On a sultry summer morning in 1970's Mississippi, sixteen-year-old Cissy follows her father out to the garage and shoots him dead. In the upheaval that follows, it's revealed that Cissy's father had been abusing her for years and she had reason to believe he was moving on to her younger sisters. Cissy's horrified mother, Caroline, seems to be more concerned about her own plight and her standing in the community than about Cissy, so Caroline's mother, Janelle, steps in and takes charge of Cissy's fate. Janelle doesn't have much of a relationship with Caroline or her granddaughters and is somewhat surprised by the closeness that develops between herself and Cissy as they really get to know each other. This heartfelt novel takes a close look at the complicated, complex relationship between three generations of Southern women in a time of crisis. This is not a book you'll easily forget.