This book is part of the True Colors - Historical Stories of American Crime series. The story here covers the first American serial killers. In 1797 in Tennessee, two brothers/cousins, Big and Small Harpe, begin a killing spree that has no rhyme or reason. They also kidnap and hold two women as their "wives," while Small legitimately marries the daughter of a minister and brings her into their "family." Her friend Rachel fears for the bride's safety. The story follows Rachel, the killers, and the various groups who try to capture the murderers. Romance is oddly thrown in as Rachel is attracted to the lawyer/cousin of one of the victims. There is a lot of violence described in this story, including a very graphic murder scene, which is unusual for a Christian novel, but since the story is about murder, the violent descriptions are justified. The story is too long, and repeats itself a bit too much. The romance is a bit contrived, and a little Hallmark-like. But the plot of the killers is strong, introducing serial killers who may be unknown to many readers, including me. The author provides an extensive "Historical Note" section which presents much clarifying information. I am enjoying this unusual series and look forward to more volumes. Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC.

The Blue Cloak, set on the Wilderness Road in the Cumberland Mountain area of Tennessee and Kentucky in the late 1700s, fictionally chronicles the horrific murders and mayhem perpetrated by real- life serial killers Wiley and Micajah Harpe and their abusive relationships with their captive “wives”. Alongside the dark story runs the romance story of fictional characters Rachel Taylor and Ben Langford. This thread of romance helps to lighten the weight of the narrative in its descriptions of the heinous evil inflicted along their “trail of woe”. Rachel’s best friend, Sally, has the misfortune of being married to Wiley Harpe and is as much a victim as those he murdered. Ben’s cousin, Thomas, is one of the victims of their murderous rampage so Ben joins a posse and sets out to bring the Harpes to justice and to rescue Sally. An arrest, a prison break, a journey, a trial, a manhunt, and more carnage add to the suspense and resolution of the drama. The role the blue cloak plays in the story is stirring.

Ms. McNear handles well the darkness of the gruesome, abominable acts of the Harpes. She gives just enough detail to reveal the degree of evil but not enough to be too ghastly or difficult to read, and the story flows at a fitting pace. It is evident that Ms. McNear did extensive research and does an excellent job of incorporating the real-life events into her fictional narrative evoking a myriad of emotions—sadness, disbelief, anger, sympathy, and disgust.

The Blue Cloak is unlike any story I have ever read in the Christian fiction genre, but it definitely belongs there. The faith element is strong despite the darkness of the plot. Sally holds on to her faith in the midst of unspeakable treatment, and prayers and scripture abound. As the author states in her notes, “I am encouraged that the Light truly is greater than the dark…and no circumstances are ever so terrible or hopeless that His love cannot reach us.” I highly recommend this book.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via netgalley but am under no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Shannon McNear is definitely one of my most favorite authors ever. I’ve said it in previous reviews, I will say it again: McNear cannot write a bad story if she tried. With that said, I struggled with The Blue Cloak. Not because it’s a poorly written novel. It’s actually superiorly written. I found The Blue Cloak highly engaging and fast-paced. I didn’t struggle with the characters per se. In fact, I’ve never rooted harder for a character than I did for Sally Roberts … er, I mean Sally Harpe (you’ll understand once you read this story). And, I didn’t struggle with the themes. They are timely and seriously thought-provoking. In all honesty, I 1000% recommend The Blue Cloak. McNear took a supremely ugly topic and penned an honest, historically accurate story that ends with grace and hope. And yet, I still really struggled. The ugly is so ugly, I find myself at a loss for how to reconcile Sally’s horrific experiences with the notion that God has a plan for good for His people.

Genesis 50:20 is the famous verse where Joseph tells his brothers, “…You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good…”. When I read Joseph’s story I totally get this verse. When I look backward, I can easily see God’s hand orchestrating Joseph’s story and keeping him from great harm. Joseph does endure sad, rough moments, but God is there. After reading Sally’s story in The Blue Cloak, and looking backward, I’m struggling so hard to see God’s hand. I can see it clear as day for almost every other character, but I just can’t for Sally and that scares me. What does this say about me? Is my faith in God fake? Can I only see God’s hand when things are rosy and sunny and good? OR, are there just some stories we won’t understand until we get to Heaven and God explains them to us? I know God is good all the time. I know He is pure, perfect love. But today I don’t understand how He allows certain things. How do we stay faithful when very, very, very bad things happen to good, innocent people? I feel like knowing the answer to this question is pivotal, but today all I can do is go to God and tell Him that I am struggling to understand. Today, I’m a little angry, a lot brokenhearted, and downright unsure. I will have to take all these feels to God and let Him help me sort them out.

A true testament of a novel’s amazingness is how it sticks with a reader well after the final page had been turned, and how that novel forces a reader to wrestle with complex topics. Well, The Blue Cloak must be one of the MOST amazing novels ever because I will never forget it, and I’m definitely wrestling with some tough emotions and facts. As I stated earlier, I highly recommend this novel, but understand that reading this story may very well wreck your heart. I had ALL the feels with this one!

I received a review copy of this novel in eBook form from the publisher, Barbour Books, via NetGalley. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is a dark story from the reign of terror, and follows America’s first serial killer brothers in Kentucky. The novel starts in 1797, the year the brothers began their notorious killing spree, at the wedding of Wiley Harpe and his bride. The novel weaves history and fiction seamlessly and doesn’t shy away from the gruesome truth of the wickedness of these two murderers.
I can’t imagine how difficult this story was to write. Just reading through the author’s notes, it’s shocking how much of the story was actual fact. It piqued my curiosity enough that I checked other sources that affirmed the author’s notes. YIKES!
There is a faith element that continues to show through the details and plot. The young bride at the beginning of the story is a Baptist minister’s daughter who ends up clinging to her faith through the traumatic experience she has as one of the Harpe’s wives. Her friend, Rachel Taylor is a woman of faith, though not without her own challenges in understanding what is going on with her friend.
I’m just not sure what to think. It’s a tough book to read, but Ms. McNear did a great job with handling a dark subject matter.
The descriptions are fabulous and the author is able to pull the reader into the time period.
If you like true crime stories, this is one to check out.
If you do not like dark, upsetting, or stories about murder, you might want to try reading another book.
(I’m giving this a four star rating: the author did a superb job, but the subject matter was disturbing – serial killers).
I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

The history brought to light in the True Colors Series has been fascinating. The Blue Cloak takes readers back to 1797 Tennessee and a spree of crimes by two relatives (there is debate if the two men were brothers or cousins) that were heinous. The author does a spectacular job of painting the setting. Historical figures and facts are brought to life in the words of the novel.

While the details of the crimes are carefully penned, the brutality described is difficult to read and there is one part in particular that left me speechless and staring in to space before reading on.

The afterward was an excellent companion to the novel and it's amazing how much of the novel was based on actual events and people.

Amazing story of the horrendously dark trail of murder that followed the Harpe Brothers in the late 1790's.I have found this series of true crimes, True Colors:Historical Series of American Crimes to be intriguing.

McNear's historical research and attention to detail is apparent in this fictional account. I found the historical setting of the frontier of Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee in the late 1790's to be fascinating. McNear's skill as a storyteller brings light in the form of faith, family and friendship as a beacon of hope amidst tragedy. The characters seemed so real, the tension, danger and raw emotions so vivid that I was immediately drawn into the story.

Sally's, along with Susan and Betsy, role as a bystander these horrendous crimes tugged at my heart. How many women were/are abused, suffering intolerable situations, afraid of the consequences if they sought escape? I would highly recommend this story for fans of historical fiction, but not for younger readers.McNear's talent with the pen and integrity in her research, even with such a dark story, will land her books at the top of my TBR.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was a quick book for me. It was a rather dark and twisted story. I was drawn to the cover and really was expecting a different story all together. It was a page turner! Thanks to the publisher for the early copy

Exciting story based on true, heinous events. The characters are well-developed and produce responses from the reader as only an excellent novelist can do.

I received this from Netgalley.com for a review.

"Based on real events beginning in 1797 — Rachel Taylor lives a rather mundane existence at the way station her family runs along the Wilderness Road in Tennessee. She attends her friend’s wedding only to watch it dissolve in horror has the groom, Wiley Harpe, and his cousin become murderers on the run, who drag their families along."

The True Colors series are fictionalized accounts of true crime stories. Nicely written story. The footnote was interesting where the author talks about how and where she researched this true crime.

2.75☆

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A fictionalized account of a true crime—the Harpe duos’ killing spree in Kentucky and Tennessee after the Revolutionary War. This is a very dark story about the women affected by them. The women were terribly abused, and the crimes committed by the men were particularly gruesome. Some of the scenes were so hard and I wanted to just stop reading. However, the writing was so compelling I just kept on. I have read all the True Colors novels, and this one was the toughest by far. McNear has done a stellar job of painting a picture of life on the frontier after the Revolutionary War. All that said, I highly recommend the story.

I think Shannon McNear did an excellent job with this gruesome tale of two serial killers in 1784. I admire how she remained a bit vague with the gory details of each murder. My imagination is strong enough to have filled in the details and the murders were quite shocking and terrible.

I highly recommend this book for it's faith value and how McNear's characters focus on prayer to defeat the satanic forces at work in these two serial killers. I am appalled at their complete sociopathic and psychopathic lack of regard for human life.

I also agree with the author that the women these men owned were so co-dependent they could not leave. Two hundred years ago, people didn't understand co-dependency, but that doesn't mean it didn't happen regularly. It is a huge problem in some marriages even today.

Timing seemed a little off, though. She made it seem like letters and communications were really fast rather than taking weeks and months to travel from one part of the country to another. That is the ONLY thing I could fault.

This is 5-star writing on a subject that is quite dark. It may be too dark for some readers, and certainly the subject is not good for younger readers because it is so dark. However, McNear does an excellent job of differentiating man's free will of choice and God's control over justice.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

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A story of death, destruction, perseverance and faith. Based upon a true story this is the tale of Sally and Rachel, two friends whose lives took two very different directions. The story opens with Sally's wedding to Wiley or Little as they call him. Rachel, as the bridesmaid, was skeptical of the wedding but didn't want to ruin her friend's day. When Sally gets to her new home she finds that things are not as she hopes them to be. This is the story of Sally's desperation to find God in the midst of evil and Rachel's struggle to hold on to God in the midst of uncertainty. The author painted a vivid portrait of the evil perpetrated by these evil men but she also did an equally fantastic job of showing the power of God and prayer.

In 1797 Knoxville is still a wild “west” town. Rachel Taylor lives with her parents and helps to run their mercantile - more just a stop along the way for travelers. When she stands up for her best friend Sally at her wedding to the mysterious Wiley Harpe, Rachel wonders if Sally is making a mistake. Her feelings are confirmed when it turns out that Sally’s new husband is on the path to being an outlaw, and he’s taking Sally and the rest of the family along with him.

Thomas Langford is heading south when he meets up with the Harpe crew. Thomas’s cousin Ben is a few days behind and stops at the Taylor’s mercantile. He is somewhat smitten with Rachel at first sight. Ben has to meet up with Thomas, however, so he can’t linger. He is due at another stop.

The Blue Cloak is a fictional story based on events that happened in history. The Harpes really were two brothers who wreaked havoc in the developing south, leaving a trail of death and destruction along their way. They did drag along the two wives - Sally and Susan - and the third “wife” Betsey. Sally, the daughter of a Baptist preacher, tries to keep her faith alive even in the darkest of times with the Harpes.

This novel was the second that I’ve read in the True Colors series. I enjoy the way that the true story is interwoven with a fictional one, so it reads more like a novel than a history book. McNear created two characters in Ben and Rachel that you want to follow. She also was able to make Sally someone that you could sympathize with, rather than berate for the choices she made. I am looking forward to reading the remaining books in this series.


3.75 stars


This review will be posted at BookwormishMe.com on 16 Feb 2020 .

This story deals with tough topics. Danger and horror fill the lives of the characters. The author writes in a way that leaves a lasting impression. I received a complimentary copy of the book. No review was required.

Sometimes I wonder why I subject myself to reading about horrible monsters - those two-legged ones who kill before they think. What's more, this is a book based on the real life story of such individuals. Those horrific murders happened. I almost blurted out "Oh no!" when a little girl wandered into the scene and knew that she would be killed. And I almost covered my eyes with my fingers reading about how monster number one killed his own baby.

Hard to read. I'm just glad there's a happy ending and that justice prevailed. I was honestly not as interested in reading the fictional parts and actually more absorbed in Sally's story from her perspective. My heart sure did go out to her!

I think I have to take a break from reading such gut-wrenching true crime stories.

Thank you Netgalley and Barbour Publishing for the ARC. This is my honest review.

The Blue Cloak by Shannon McNear is based on the true story of the Harpe brothers, or cousins; no one is sure, who terrorized the Wilderness Road in the late 1700s. Sally, the daughter of a minister, married Wiley (Little) Harpe believing he was going to be a loving husband and she would have a pleasant life. Her joy was soon dashed when Wiley takes her home to his “family” which consists of Micajah (Big), Susan, Micajah’s wife and a younger woman called Betsey. Susan and Betsey were kidnapped some years earlier. She quickly learns this will not be a traditional marriage as both men share all the women. The family seems to do well at first until it is discovered the animals they are selling have been stolen and then barns begin burning down so the group is on the run. Big and Little commit many more crimes and horrendous murders are among them. They murder innocent people as well as those they feel have crossed them in some way. When Thomas Langford is murdered his cousin, Ben, joins the search party and it becomes his goal to not stop until Big and Little are brought to justice. Will they ever be brought to justice?
Wow! This was not an easy read at many times but certainly interesting to learn more about the history and danger of the time. Throughout the story Sally prays and never forgets her faith. Others are praying for safety also as they hear more and more terrorizing stories of the antics of Big and Little. Sally’s father believes a wife must always stay with and support her husband but as more evidence against them comes out his heart softens to being willing to allow her come home if she is ever able. The women are not physically held captive but believe they will be tracked down and punished if they ever try to leave and probably that anyone who would assist them would be brutally murdered. I recommend this book and give it 5 of 5 stars.
I received an advance copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I wish to thank Net Galley and the publisher, Barbour for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

My oh my! I love good historical fictions and looked forward to reading this one. I had no idea how deep and well researched this one was going to be. It is based on real characters and places. It is set on the Wilderness Road which is the path of early settlers moving west from the Carolinas and Virginia. Daniel Boone used this route on his travels. This is the story of two brothers who would today be called serial killers who murdered and dismembered just about everyone they encountered for no special reason other than their need for excitement. The book covers romance, friendship, Christianity, life in the early days of settlement along the Cumberland Gap and details the murders, trials and so much more. It has you setting on the edge of your seat the entire story.

When the story ends there is much more to come as the author details her research into the actual lives of the characters in the book. She goes to Ancestry and discovers the genealogy of the people in the story. That is as fascinating as the story itself. Well done Shannon!

I have not read her books prior to this one but can assure you that I will and will highly recommend it to those who enjoy a good crime book.

What a read. This story is centered around two notorious men, most likely close blood relations, who brought a reign of terror to the hills of Kentucky, following the Revolutionary War. Three women, two legally bound to the men by marriage, travel with the gang. And there are babies to deal with.
Based on what facts remain, the author takes you through a vicious time in history. There are a couple graphic places in the book but overall it is an interesting and educational read.

True crime meets historical fiction - riveting! I’ve always been fascinated with history and learning anew truths of the past. The Blue Cloak sheds light on dark and deadly events in the late 18 century: the first series killers in these new United States of America circa 1780. Riveting with horrifyingly graphic and grisly details, The Blue Cloak chronicles the swath of destruction and evil perpetrated by two brothers (cousins?) along early frontier settlements in Kentucky and Tennessee. Painstakingly researched, insofar as possible through a myriad of sources, the author is commended in creating a probable storyline depicting the terrors inflicted on unsuspecting travelers and townsfolk in isolated territories along the Cumberland region.

Hope in the midst of hopelessness, God’s light and presence prevailing in the midst of the evil darkness are mentioned but not deeply developed. The pathology of domestic violence is shockingly revealed as is the Stockholm syndrome The author attempts to answer the question that plagues us all: what is the genesis of such horrendous evil in the psyche - the making of a psychopath? Sobering in its reality.
This iBook is categorized in the Christian book genre. Beware. It is a dark and intense, graphic and grisly portrayal of evil .

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thankyou to NetGalley, Barbour Publishing and the author, Shannon McNear, for the opportunity to read an advanced readers copy of The Blue Cloak in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
What an incredible story of the American Frontier. I was hooked from the beginning.
The storyline was well written with amazing scenery. Was very easy to lose yourself in this book.
Well worth a read.