This is my favorite type of book...historical fiction. It is based on true crime events about serial killings in the early American frontier. The descriptions are brutal and it is evident that the author did a lot of historical research. Overall, a good read.

The Blue Cloak

by Shannon McNear



Barbour Publishing, Inc.



Barbour Books

Christian ,

True Crime

Pub Date

01 Mar 2020







I am reviewing a copy of The Blue Cloak Through Barbour Publishing and Netgalley:





The True Color series is fiction that is based on strange but true historical crimes...





The story begins in 1797 where Rachel Taylor is living a rather mundane life at the way station her family runs around the Wilderness road in Tennesse!







When Rachel attends her friend's wedding, she finds herself watching it dissolve in horror as the groom Willey Harpe and his cousin becomes murderers on the road, and they end up dragging their family along with them while they declare war on humanity. The Harped will not be stopped, but Ben Langford is on their trail, because their latest victim was his cousin.





How many more will they murder before there is peace on the frontier again?





Find out in The Blue Cloak.





I give The Blue Cloak five out of five stars!





Happy Reading!

The Blue Cloak is a well-written true crime tale from American history. Parts of it were emotionally difficult, but that shows the talent of the author connecting the reader to the story. The main characters, Ben and Rachel, were likable, loyal, and lived their faith. The plot had twists and turns and moved quickly. There is an HEA for our main characters. I found the author's source information about the pair of villains at the end of the book to be very interesting as well. I would highly recommend this book to true crime readers, clean romance readers (The villains commit unwholesome acts, but there is nothing graphic.), and Christian fiction readers. I have read other books in this series and enjoyed them all. I was given a copy of this book. I chose to write a review and share my opinion of this excellent book.

The Blue Cloak by Shannon McNear is a Christian Historical True Crime story of romantic suspense. The author has a disclaimer at the beginning of the book because of all the disturbing details of this true crime. While the evil, sin, and crimes are distressing I felt that the evil characters were much the same as today. God never changes or forsakes us but the world, the flesh and devil will be present until Jesus Christ returns.
The Blue Cloak is my favorite in the Christian Historical True Crime stories and may turn out to be my favorite Christian book this year. I loved the scripture, the prayers and the characters dependence on God in every circumstance. I also enjoyed the history and places since this is the part of the world I love the most. The Historical Notes included in this book are also the best because of the concise explanations and references.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I appreciate the opportunity and thank the author and publisher for allowing me to read, enjoy and review this book. 5 Plus Stars

(3.5 / 5)
In the wilds of Tennessee and Kentucky in the late 1700s, Rachel’s newly married close friend gets caught up in a nightmare. Sally’s groom and his cousin, Big and Little Harpe, become outlaws and leave a trail of destruction, dragging their family along with them. Rachel is worried for her friend, as well as for her new acquaintance Ben Langford. Ben came to the frontier to keep his cousin out of danger, but sadly discovered that Thomas was one of the Harpes’ first known victims. Now he only wants justice for his cousin, and Rachel wants to see her friend freed from her murderous husband’s grasp.

This is the third book in the True Colors series that I have read. For the first half of this book, I felt that it was a bit better than the other two (The Yellow Lantern & The Gray Chamber). The main characters were relatable, my heart broke along with Sally’s as things went from bad to worse, and the romance was sweet, if not a little weird given the backdrop.

The book was well-researched. An author’s note at the beginning even made it clear that McNear knew this was a difficult subject, and there is a real question of “how dark is too dark for Christian fiction?” I think the answer is…this. This story of the Harpes and what they did to potentially 50 men, women, and children in their time might just have proven too dark to use as a setting for a Christian romance. I’m not one who was all that put off by what was in the book, though a bit of it was definitely more disturbing than the rest, however, because the author understandably couldn’t go too in-depth in these matters, the story just came off very shallow. I think that is an indication that this bit of history just should have been passed on for this series.

However, I was planning to give this book 4 stars until just after the halfway point, when a really confusing scene happened that made me feel like an entire other scene had been deleted from the book, and the author forgot to re-write a callback to it. And then, by the end of the book, I became weary by the repetitiveness of the characters’ thoughts and prayers (that feels so bad to say, but honestly, at times it just felt like it was copied & pasted from earlier). Overall, though, the book was well-written, with just a few gripes.

So this is the part where I normally sum up my thoughts and then make recommendations for who should read the book. As I said above, the book has some more graphic spots, but overall tends to gloss over the details of the crime and depravity of the Harpes. Still, it’s not for the faint of heart, and many Christians would likewise find it too much. But if it sounds like something you’re interested in, especially if you’re a fan of Christian romance, I’d definitely say give it a try.

Serial Killers on the Frontier

In 1797, Tennessee was still a wilderness with wild animals, Indians, and men who lived outside the law. Rachel Taylor, whose father owned a trading post, watched jealously as her friend, Sally, married Wiley Harpe. Good men were hard to find on the frontier and Rachel thought her friend one of the lucky ones in spite of the fact that Wiley’s brother Micajah made her uncomfortable. The idyllic wedding quickly turned sour. Wiley and Micajah had two other women with them and used all the women as common property. They were also thieves and killers.

Ben Langford, followed his cousin to the frontier. When he couldn’t find him, he learned that Thomas had been murdered probably a victim of the Harpes who had gone on a killing spree taking their families with them. Ben meets Rachel, who he likes very much when he joins a group looking for the Harpes.

This is more a dark story of serial killers than a romance, but Ben and Rachel are able to become fond of each other and support each other when the killers are apprehended. The story is historically accurate. The author did an in-depth search for information on the Harpes and their victims. I recommend reading the Historical Note at the end of the book for a good overview of the era.

Rachel and Ben are solid characters, making a contrast with Sally and Wiley. I thought the juxtaposition added to the realism of the story. This is a very well done historical crime story. I recommend it.

I received this book from Barbour Books for this review.

There is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still. Corrie ten Boom

This book is not for the faint of heart. Reading about horrific crimes that have really happened never is easy to digest. The author has done a wonderful job of leaving most of the gory detail for us to imagine as we would or would not like. The True Colors series brings us true stories of American crime, while all are awful none perhaps so much as America’s first serial killers. Nowadays there would be a great deal stated about the early years of the Harpe brothers and how that shaped them to do what they did. Perhaps that is the case, but I think there were dark forces at work that only the Light could penetrate and change.

The story starts with the wedding of Sally to Wiley Harpe. Of the many gifts given, the gorgeous blue cloak was a true gift of love from Rachel to her best friend Sally. This blue cloak travels through many horrors before it finally returns to its place of origin. Totally unaware of what she was getting into, Sally leaves with her new husband for a life she could never have imagined. I think the hardest thing to read about was the apparent enjoyment the Harpes received by murdering innocent people.

The fact that there really are no circumstances so terrible or hopeless that His love cannot reach us gives us, as it gave Sally, the courage to go on. The Light truly is greater than the dark!

This incredible book was received through Barbour Publishing, NetGalley and CelebrateLit. All comments and impressions are my own and were in no way solicited.

This was an emotional read. I can tell the author did tons of research and although it was disturbing on so many levels I appreciate her writing style and willingness to write such a book.

This is not a book for the faint of heart. That being said, Ms. McNear did a wonderful job of telling a true story with the utmost class and care. Admittedly, I'd never heard of the people in this story before picking up this book. The gruesomeness and callousness with which these men operated are unfathomable. While getting the point across, Ms. McNear does not give too much of the gory details, just enough so that the reader does know what is happening. While this book does have resolve, it doesn't truly have an HEA. However, I will read it again because of how interesting and well-written it is.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves history.

This book was shocking and pushed the boundaries of what I find acceptable content for Christian Fiction. To say that it was disturbing would be an understatement.. The entire tone of this book made me feel icky while I was reading it. I’m not someone who can’t handle a villain that is evil or does despicable things, however the way in which this was written really shined a spotlight on these crimes in a graphic and heinous way. I question that the Publisher wanted to feature this particular story in this series. I think it should have been left alone and passed over. Sister wives, murdering children, graphic hacking up of people with tomahawks, and a disturbing lack of respect for human life on the part of the murders made this book especially difficult to finish. I felt ill and unsettled after reading this book and most definitely would not recommend it to anyone. The plot and subject matter are despicable and there is not enough of a strong faith element to make me feel like it in any way gave the reader hope. I have loved the other books in this series, but this one crossed a line.

Shannon McNear's book The Blue Cloak was a tale of surprise for me. In the late 18th century in Tennessee and Kentucky two brothers and their women (among other outlaws) terrorized others by robbing and killing them. These were not quick deaths but were long drawn out torture. There were also God fearing law abiding citizens who tried to put a stop to these senseless murders. This book gives us a look at what life was like in Tennessee, Kentucky and Virginia and the hardships the people faced. But these hardscrabble Christians fought to stay alive and carve out a community and with God's help succeeded. Very interesting read and I would recommend it.

I’ve enjoyed all of the True Colors: Historical Series of American Crimes novels yet I found this one a bit difficult to read. It’s definitely an adult novel because of some of the horrific murder details as it’s quite evident the author has done extensive research on this heart-rending subject. Set in the 1700’s on the Wilderness Trail, we meet Rachel and her best friend Sally, just as Sally is marrying Wiley Harpe, who, unbeknown to her is one of the “baddest of the bads”. These groups terrorized the wilderness communities, leaving trails of innocents murdered, somehow able to avoid the posses trying to stop them. Sally’s mistreatment not only by Wiley and Micajah, but also their other two women made me cringe. Only through Rachel’s unrelenting quest for Sally’s safety with the help of lawyer Ben is there hope for Sally’s situation.

I received a copy of this book from Barbour Publishing through NetGalley and was under no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

This was a good book! A little hard to read at times, but good, and very educational about this period in time. I enjoyed the characters the most. Four stars!

I absolutely loved this book!! I highly recommend this book to everyone that loves a well written story. It is historically accurate but in no way dull or dry. Everyone who loves to read is sure to enjoy this book!!

I have enjoyed all of the books in this series but felt this one took longer to get going, to give you a full picture of how horrible the Harpes really were. The Harpe brothers/cousins were America's first serial killers and it was interesting to learn about them. The author clearly did a great deal of research for this book.

It is hard to read this book when you realize it is based on fact and that these horrific things were happening in that time period. Well researched and well written. It takes a while to get into the story and events. The jacket cover gives adequate description and others have given full review so I will not dwell on details or give spoilers.
If you like reading true crime and historical fiction then this is a book you will want to read.
I received this book as a complimentary copy for an unbiased review.The opinions expressed are my own.

4.5 stars for this True Colors novel on the Harpe brothers, known as the first American serial killers. This tale is disturbing, to be sure, but the author shares the gruesome details only in a detatched manner of one filing a police report - not with the intensity and emotion of the actual killer or the first upon the scene. For that reason, though the subject matter is gory and disturbing, the reading of this book is not likely to issue nightmares or other such sensitivities. Though I would recommend that exceptionally sensitive readers shy away from this one.

One thing I loved about Ms. McNear's take on this story is her perspective that even when things seem beyond hopeless, God has promised to never leave us or forsake us. I loved how Sally was able to remember those comforting scriptures when times were paricularly tough and when she saw no way out. The emphasis on the power of prayer was also uplifting as well, and the romance between Rachel and Ben was sweet.

If you read this story, I would recommend reading the author's notes at the end. I was absolutely astounded at how much of the story was based on fact and actual characters. I can't imagine the research that the author had to do for this one as my husband was making horrified faces at me based on a google search of these infamous killers when I'd asked him if he'd ever heard of them. It was good that Ms. McNear reduced the intensity of the details in this novel for the sake of readers. Sometimes, the truth is stranger than fiction!

If you enjoy true crime novels, serial killer mysteries and/or historicals, I would recommend this novel. Special thanks to NetGalley for an e-copy of this book. I was under no obligation to write a review and the thoughts contained herein are my own.

***Thank you to NetGalley and Barbour Books for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Expected release date March 1, 2020.***

3.5 – 4 stars

I’m really having a difficult time writing this review. My thoughts are still all over the place after finishing this book.

The story drew me in from the start, which is always a good thing. Shortly after, the pure evil of two of the main characters quickly became evident. I hate to admit that I’m almost numb to hear about similar actions happening in our current time, but was very bothered thinking about this in America’s early history.

Overall, the story seemed very well written. I’d like at a later time to research more about the true characters that this story was based on, and would like to try other books written by this author.

This is one of those books that you don’t feel quite right saying you enjoyed reading it.....because of the subjects covered. However, this book was based on historical crime events by young men who reeked havoc on the people that were unfortunate enough to come into their crosshairs. As such, Ms. McNear’s writing of this time in our history was spot-on and well-done. I felt she aptly described the countryside and the type of characters who were inhabitants of the Kentucky territory in the late 1700’s. There were those who were trying to tame the wilderness, and those that embraced it for nefarious reasons of their own. The main characters, Rachel, Ben and Sally were well developed and important to the story in different ways. I also found it interesting that they were examples of three different types of people to the area, Rachel....settled with family and helping to provide services to people in the area, Ben .... wanting to settle and bring law to the area, and Sally....young innocent girl who became both a victim and an unwilling part of many of the crimes as captive spectator. It was interesting to read the Historical Note at the end of the book as it gives much more insight into the subjects of this book. I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley and Barbour Publishing in return for an honest review, which this has been. #NetGalley #BarbourPublishing

Confession: I didn’t quite “get” the premise of the book the first time I read the back cover. But I picked it up anyway, as I’ve read all the other books in the “True Crime” series.

Hoo boy...on a few levels.

Writing style, character development, plot, and pacing are all fantastic. I’ve never read McNear’s books before, and look forward to checking them out.

Subject matter, though...I can’t say this is a book I’ll re-read. It’s hard, sometimes and some parts harder than others. My jaw literally dropped at one point and I just sat in stunned silence.

But...this is history. I can’t argue with that. It really happened, and the amount of research McNear put into the book is truly astounding. I don’t envy what she had to research, read, and articulate herself to bring us this book. Her author’s note at the beginning is warranted and appreciated.

So, admirably researched and written...my heart aches for such a history and fallen state of humanity that real events led us here. While I may not re-read this, it’s an example of history we cannot and should not whitewash or try to erase.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.