Book: Sycamore Row by John Grisham

Clanton, Ford County, Mississipi.

It's been three years since Jake Brigance won the case against Carl Lee Hailey (A Time to Kill). Because of that trial, the Klan burned his house and then tried to kill him. He is now struggling, fighting with the insurance company over his home and his office "filled with wills and deeds and two-bit contract disputes, not one decent criminal case and no promising car wrecks. "

But then Seth Hubbard commits suicide and leaves a holographic will (a will that is written and signed by the person making the will with no witnesses). Two days later, Jake receives a letter with a request from Seth to be the lawyer for his estate…to make certain this last will is honored, a will in which he leaves most of his considerable estate to a poor black woman. He explicitly disinherits any living relatives which surely does get the attention of a whole slew of lawyers as the offended parties gather.

I couldn't put the book down; the story was fascinating; the characters good and bad, black and white;  and the venue a vicarious trip to a warmer place than frigid Michigan.

Mr. Grisham just tells a good tale. Anyone who likes his writing won't be disappointed. Of course throughout I kept seeing the devilishly handsome Matthew McConaughey and his seductive sweet-honey way of speaking, a perfect choice for this character.

"Jake walked into the Coffee Shop at five minutes after seven….The subject was changed the moment Jake walked in each morning, and as soon as he left it was if someone flipped a switch and Seth's will was again front and center…There were strong opinions that a man in his right mind should be able to give away his property as he pleased, regardless of his family Others argued he wasn't in his right mind. Lettie had her share of detractors. She was widely believed to be a loose woman who took advantage of poor old Seth."