical research to get the information she needed to tell all about the Harpe Brothers. Many thanks to Barbour Books for the complimentary copy and I was under no obligation to post a review.