Murder at the Shelor Sawmill, by Michael Giles

In the hills of Floyd County, Virginia, the sound of a sawmill carries for miles. One morning, it carries news of murder. When saw filer Ben Harper is found dead at the Shelor Sawmill, Sheriff Mike Norman is called to investigate. At first, Ben’s death appears connected to the dangerous machinery surrounding him. But Mike soon discovers that Ben had noticed something no one else had—a small but persistent shortage in the mill’s most valuable hardwood. Walnut. Cherry. White oak. Someone has been stealing lumber. And Ben had been keeping count. To uncover the truth, Mike must learn the workings of the unusual Shelor Sawmill itself—from its massive circular saws and specialized planning equipment to the remarkable craftsmen who can hear an imperfection in a saw blade that most men cannot even see. Because Ben Harper didn’t discover the crime by accident. He discovered it because he understood his work. And somewhere in the numbers he left behind is the identity of the man who killed him. Set against the mountains and back roads of Floyd County, Virginia, Murder at the Shelor Sawmill is a small-town historical mystery of greed, betrayal, craftsmanship, and murder—where nearly everyone has something to hide, but only one man has killed to keep his secret.