I really love the character of Dovey Coe. She is a sassy young lady who speaks her mind. The story opens up and the reader finds out that Dovey is accused of killing Parnell Caraway. Parnell's father was the richest man around. Parnell and his sister, Paris, were two of the meanest kids around. Parnell was smitten with Dovey's sister Caroline. Caroline and Dovey were very different. Carolina was a beauty who seemed fragile. She used her looks to sometimes get what she wanted. Dovey also had a brother, Amos. Amos did not speak or hear but he used other ways to communicate. He and Dovey roamed the area gathering rocks, animals and plants. Eventhough Amos is older than Dovey she often assumes the role of his protector.
Parnell and Dovey had hated each other from the beginning. Parnell looked down on other people and he treated Amos poorly. Dovey could not believe Caroline was even entertaining him. One night while visiting for dinner, Parnell made what he thought was a joke but it made Caroline made. He made the assumption that she would not go to college like her original plan but stay in Indian Creek and become his wife. Parnell said why would Caroline want to become a teacher. He had never seen her pick up a book and he wasn't sure she could even read!
Caroline decided after Parnell's comment that she wanted a big going away party but she did not tell him what exactly the party was for. The Coe family spent days preparing for the party and invited all the neighbors. Parnell surprised everyone when he proposed to Caroline at the party. She rejected him in front of all the people at the party. Parnell was hell bent on revenge!
Dovey's parents had gone to take Caroline to school so she and Amos were staying with their grandparents. Dovey had gone back to their house to get clothes for church when Paris Caraway came driving up to the house. Paris said that one of Amos' dogs had tried to bite Parnell and he had the dog at his family's store. Dovey went to the store to retrieve the dog. Parnell began to scold Dovey for her smart mouth. He went to throw a brick at the dog and Dovey cut his arm with her pocket knife. Parnell pulled back his fist to hit Dovey. When she came to Dovey had a terrible headache and Parnell was dead. Dovey had no clue what happened but she was accused of murder.
Dovey goes on trial for the murder. She had her doubts about her young lawyer, Mr. Harding. It was not hard to find people in the town who knew Dovey's hatred for Parnell or who had heard her say mean things about him. Parnell was killed when he was hit over the head with a metal soda canister. Dovey was found innocent when she proved that she could not lift the canister over her head much less throw it at anyone. In the end Dovey realized that Amos had killed Parnell. He came back to the shop and found Dovey lying on the ground. He was afraid Parnell would kill her and did what he had to in order to protect Dovey.
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