Shelby launches her own investigation into the crimes. After finding out that Greg and his father had moved to this town after their old home burnt down - with Greg’s mother inside - Shelby finds Greg’s gasoline-soaked mitten near the scene of the latest arson. But one day Greg suddenly becomes more interesting to Shelby - though for all the wrong reasons: Shelby begins to suspect that Greg is responsible for the series of arsons that have occurred in her small New Brunswick town in recent weeks. After all, she’s more interested in the athletic Nick Jarvis. Short-listed for the 2003 Red Maple Award and Arthur Ellis Award for Best Juvenile Book, commended for the 2003 Canadian Children’s Book Centre Our Choice Selection Shelby Belgarden isn’t exactly thrilled when people start thinking Greg is her boyfriend. (Short-listed for the 2003 Red Maple Award and Arthur Elli.) Out of the Ashes: A Shelby Belgarden Mystery In 2020 Shelley published 'The Rise and Fall of Derek Cowell.' It is written in the light-hearted style of Sherrard's well-received 2015 novel, 'Random Acts.' In 2008, she expanded her work to include picture books and junior novels and she enjoys the new challenges of writing for those age groups. Valerie eventually gave up fostering and her work at the group home, but she still enjoys writing for teens and children. Her other works include the 'Shelby Belgarden Mysteries,' 'Watcher,' 'Sarah's Legacy,' 'Speechless,' and her first historical novel, 'Three Million Acres of Flame.'

In 2002 Valerie's first book 'Out of the ashes' was published.

It was quite natural, in light of those experiences, that when she began to write in earnest, she wrote for young adults. Sherrard also worked for twelve years as the Executive Director of a group home for adolescents, Glenelg Youth Alliance. Over the years, she fostered close to 70 teens for various lengths of time. A personal tragedy led Valerie to make the decision to become a foster parent. Carrie is brilliantly manipulative and manages to convince most everyone that she is a victim.Valerie has made her home in New Brunswick since 1980. Some of the situations are a bit over the top but in the style of psychological thriller. Sherrard gets so much right in the novel's tone and in the girl's chemistry that its impossible not to buy into her thoroughly modern take on teenage vigilante justice. Readers will be rooting for Shana to figure out how Carrie manages to always come out on top and will be quivering with intensity, eagerly flipping the pages to find out what happens next. Testify is a solid thriller and mystery story with definite 'true crime' aspects, but it manages to hold the reader's attention without resorting to violence of any kind. Sherrard generally does a great job of creating a sense of intrigue and mystery while capturing the tone of modern adolescents interactions and their desperate need to be accepted into a group.

Testify by Valerie Sherrard