The characters are well-written, compelling, and realistic - behaving true to their depicted personalities.

The disbarred Lucien, Jake's friend and ex-partner who is an alcoholic but when sober still a sharp legal mind, goes to Alaska and manages to obtain Ancil's testimony. Ancil explains why Seth left the money to his housekeeper and the significance of the sycamore tree from which he hung himself.As you can imagine, this causes quite the commotion and Seth’s children and grandchildren commence a lawsuit to fight for the money. Jake Brigance was given specific instructions to do whatever it takes to make sure the handwritten will was enforced and a jury trial commences. Things get complicated and ugly fast, with Seth’s family trying to disparage Lettie at every turn so that they can convince the jury that Seth Hubbard was not in his right mind when he wrote the handwritten will. They want that money and will stop at nothing to get it. His handwritten will raises so many questions .. Why would Seth Hubbard leave Lettie Lang all of his money? And was he in his right mind when he wrote it? .. the list goes on. John Grisham's A Time to Kill is one of the most popular novels of our time. Now we return to that famous courthouse in Clanton as Jake Brigance once again finds himself embroiled in a fiercely controversial trial - a trial that will expose old racial tensions and force Ford County to confront its tortured history. Seth expected his family to oppose the will, so he sent it to Jake Brigance. He is happy that his children would be falsely mourning him and not knowing they’ve been cut from the will.

This was a great book and interesting to read. It was another hit for John Grisham in my opinion. Well developed characters, old and new, and a sharp dialogue.The second will raises many more questions than it answers. Why would Hubbard leave nearly all of his fortune to his maid? Had chemotherapy and painkillers affected his ability to think clearly? And what does it all have to do with a piece of land once known as Sycamore Row?