Living in Colorado, I was naturally drawn to this story. I have read all the stories in this series, including the other two by Liz Tolsma, and have not been disappointed. I actually enjoyed the three perspectives offered in this tale: Polly’s, Edwin’s and the attacker. Each perspective intertwines to create a seamless historical tale. The book moved at a steady pace and kept my attention until the end. While the story is fictional, it is based on historical details, so be sure to read the author’s note. I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own, freely given.

I have loved all of these books in this series. I love that the author takes a true happening and puts their own characters in the story to help solve the crimes. I love Polly and Edwin. I really liked how the “Shadows” thoughts were given throughput the book. I love that Polly gained more confidence in her ability to be a reporter as the story unfolds. Edwin also learns some good lessons. I received a copy of this book from Celebratelit for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

I finished reading The Silver Shadow by Liz Tolsma, and it was okay. 3 stars. I loved Polly and Edwin, but the ending left me somewhat confused. I thought I knew who it was, but then plot twist...

This book is part of the True Colors series. Fiction Based on Strange, But True, History. I really love this series, and I can't wait to read more from it.

Thank you Barbour Publishing and Netgalley for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

The book covers in the True Crime series immediately pulled me into the stories which are based around decades old crimes. If you haven’t had a chance to read or admire this series of stand-alone books, you’ll definitely want to. Especially if historical crimes sound interesting.

In The Silver Shadow, the 11th book in this series, it covers a little known fact of women being attacked after dark in Denver, Colorado. The story takes place in the early 1900s when women are beginning to challenge traditions.

The main characters are interesting, though at times I was somewhat confused regarding Polly Blythe, a newspaper reporter's flippant attitude regarding danger and crimes that were happening around her. It wasn’t terribly distracting, but didn’t feel natural for her to throw all caution to the wind and hope to be saved if it came to that.

The other highly visible character is detective Edwin Price, who allows Polly to work with him in solving the mystery of the women being attacked in the evening. His character was fine, but to be honest I didn’t feel too much of a connection with either Polly or Edwin.

At the back of the books in this series there are interesting facts regarding the true crimes that were being written about. In this case, much of the story was fiction since not a great deal of information could be located regarding the assaults on the women.

What Concerned Me

I found the story interesting, but at the same time it became repetitive during the middle portion. But then the ending felt hurried. Though I liked the other books I’ve read in this series, this one didn’t quite work for me.

Final Thoughts

This story was okay, but I can’t recommend it as highly as others in this series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and NetGalley and was under no obligation to post a review.

This is the third or fourth book I’ve read in the True Colors series from Barbour Publishing. They are all based (at least loosely) on historical crimes in America. I wanted to read this one because it is set in Denver, and while I live in Colorado, I don’t know that much about Denver or its history.

Unfortunately, I don’t feel like I know that much more about Denver history than I did before I read the book. I learned a wee bit about the Denver Post newspaper at the turn of the century, and that the Capitol Hill area was where many of the wealthier people lived, but that’s about it. The author didn’t bring much of Denver’s particular personality to the story.

And while the novel got off to a brisk start, it really lagged for me in the middle. It kind of felt as if the author was dragging things out to meet a page requirement, rather than building tension or getting me more invested in the story. I did want to keep reading to know how everything worked out in the end, but still had to struggle at times to pick the book back up. 😦

So, while it wasn’t a horrible book by any means, it also wasn’t one that I would read again. If you like to read about historical women trying to break down gender barriers, that is probably the most interesting aspect of this story. I’d recommend it for that reason. But I can only give it 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Thanks to Barbour Publishing and NetGalley for the digital copy of this novel for review purposes. I was not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my very own! 🙂

The Silver Shadow by Liz Tolsma is the most recent addition to the “True Colors” series. As with prior books in the series, this one was very enjoyable. I love how the stories have enough information for you to feel for the characters and the danger/suspense around them, but not so much gore that would make it a turn-off.

Thank you to NetGalley and Barbour Publishing for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Another historical crime book! I have appreciated learning more about historical crimes through this series. Yes, they are often sickening because the crimes are committed by twisted minds, but they are also intriguing. This one had me guessing at the antagonist. I was wrong in my prediction, which means I thoroughly enjoyed watching the mystery unfold.

This one revolved around the Denver Post and crime against women – not violating them, but giving them concussions. Getting a glimpse inside the criminal’s twisted mind added a depth to the story.

Since this book was more mystery-driven than romance driven, I did enjoy the romantic elements. Yes, Edwin and Polly were sweet on each other, but their romance seemed to develop slowly and believably instead of rapidly. The majority of the romance was toward the end of the book and was more sweet than sappy to me.

There was a strong independent-woman thread, with Polly wanting to prove herself so much so that she defied her father (even if she had a reason) and refused to listen to the men in her life who cared for her. I personally would have liked to see a glimpse of forgiveness of her toward her father instead of her insisting on her own way.

The spiritual thread came out most toward the end and primarily when the characters were helpless and had to rely on God. The criminal actually had a contorted view of his actions pleasing God, which were disgusting as they were intended to be. I would have liked to have seen a little more balance between this and an actual Biblical viewpoint of pleasing God. It was kind of there, but not really in the forefront of the story.

As with many of the other True Colors books, you have to love disturbing mysteries to appreciate this book.

*I received this book from CelebrateLit and happily provided my honest review*

The Silver Shadow is a well-written historical true crime novel. The main characters are likable and believable. The plot definitely twists and turns. Although it's a good read, I didn't find it as engaging as the others that I've read in this series, and I'm not sure why. I like the author's writing style The ending is satisfying even though it wasn't quite as I expected. However, I would not hesitate to read more of this series or more from Liz Tolsma. If you like plucky heroines that don't have everything go their way all of the time and then react normally, I think that you'll enjoy this book.
I received a copy through NetGalley and am sharing my opinion with you.

A woman’s place was
in the home, raising children,
caring for her husband, keeping house.
She had no business out working a job,
thinking she didn’t need a man.

That was the thug’s motivation for attacking the women of Denver CO in the ending months of 1900 and the beginning of 1901. The problem was that it was not only his thoughts, but also those of the Denver Post’s editor, Joseph Ward, and at least one rising star of its newsroom, Harry Gray. And the only woman assigned to the newsroom, an attempt to show that an early 20th century employer could be inclusive, Polly Blythe, had to work in that environment.. It also appeared to be the attitude of the Denver Police Department’s Chief of Detectives, Hamilton Armstrong.

And if that was the case, why should anyone, police or otherwise, investigate the brutal attacks on 11+ women on the streets of Denver. The attacks involved the use of a lead or copper pipe hitting the women over the head - three died, the others were injured with varying degrees of physical damage. None were robbed; none were sexually assaulted. Altogether, it did make a good story - except many of the facts and people were taken from Denver’s historical record. Borrowing from that historical record, the author has done a surprising job of weaving a believable, faith-based, tale from the known facts of the era. The remarkable story concludes with a brief epilog describing the actual events that provided a foundation for the plot. The book provides fictional answers to many of the unanswered questions that remained from the actual events that took place in early 20th-century Denver.

In the present book, Polly Blythe and Denver Detective Edwin Price would be the two characters with enough gumption and curiosity to continue to follow the story - though many city leaders thought it a less than worthwhile task. Their work and the creativity of the author merit this five-star review.
______________
This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.

I had some difficulty with this book. I just couldn’t get into it. However, I am glad I kept at it because I found it to be rather interesting later. And, I wasn’t as smart as I thought because it didn’t end like I thought it would. I felt like the story wasn’t going anywhere, but then I realized it was necessary information. It was well researched for the early 1900s. The characters, from the main couple, Polly and Edwin to his family and coworkers, and Polly’s friends and family – and co- workers were well done. It was inspirational, as well as helping us understand women’s rights and challenges many women experienced on the road to what we now take for granted. Enjoyable read. I recommend this book for those that like a little romance, and some mystery in a historical setting. I received a copy of this book from Barbour Publishing Company and was under no obligation to post a review.

Told from the perspective of the three main characters, the reader is transported to early 1900 Denver, Colorado.
A man described as the Silver Shadow begins bashing women on the head. We learn from his character he feels he is doing a work for God. His agenda is to make women afraid to leave the house after dark. He appears to have deep anger issues.

A woman, Polly, has her own agenda. Having been unappreciated and treated poorly all her life by her father, she wishes to break the gender identity of a dependent woman and become a successful reporter. Maybe then her father and others will recognize and appreciate her.

A detective, Edwin, carries a childhood guilt that spurs him to do his job disregarding his own life. His agenda is to arrest the Silver Shadow and bring him to justice.

These main characters tell us another fascinating story in the True Crimes series.
I really like how the author let us know what each character was thinking, particularly the Silver Shadow. I also liked the subtle romance between Polly and Edwin.

A few characterizations were odd and I thought and detracted from the story. Nevertheless, this was an interesting story. I want to thank #netgalley and #barbour for a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I have enjoyed the True Color series, novels based on crimes from decades ago. This one is about attacks on women in Denver in 1900. The heroine is a female newspaper reporter. Polly writes about society events but thrives on excitement and wants to write a big story. Edwin is the hero, a Denver police detective. The two cross paths as more women are attacked and some die. Polly calls the attacker The Silver Shadow in an article. Can she and Edwin find the man before Polly becomes a victim herself?

Tolsma has written three others in this series and says this is the most fictionalized of the four. She had little information to go on but does identify the factual elements of the novel in her Author's Notes.

The role of women in general was a major theme of the novel. It was a time when women were not thought to have the kind of character needed to write serious newspaper articles. Tolsma built up the animosity to women by creating a reporter who disliked Polly's attempt to be a serious reporter. Tolsma also fictionalized the motives of the attacker. He misconstrued Scripture, claiming that women should be in the home and not walking alone on Denver's streets at night, even if returning home from church services or errand of mercy. And Polly's father was another male who felt she should get married and settle as a housewife and mother. Another issue in the novel was guilt. Edwin struggled with guilt over a deadly event that happened when he was eleven years old.

Tolsma is an accomplished author but I felt this story was drawn out. Perhaps that was because she had little to go on. The action seemed repetitive although a budding romance between Polly and Edwin did spice it up a bit. I do appreciate the factual elements Tolsma added to the plot.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

When a series of attacks on women begin to seem connected, Denver newspaper reporter Polly Blythe and police detective Edwin Price work together to catch the criminal responsible. Both are hindered by bosses whose priorities are skewed, but when Polly catches the madman's attention, they will have to work extra hard to apprehend the perpetrator while also keeping Polly safe.

At its core, this is the story of 3 individuals who are all haunted by something terrible from their past. Each of them is trying to find a way to deal with that past, none of them is going about it the right way, and not all of them will learn that lesson by the end of the book. Whether this connection between the characters was intentional or not, I couldn't tell you, because I don't think the author capitalized on it much at all. It did lead to a lot of repetition, though. I struggled all the way through this book with not feeling connected to the two main characters or to the relationship they were building along the way. The writing seemed kind of shallow and the dialog was often strange, confusing, or stilted.

There was one thing Edwin did part way through the book that appalled me and was just waved away, leaving me feeling very unsettled. Polly is said to be smart and careful, yet constantly goes out alone after dark for one reason or another. Guessing at the identity of the murderer, not even knowing if it would be someone we'd met in the story or not, was something that kept me interested, but that's probably all that kept me moving through the book quickly. The overall plot and many of the specific events that happened were interesting and could have made for an exciting story, but it just all felt so rushed and shallow. Maybe that's due to the length of the book, I don't know.

I've had my ups and downs with this series of stand-alone true crime books, but this one is a miss for me. It's a completely clean romance, though doesn't have a particularly strong Christian message throughout, if  you're looking for that. I've not read all of the other True Colors books, nor even all of Liz Tolsma's contributions, but I did really like one of her others, The Green Dress. As for this one, please be sure to check out other reviews for the book if you're interested, because many others liked it more than I did.

Liz Tolsma is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine. She has strong, unwavering female leads that will do nothing to stop them from getting what they want. Again in this book, Polly is a strong and determined female news reporter who will not let a man tell her what or where she should be.

Polly Blythe is a reporter for the Denver Post, of engagements, weddings, and articles women would read. But it is her dream to be a front-page reporter of the happenings of Denver, and when the Silver Shadow starts his run, that is the story Polly wants. But in the day of men dominating the working world, will she get her big break, and how many will try to derail her dreams because she is just that, a woman. And will the eye of a certain detective change that dream?

Edwin Price is an up and coming detective for the Denver police department who also is determined to find the Silver Shadow after the case becomes personal. But when Ms. Blythe comes into the police department asking to speak to the victims and become partners in the case - police and newspaper - can he keep his focus on the case and not the beautiful news reporter.

I enjoyed this book from the very beginning and was eager to see how Edwin and Polly solve this case, how working together brings them closer, and how their belief in God sets them in the path of belief and love.

Thank you as I received this as an advanced read from Netgalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

The Silver Shadow by Liz Tolsma is a marvellous Christian historical novel and part of the True Colors series.
It is a fascinating novel set in Denver in 1900 and based on true crimes. Fact blends with fiction to produce a cracking tale.
We witness the plight of women. They were seen as the weaker sex who need to stay protected in the home. It was deemed unsafe for them to walk the streets after dark. Women may have received the vote but were still viewed as unworthy by some. There were some plucky women who were determined not to be put down by chauvinistic attitudes and who actively sought out the perpetrator of the crimes against women.
Women were prejudiced against in the workplace. The leading lady longs to be a serious journalist but is given the frivolous social events of females to cover. Her writing skills are not taken seriously by either her employer nor her father.
The characters were well drawn and realistic. The women with their caring attitudes, looked out for each other.
Trusting God was important. He will never let us down. His plans for our lives can be trusted. When events spiral out of control, we can call out to God who will rescue us. We can cry out to Him with our hearts when our lips have no words.
The Silver Shadow was a fabulous read. It is also quite as a scary read as you realise similar crimes against women actually happened in 1900.
This True Colors crime series is fantastic. I am loving all the books in it.
I received a free copy of the book from Barbour Publishing at Net Galley for a blog tour with Celebrate Lit. All my opinions are my own.

The True Colors Series continues with The Silver Shadow by Liz Tolsma. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed these historical fiction books in this series! I love the glimpse of what might have happened during the events in each book. Thank you to NetGalley and Barbour Books for providing this amazing series!

Polly Blythe is a reporter in Denver, CO. While she’s been thrown to the back societal pages, Polly really wants to get into the action with front page news! She goes as far as writing an editorial to get the attention of the editor regarding the recent nighttime muggings of women being hit at the back of their heads. Some recovered, a few died, and some have lasting brain damage. Her father wants her to return home to St Louis, but she refuses to leave.

It’s when the handsome Detective Price gets involved that Polly turns to him for updates. He even offers to walk her home to prevent her from being mugged herself. Unfortunately, Polly heard a whimper as they passed an alley, another victim who happens to be someone Price knows. It’s only a matter of time before stubborn Polly is attacked. Will she be okay? Will she ever get her front page article? Will her father make her return home? What happens with Polly and Detective Price?

I love the protagonist, Polly. She’s determined, persistent, knows what she wants, and a real go-getter. Polly is also caring and gets along with most. She’s my kind of girl! I can think of several women who hold values like Polly!

The antagonist here is the suspect. He’s sneaky and spiteful. His wife left pregnant and with another man. He believes women belong at home making babies, cooking, and cleaning. They don’t belong out and about and definitely not working. In this day and age, we call it “old-fashioned.” In this time period of early 1900s, it’s the era where women began to make a name for themselves and many were still against it.

The Silver Shadow by Liz Tolsma is an excellent historical fiction that had me at the edge of my seat wondering when Polly would be at the wrong place at the wrong time. I also found myself worried that they’d never catch the suspect! I give this book 5 out of 5 tiaras because I was so engaged and concerned about Polly!

LizTolsma has written another great addition to the True Crimes series with the Silver Shadow. Detective Edwin Price and Newswriter Polly Blythe work together to try to catch the "Silver Shadow", as Polly has dubbed him. He has gained notoriety by creeping in alleys, sneaking up on lone women who are hurrying home, and smashing them over the head with a pipe! There are many exciting and sad twists and turns as two work together, sometimes willingly and sometimes not, to find the culprit.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a piece of unusual historical fiction. I think it has been one of the best books in the series so far!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review

I have thoroughly enjoyed each stand alone novel in the True Color Crime series. This latest addition by Liz Tolsma is filled with suspense. In Denver early 1900s, while investigating horrible crimes, a friendship develops between two very interesting characters. Edwin, the detective and Polly, the reporter, each have issues from their past which they work through as they continue to attempt to track down this criminal. Tolsma adds a delightful romance as they continue to work to solve these crimes. Based on true crime stories, Tolsma crafts an interesting scenario which kept me reading. I was given a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Liz Tolsma's The Silver Shadow is based around crimes perpetrated by the once infamous "Capitol Hill Thug" who assaulted women walking alone after dark in 1900-1901 Denver. In an end note, the author states that this was her most fictionalized of the four stories she's written for the multi-author True Colors series of true American Historical crime/Inspirational romantic suspense from Barbour Books.

With little source material to work with, Tolsma has woven the story of a young newspaper reporter, Polly Blythe, who is determined to prove herself in a field hostile to women and the policeman, Edwin Timmer, who is determined to bring the Shadow to justice. Interspersed between Polly and Edwin's growing attraction as they work together and face professional obstacles are chapters that slowly reveal the motivation of the man Polly will name the Silver Shadow.

The Silver Shadow is the eleventh book in the True Crimes series, which can (luckily for me) be read in any order. So, if you have enjoyed other titles in the series you may enjoy this new addition, or if not, then this is a fine place to start. Either way, this is an enjoyable entry in the series, bringing to life an obscure piece of American criminal history. At times it felt that the proscribed length for this series was a hindrance to delving deeper, but Polly and Edwin are personable, the challenges they face keep the story moving, and I enjoyed how commonplace the element of faith was in Edwin's home and the police station - though not in the newspaper office.

This review refers to a temporary digital galley I voluntarily read via NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher. A positive review was not required and all opinions are my own

He would show all of them. He wasn’t a man to let a woman get the best of him. Those women would realize where their proper place was in the world.

The Silver Shadow is a factionalized accounting of the true story of The Capital Hill Thug. The early 1900’s found Denver experiencing many changes, not the least of which was more freedom for women. Working outside the home, women were seen in many places, without the accompanying male escorts of the past. For the Silver Shadow, this was a huge problem - one he was sure God wanted him to fix.

Be prepared to hang on to the edge of your seat, don’t scream and just pray that Detective Edwin Price of the Denver Police Department will be able to traverse all the plot twists before this perpetrator kills again. Reporter Polly Blythe, trying to establish a name for herself, becomes the spokesperson against this crime. But when events bring this very close to home, will she become the latest victim?

This incredible true crime story is part of the True Colors series made available by Barbour Publishing. An ARC was received through NetGalley. The comments and impressions are my own and were in no way solicited.