Fiction book based on a true crime

[Catherine]

The author based this fiction book on the true story of Stephen d Richards who in 1878 killed Mrs harelson and her 3 children Daisy, Mabel and Jesse and buried them in the garden of the cottage in Kansas. He also killed Peter Anderson. The story is told by one of the children who Richards buried wrapped in a rug.

[SamSpayedPI]

The Scarlet Pen by Jennifer Uhlarik?

[David]

Hi! Do you remember when you read this book?

Do you remember the cover?

It Richards explicitly named in the book or it is just referenced enough to make the connection?

[Catherine]

Hi, read it within the last 5 years, I think the cover showed a cottage and the garden with a tree? I think Richards is named. The foreword by the author mentions the true story of the serial killer and that she (i’m sure it was a female author) wanted to tell the story from one of the victims from his grave.

[Catherine]

SamSpayedPI wrote: "The Scarlet Pen by Jennifer Uhlarik?"<
The scarlet pen is about Stephen d Richards earlier murders, the book I am looking for is specifically about the Harelson family, thank you for your suggestion

[David]

I know there are a lot, but checkout the Best True Crime list.

[Kris]

FYI. Wikipedia page on serial killer Richard Dee Richards: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen...

Murders of Harlson family (1878): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen...

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Catherine, please add some plot details to your header. It's too vague now. You can add some of the crime details or anything else you remember.