Lives Intertwined is the story of prominent Charlestonians who beguiled one another before and following the murder of Juliet Staunton Clark in August of 1953. The narrative delves deep into the persona of Mayor John Copenhaver and that of Charleston Daily Mail owner Lyell Clay, son of the murdered socialite who dies violently, her body mutilated by a savage assault. The Copenhaver-Clay bond is the cornerstone of Charleston's decade of progress and pain in the fifties. Copenhaver's axe squad breaks down doors of iniquity, Lyell Clay's entrepreneurialism builds a fortune, his beneficence eventually changing the face of Charleston. Copenhaver is hailed and hated - Clay is toasted and suspected. A man in uniform is irresistible to Julie Clark, the daughter of the murdered Juliet Clark. Julie's dalliance creates gossip and rumor - what role does the man play in the investigation of Mrs. Clark's murder? Julie flees Charleston, only to wither in France, eating food meant for her horses, leading a dreadful life. Julie's daughter, Shelley Alexander, grows up in France and weds a dashing French pilot. They move to the United States and Charleston. They build a magnificent home overlooking the city, while creating a European cafe' in the heart of the town's business district. Shelley's life turns to terror. A beauty from the coal fields emerges, playing a compelling role in a river city saga. She is said to be a gold-digger, appearing from "out of nowhere" - and lifts her hand for Charleston to kiss. Fast breaking events create a vortex of suspicion and accusation as charges are made, reputations are damaged, and lives are threatened in a river city in the shadow of a gleaming Capitol dome. The events that begin in 1950 spin wildly through the decade, gleefully chronicled by Hearst-like reporters and editors of The Charleston Gazette and The Charleston Daily Mail. Baghdad on the Kanawha! Read all about it!