First published 1999
Carl Lee Hailey takes justice into his own hands when two white men rape his young daughter. He guns them down in the courthouse, sending shockwaves through Clanton, Mississippi. The killing divides the small town along racial lines. White supremacists mobilize for revenge while the black community rallies behind Carl Lee. Young attorney Jake Brigance agrees to defend Hailey despite the personal risk. The case threatens to tear Clanton apart as tensions explode into street violence. Brigance faces death threats and arson attacks on his home. The Ku Klux Klan marches through town while protesters clash in the streets. Brigance must navigate a legal system stacked against his client while protecting his own family from retaliation. The trial becomes a powder keg that could destroy everything Brigance holds dear. At its heart, this is a story about a father's love for his child and a lawyer's commitment to justice when both come at a deadly price.
Genres: drama, mystery, crime, legal-thriller
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-allies, family-loyalty, racial-conflict
Setting: Clanton, Mississippi
Period: 20th-century
89 pages · Paperback · Pearson ESL
Content warnings: racism, rape, violence