First published 1948
Lucas Beauchamp has never bowed his head to white authority in Yoknapatawpha County. The elderly black man carries himself with a dignity that unsettles the established order. When a white man turns up dead, the community quickly points fingers at Lucas. The evidence seems clear enough for most folks, but Lucas maintains his innocence from behind jail bars. Young Chick Mallison finds himself drawn into the case, despite the social pressures that should keep him away. As tensions rise and a lynch mob gathers, Chick must decide whether to stand by Lucas or let the town's version of justice take its course. The investigation reveals layers of deception and long-buried secrets that challenge everything Chick thought he knew about his community. At its heart, this is a story about courage in the face of overwhelming prejudice and the price of doing what's right when everyone else chooses the easy path.
Genres: american-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, african-american, mystery, crime
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: courage-in-adversity, moral-dilemma, social-injustice
Setting: Yoknapatawpha County
Period: 20th-century
247 pages · Hardcover · Random House
Content warnings: racism