The Scarlet Pen (True Colors) by Jennifer Uhlarik

 

Step into True Colors — a series of Historical Stories of Romance and True American Crime
 
Enjoy a tale of true but forgotten history of a 19th century serial killer whose silver-tongued ways almost trap a young woman into a nightmarish marriage.
 
In 1876, Emma Draycott is charmed into a quick engagement with childhood friend Stephen Dee Richards after reconnecting with him at a church event in Mount Pleasant, Ohio. But within the week, Stephen leaves to “make his fame and fortune.” The heartbroken Emma gives him a special pen to write to her, and he does with tales of grand adventures. Secret Service agent Clay Timmons arrives in Mount Pleasant to track purchases made with fake currency. Every trail leads back to Stephen—and therefore, Emma. Can he convince the naive woman she is engaged to a charlatan who is being linked a string of deaths in Nebraska?

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About The Author

Jennifer Uhlarik discovered the western genre as a pre-teen, when she swiped the only “horse” book she found on her older brother’s bookshelf. A new love was born. Across the next ten years, she devoured Louis L’Amour westerns and fell in love with the genre. In college at the University of Tampa, she began penning her own story of the Old West. Armed with a B.A. in writing, she has won five writing competitions and finaled in two other competitions. In addition to writing, she has held jobs as a private business owner, a schoolteacher, a marketing director, and her favorite—a full-time homemaker. Jennifer is active in American Christian Fiction Writers and lifetime member of the Florida Writers Association. She lives near Tampa, Florida, with her husband, teenaged son, and four fur children. 

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My Review

 

This is a fictional story that is based on true crimes, and that is scary. The author did a great job of following the facts to make this story good, and you get more information at the end of this read with the Author's Notes!

I enjoyed how this story wove together, not only do we have the bad guy, a really bad guy, but we touch on the Pony Express and because counterfeit money, the Secret Service.

The main criminal is beyond evil, and as the story progresses he seems to get worse, having no regard for human life.

We are balanced out with some really good Godly individuals, that are played in both Emma's and Clay's lives, and we hope all we soon care about will be there in the end.

Yes, this becomes a page turner of a read, you will need answers!

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Barbour, and was not required to give a positive review.