Thursday, April 2, 2020

"The Blue Cloak" by Shannon McNear -- Book Review, Blog Tour, and Giveaway

About the Book

Book:  The Blue  Cloak
Author: Shannon McNear
Genre:  Christian Historical/Suspense
Release Date: March, 2020
9781643523149Evil Incarnate Leaves a Trail of Destruction across the Frontier
Book 5 in the True Colors series—Fiction Based on Strange-But True History
Rachel Taylor lives a rather mundane existence in 1797 at the way station her family runs along the Wilderness Road in Tennessee. She attends her friend Sally Rice’s wedding only to watch the marriage dissolve into horror has the groom, Wiley Harpe, and his cousin Micajah become murderers on the run, who drag their families along. Declaring a “war on all humanity,” the Harpes won’t be stopped, and Ben Langford is on their trail to see if his own cousin was one of their latest victims.
How many will die before peace can return to the frontier?

My Thoughts

"The Blue Cloak" is part of the True Colors series, but is not tied to any of the other books. It is a standalone book. I found the book to be well written and enjoyed how it was written so it felt like it was in the language from the time period. Shannon McNear did a good job of showing the horrors of what the Harpes did without actually showing most of the acts they committed. There is a faith thread woven through the story. It was interesting seeing a little of what life was like in frontier villages. 

About the Author

ShannonMcNearTransplanted to North Dakota after more than two decades in Charleston, South Carolina, Shannon McNear loves losing herself in local history. She’s a military wife, mom of eight, mother-in-law of three, grammie of two, and a member of ACFW and RWA. Her first novella, Defending Truth in A Pioneer Christmas Collection, was a 2014 RITA® finalist. When she’s not sewing, researching, or leaking story from her fingertips, she enjoys being outdoors, basking in the beauty of the northern prairies. Connect with her at www.shannonmcnear.com, or on Facebook and Goodreads.

More from Shannon

How dark is too dark for a Christian to write?
That was the question I wrestled with when deciding whether or not to take on the story of the Harpes. The histories in Scripture itself aren’t rated G, but writing fiction requires a level of detail and depth of emotion I wasn’t sure would be wise, or helpful, to explore in this case. But as I prayed and sought the counsel of those whose discernment I trust, the answer came back, overwhelmingly …
Is God stronger than the darkness, or not?
Well, of course He is. And nothing in human history has ever escaped His notice, or taken Him by surprise.
So, was there something redeeming to be found in the tale of the Harpes?
For the first few weeks of research, I walked around in a state of shock at the horror of the historical accounts, but details surfaced that helped me shape my fictional characters Rachel and Ben. With Rachel working in her family’s trading post near the wild frontier town of Knoxville, Tennessee, and Ben a lawyer who recently passed the bar, the real-life Hugh Lawson White provided a handy connection point between them. Many other details fell together in ways I had not foreseen when I began developing the story. Sally Rice Harpe, however, rose to the forefront. This was more her story than anyone’s, but realizing I couldn’t properly write the book without using her point of view? That was scary. I knew the moments I’d have to visit, some of them in real-time.
Despite the tragedy, however, I could see an overarching story of spiritual warfare. Felt a growing conviction that prayer must have played a vital role in bringing the Harpes’ reign of terror to an end. So it is my hope that against the backdrop of one of the most chilling episodes of our country’s early history, the hand of God shows clearly, and that yes, the reader finds it redemptive.

Blog Stops

Emily Yager, March 25
Genesis 5020, March 26
Remembrancy, March 26
Among the Reads, March 27
Betti Mace, March 30
Older & Smarter?, March 30
Robin’s Nest, March 31
Stories By Gina, April 1
By The Book, April 2
Artistic Nobody, April 3 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)
Pause for Tales, April 5
Hallie Reads, April 6

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Shannon is giving away the grand prize package of a copy of The Blue Cloak and a $25 Amazon gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

"The Blue Cloak" is available in paperback:
  • Series: True Colors
  • Paperback: 256 pages
  • Publisher: Barbour Books (March 1, 2020)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1643523147
  • ISBN-13: 978-1643523149
  • Product Dimensions: 5.6 x 0.7 x 8.4 inches

and in Kindle edition:
  • File Size: 1924 KB
  • Print Length: 256 pages
  • Publisher: Barbour Books (March 1, 2020)
  • Publication Date: February 14, 2020
  • Sold by: Amazon.com Services LLC
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B081GG9JVQ


I got a free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and given voluntarily. No compensation was received for my review.
at

3 comments:

  1. Shannon McNearApril 2, 2020 at 2:16 PM

    Thank you so much for taking the time to read, review, and feature the story on your blog! I hugely appreciate the kind words as well. Blessings! ❤

    ReplyDelete
  2. Rita WrayApril 2, 2020 at 5:04 PM

    Sounds like a good read.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Vivian FurbayApril 3, 2020 at 6:34 AM

    With a horrible beginning I would like to read this to see if they catch these murderers and what happens to their families. Vivian Furbay jtandviv (at) q (dot) com

    ReplyDelete