Shelly's Diary

In the hidden world of Appalachia, cut off from the outside and frozen in a moment of time from yesteryear, two young women embark on an enthralling adventure that one of them chronicles in Shelly's Diary. The two outsiders combine an unusual mix of sophistication and charm to penetrate the mysteriously closed society. When the murder of a neighbor occurs, the mountain community turns against them as they land in jail charged with the heinous crime. The defense team--a bellicose, old Southern lawyer and a young criminal attorney from upstate Virginia who was top of her class--uses the diary to explore every contact made during the intriguing summer leading to its tumultuous conclusion. The ever-entertaining attorneys lead the young women through anguished preparation, a declined plea bargain attempt and a full-blown trial. This delectable tale of murderous intrigue meticulously foreshadows the unforgettable and unpredictable climax.