2 4 , ▁ 1 9 2 7 ▁- ▁October ▁ 1 1 , ▁ 2 0 0 7 ) ▁was ▁an ▁American ▁writer ▁born ▁in ▁New nan , ▁Georgia . ▁ ▁After ▁att ending ▁Georgia ▁College ▁she ▁studied ▁journal ism ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Georgia ▁in ▁Ath ens . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁rep orter ▁for ▁the ▁New nan ▁Times - Her ald , ▁Bar nes ▁became ▁interested ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 8 ▁case ▁of ▁John ▁Wal lace ' s ▁murder ▁of ▁one ▁of ▁his ▁ten ant ▁far mers . ▁This ▁interest ▁lead ▁to ▁her ▁book ▁Mur der ▁in ▁Cow eta ▁County ▁which ▁won ▁an ▁Ed gar ▁All an ▁Po e ▁Award ▁for ▁an ▁out standing ▁fact - cr ime ▁study ▁from ▁the ▁Myst ery ▁Writ ers ▁of ▁America . ▁ ▁Mur der ▁in ▁Cow eta ▁County ▁was ▁published ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁and ▁made ▁into ▁a ▁television ▁movie ▁st arring ▁Andy ▁Griff ith ▁and ▁Johnny ▁C ash ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 3 . ▁ ▁Bar nes ' ▁second ▁book , ▁A ▁B uzz ard ▁is ▁My ▁Best ▁Friend , ▁was ▁published ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 . ▁ ▁A ▁B uzz ard ▁is ▁My ▁Best ▁Friend ▁was ▁aut obi ographical , ▁and ▁de alt ▁with ▁her ▁life ▁in ▁Virginia ▁as ▁a ▁far mer , ▁and ▁earned ▁Bar nes ▁a ▁Georgia ▁Author ▁of ▁the ▁Year ▁Award . ▁ ▁Her ▁third ▁book , ▁The ▁T rag edy ▁and ▁the ▁Tri umph ▁of ▁Ph enix ▁City , ▁Alabama ,