Shadow of the Pines

Shadow of the Pines is a true story about three families in the hills of Virginia. Ira Phelps, Jay Mitchell, and Janice Stewart are involved in a series of disturbing events the intertwine their lives. Kylee Bentley, after the death of her father, comes to the troubled area to make a new home with Ira and his sons Billy, Matt, and Tom. Kylee Develops a deep friendship for Mary Stewart and her family. She becomes aware of the bitter hate between Ira and Jay. Jay gets his three sons involved in an age old vendetta against the Phelps. This proves to be disastrous for Kylee and changes her life profoundly. A long standing competition between Ira and Jay over illegal moonshining thickens the plot. When Tom gets involved in the politics of the area it only increases Mitchell''s desire to rid the hills of all the dastardly (as he calls them) Phelps. The situation comes to a bloody draw on Pound Mountain. This incident shocked and grieved four states in the 1890s. Kylees discovers that love and forgiveness can bridge the rift caused by hate,greed, rape, murder, and retaliation. It provides her with the strength to deal with the discovery of her true heritage. She develops an everlasting love for the people and the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. The events, character, and places are based on fact but have been fictionalized in this book.