But none of those writers were inside the Maxwell home along the Pound River on July 20-21, 1935. Even Hatfield, after years of research, can't definitively say what happened.

Was Trigg hit with a shoe? A hatchet? Was he hit by Edith? Or was it Ann? Or was he hit at all?

And that's the thrill of a great mystery and what drew crowds to hear her speak. Some had grown up hearing the "Slipper Slayer" stories all their lives. Some had never heard Maxwell's name until this month. Many were intrigued by the serialized excerpts published in The Coalfield Progress.

Brenda Salyers, a longtime member of the Historical Society of the Pound, operates Heritage Nook Books, one of the sponsors of the Saturday event during Pound Heritage Days. She greeted visitors through the door of the former Federated store, once a thriving business in downtown Pound. During the weekend Pound Heritage Festival, the building was filled with books related to Wise County and Pound - its history, culture, recipes, storytelling, genealogy and more.

And featured prominently was "Never Seen the Moon: The Trials of Edith Maxwell." Salyers estimated about 200 copies were sold on Saturday - every copy Hatfield and her husband, Wise native Jack Wright, brought with them from their home in Athens, Ohio.

Hatfield and Wright were joined in the crowd by longtime friends Frank Taylor, an actor and musician who grew up in Norton and Wise; Dudley Cocke of Norton, a film maker who works with Appalshop in Whitesburg, Ky.; Norton teacher Mary Slemp and musician and film maker Gary Slemp; musician and local teacher Ron Swindall and many others.

It was Gary Slemp's mother, the late Evelyn Slemp of Wise, who first told Hatfield the story about Edith Maxwell.

WAITING IN LINE

Larenda Salyers Page, Brenda Salyers' daughter, traveled from her home in Haymarket to help her mother with the Memorial Day weekend events. "We did a lot of advance work to get ready for today," Page said. "We are so glad to be in this larger space."

Page was thrilled to have a book about Pound released in conjunction with Pound Heritage Days. "How great to have a book about Pound out," she said. "I am going to try to get my book club to read it."

Page said her book club has already read the "Big Stone Gap" series of books by Adriana Trigiani. "The more Wise County offers, the better," she said. "And the more people can see of this part of the world that isn't just negative hillbilly stuff, the better."

Glenn Roberts, whose father was a basketball legend at Pound High School and is credited with creating the jump shot, attended the festival with his wife, Patti. "I want to read more of her book," Roberts said, before coming into the room. "It's great to read more about local color, local heritage."

Taylor said he recalled hearing stories of Edith Maxwell from childhood. It was intriguing even then - a young woman who may have killed her dad with a shoe. Is that possible? Did it happen? Taylor said the story has stuck in his mind for years.

"It makes me proud to have a book out about Pound, especially when it's written by someone you know," he said.

Faye Funk of Wise grew up outside Pound but said the murder "happened when I was too small to know it." Reading the excerpts in the newspaper piqued her curiosity and brought her out on Saturday to buy a book and have it signed.

Sandy Bolling of Pound was also standing in line. Bolling teaches seventh grade at J.W. Adams Combined School and also has been reading the excerpts in the paper. She said she'd never heard of Edith Maxwell until reading the serialization in the paper. "But the excerpts were great and made me want to learn more."

Bolling said she wants to include some Appalachian literature in her lesson plans next year and may have her students read the excerpts next year. "I can't wait to read the entire book," she said.

Toni Thacker of Hurricane also has been reading the excerpts and said she was "dying to go over and get a book." Every edition, "I couldn't wait to get the Coalfield," she said.

She was joined in line by her friend Tammy Kennedy Hilt, a native of Coeburn who now lives in Tazewell County.

Hilt was visiting her parents in Coeburn for the Memorial Day weekend. Hilt, who subscribes to the paper, said she has been reading the excerpts to her husband's 95-year-old aunt. "I came to visit my parents, but we slipped off for a bit to come get the book," Hilt said. "Now I can start reading the whole book to my husband's aunt. I know she will be thrilled."

HATFIELD REFLECTS

Hatfield's hand was aching by 4:30 p.m., as she estimated she had signed nearly 200 books. Was she tired? No way. She said she felt energized and thrilled.

"The response by the public has been a real boost," she said. "I am really appreciative. It does my heart good to see the reaction of the public."

She was excited to talk to citizens like Brenda Mullins of Pound, who shared her own family connections to famous local people like Devil John Wright. Mullins said she had spent many hours researching her family genealogy, becoming more excited as she found evidence that corroborated stories she had been told.

Hatfield said her book research could be tedious, but there were moments of unadulterated excitement. "I would come across something great and my hands would shake while turning the crank on the microfilm machine," she said.

Hatfield said many people said they wanted to read the book because of the serialization published in The Coalfield Progress. "That really got a lot of people interested and got a lot of people here today," she said. "It was a great boost."

Hatfield also said she was excited to make family connections with people who knew about the case "I've really gotten good feedback today and made important connections. I've really been honored to help them or help open a window on the past or on their family history."