Appalachian Justice

Cedar Hollow, Book 1

By: Melinda Clayton

Narrated by: Lee Covington

Deep in the mountains of Appalachia, Billy May Platte learned the hard way that 1940s West Virginia was no place to be gay:

"We was sheltered in them hills. We didn't know much of nothin' about life outside of them mountains. I did not know the word lesbian; to us, gay meant havin' fun and queer meant somethin' strange."'

In 1945, when Billy May was 14 years old and alone, three local boys witnessed an incident in which Billy May's sexuality was called into question. Determined to teach her a lesson she would never forget, they orchestrated a brutal attack that changed the dynamics of the tiny coal mining village of Cedar Hollow, West Virginia forever.

Thirty years after the brutal attack, living in solitude on top of Crutcher Mountain, Billy May discovers the hideout of a young girl - a girl who just happens to be the daughter of one of the boys who attacked Billy May so long ago. No one knows better than Billy May the telltale signs of abuse, and she must quickly make a decision. Will she withdraw into the solitude in which she has lived since the horrific attack, or will she risk everything to save the girl from a similar fate? In spite of the heartbreaking incidents that take place in the novel, the book is ultimately a tribute to the resiliency of the human spirit and a celebration of the beauty of second chances.

Underneath it all, Appalachian Justice is also a powerful love story, though certainly not a conventional one.

©2010 Melinda Clayton (P)2013 Melinda Clayton

Great read

Loved the story . She got way of life right on . Billie Mae was a great character .

a wonderful story

these characters will forever be a part of my life. Thank you to the author and narrator

Loved this book.

I'll start with the fact that I cried practically thru the entire book. The level of violence against these women broke my heart. It's very tough to listen to. But the story is beautiful .

A harrowing story of grit and determination.

Such a great performance and a story that sadly is a true reflection of life for many women in the mountains of Appalachia.

Looking forward to the next chapter.

Must listen

This was a very good story. Once I purchased it I read or listened every chance I got. I usually prefer reading over listening if the story is good--it's faster. This book I MUCH preferred listening. The narrator brought the story alive and developed the characters with voice nuances and inflection I would have missed by reading...she was amazing. The book itself is rich with knowledge and understanding of human nature and it's spectrum from pure evil to immense caring. The "pure evil" was a little hard to read and hear--it was told with stark yet descriptive terms and pulled no punches. The story has an Appalachian setting but is in no way Southern gothic, as one reviewer stated "backwoods is not backward." Many modern stories about this area show most characters to be a bit on the shady side. Not so with this book, it showed triumph over evil in a realistic way. I do think the epilogue went on a bit too long. I have to forgive this because had it ended where I see appropriate, I would have been left wanting more which is always the sign of a good story. I will be looking in to more work from this author and this narrator.