THE SCARLET PEN by JENNIFER UHLARIK is a riveting true crime romantic thriller, with interesting characters and a strong Christian message.
The story starts in Mount Pleasant Ohio with Emma Draycott's engagement to Stephen Dee Richards, who she has known since their school days.
Emma is a God fearing woman who loves the Bible and has many verses that are especially meaningful to her. When she shares them with her fiancé he is not that interested, which is not the case with Clay Timmons, the dashing and kind Secret Service Agent who is looking into the spread of counterfeit money. It is quite interesting to see the analogy between counterfeit money and counterfeit Christianity.
I do not want to spoil the story for you so I will just say that it is an exciting, if somewhat chilling, read and one I recommend to anyone who enjoys a good romantic thriller.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Barbour Publishing. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

As a fan of historical fiction, I was drawn to this book by the premise of exploring the crimes of a nineteenth century serial killer in the American West, Stephen Dee Richards, through the lens of his betrothed. Although the character of Emma Draycott, Stephen's betrothed, is a fictional one, her devotion to him, her desire to want to believe in his innocence, and her dawning horror as she faces increasing evidence that he is guilty and not the man she believed him to be are compelling and sympathetic. I also liked her relationship with her family, especially with her younger sister, Cynthia, and her mother, who was very compassionate and understanding. The family scenes as well as Emma's conflicted and evolving feelings for Special Agent Clay could be very heart-warming indeed.

As heart-warming as the scenes with Emma and her family or between Emma and Clay could be, the sections delving into Stephen's point of view as he committed his heinous crimes were chilling. They weren't excessively gory, but they didn't need to be to convey the grave nature of Stephen's crimes and his lack of remorse while he was carrying them out. His charm, his capacity to deceive multiple women, his lack of empathy for those he encountered, and his killing a litter of kittens all really conveyed him as the sociopathic serial killer he was at this time.

Major themes of this book are the concept of faith, both in God and in each other, as well as the meaning of forgiveness and mercy particularly in regard to the idea of divine forgiveness through sincere repentance.

I would recommend this book to fans of historical fiction, Westerns, thrillers, and Christian literature.

This book is part of the True Colours series based on true crime, yet each story can be read as a stand alone.

Emma Draycott is a young woman engaged to her childhood friend, Stephen Richardson. While they've only just reconnected after a month, she is convinced of his love and honesty. He leaves quickly on for a 'business venture,' without telling her where or with whom he is travelling. Clay Timmons, a Secret Service agent, has been investigating counterfeit bills which turn up in Richardson's wake, but Emma is unwilling to question the evidence put before her. Then, as Clay continues to follow Richardson, bodies begin to turn up, and it's no longer just about the money. Stephen's charming letters seem to convince Emma of his good character, but will she remain naive and become his next victim?

Emma's naivety drove my analytical mind bonkers, but this story brings into question how do we learn to trust people, and how do we discern the true character of a person. I enjoyed the story and the series!

Another winner in the True Colors series. While part of a series, this book can be read as a standalone book. This is because the series is linked by the fact that all stories are based on a historical event.

I wasn't familiar with this story before reading the book but I found it engaging. As a result, I read it in one sitting. I must say that I loved the ending (no spoilers here!).

I got this book free in exchange for an honest review. This is a book I would buy. I enjoyed it and would definitely read other books by this author.