Dovey Coe

Set in the Appalachian Mountains of 1920s North Carolina, "Dovey Coe" introduces readers to 12-year-old Dovey, a spirited and headstrong girl. She openly despises Parnell Caraway, a wealthy suitor to her beautiful older sister, Caroline, largely because of his cruel treatment of her deaf brother, Amos. When Parnell is found dead and Dovey is discovered with the body, she becomes the main suspect in a murder trial. The book is a first-person narrative, with Dovey determined to "lay the record straight" and prove her innocence. It explores themes of justice, prejudice, family loyalty, and finding your voice, all against the backdrop of a suspenseful courtroom drama. This novel is suitable for middle-grade readers ready for complex plots and serious themes.

Dovey Coe is 13 yrs. old and lives in what seems to be part of the Appalachian Mountains with her mom, dad, 14 yr. old deaf brother, Amos, and 16 yr. old beautiful sister, Caroline. Her sister wants to go away to a teaching college, but is tempted to marry the well off Parnell, whose parents own the general store in town. After Parnell is turned down he gets angry and tries to get revenge on Dovey and her brother Amos. Parnell is found dead with Dovey as the main suspect, as they are found in a storage closet together with Parnell's murder weapon being a 25 lb. soda canister.