In this sequel to A Time to Kill, Grisham returns to attorney Jake Tyler Brigance three years later to tell the tale of Seth Hubbard, a wealthy lumber magnate who hangs himself from a tree in the wake of a terminal cancer diagnosis. In the moments prior to his death, Seth sends Jake a letter with orders to uphold his will, which has been recently modified to leave nearly $20 million dollars to his housekeeper. Naturally, this causes an uproar in the Hubbard family and culminates in a contestation trial that exposes the community's dark secrets.