Set against the grit of 1950s Virginia, 'The Boys Who Woke Up Early' is a tale of youthful ambition and dangerous playacting in a world marred by deep-seated racism and class struggles. Stony Shelor, a high school junior, dreams of a life beyond the confines of his small town and the affections of Mary Lou Martin, seemingly unattainable. His monotonous existence is disrupted by the arrival of Jack Newcomb, an alluring newcomer with a penchant for detective stories and jazz. Together, they embark on a journey of becoming amateur sleuths, indulging in the adventures of private detectives, and their zeal for investigations earns them a place at the sheriff's office. As Stony and Jack dive into their first case amid the county's seedy underbelly, their escapades turn perilous. What begins as a thrilling game spirals into a clash with violent hillbillies and the Ku Klux Klan, thrusting the boys into a confrontation where play-acting meets real-world danger.