Scarlet Pen

Description: Enjoy a tale of true but forgotten history of an 19th Century serial killer whose silver-tongued ways almost trap a young woman into a nightmarish marriage.

Brief description: Jennifer Uhlarik discovered the western genre as a preteen, 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 BA in writing, she has won five writing competitions and was a finalist in two others. 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 is a lifetime member of the Florida Writers Association. She lives near Tampa, Florida, with her husband, teenage son, and four fur children.

Review Quotes: "Barbour's newest True Colors crime novel, The Scarlet Pen by Jennifer Uhlarik, is a journey into the historical murders and counterfeit money business of the late 1800s. Uhlarik gets us inside the disturbed mind of Stephen Richards and his gruesome trail of murders as well as his mental dissent/justification for the crimes he committed. Hero and Secret Service agent, Clay Timmons, is Stephen's opposite in almost every way, showing kindness, gentleness, and strength of character throughout the story--even loving the heroine through her harshness and constant refusal of him. Clay offers a beautiful example of Christ's love in the middle of such heart-wrenching circumstances."
-Pepper Basham, multi-published author of The Red Ribbon and The Mitchell's Crossroads series

"If you like your historical romance novels with a dash of intrigue, a Secret Service agent, and a serial killer, you'll love The Scarlet Pen! Uhlarik will keep you turning the pages until the very end of this rollicking tale."
-Kathleen Y'Barbo, Publishers Weekly bestselling author of The Black Midnight and Firefly Summer

"A spunky and determined heroine. A rough-edged but honorable lawman. A charming suitor with humble beginnings and big dreams. The three collide in a tangle of faith, hope, and treachery, where even love may lead the heart astray and only the Spirit of God can prevail. Uhlarik's offering in the True Colors series is a tense ride!"
-Shannon McNear, 2014 RITA(R) nominee, 2021 SELAH finalist, author of The Blue Cloak, The Wise Guy and the Star in Love's Pure Light and the upcoming Daughters of the Lost Colony: Elinor