The Appalachian Trilogy

When Andy and his best friend are caught up in the turmoil of changes in the coalfields in the middle of the twentieth century, they take extremely different routes to improving means of extracting coal from the earth-one through mechanization and the other through unionization-and become bitter enemies. Josh loves Ellen, his wonderful little schoolmate with the crossed eyes, and he promises her that they will always be together. He leaves his depressed area, seeking a better life. But he keeps returning to the shadow of the Stoneface landmark. Each time he is drawn back, a more powerful force drives him to leave again. Young Reverend Hawk, an ex-soldier and ex-drunk with a shameful past, finds romance and rancor in the Bible Belt, when he is assigned, against his will, to return to the hometown he dislikes, to take over a problematical church. He is startled to learn that all of his predecessors have died strangely. So he must race against time to unravel all the mysteries before he becomes the next victim.