After the rape Tonya's father, Carl Lee, plans his own revenge.
As a result, only his lawyer and friend Jake Brigance stands between him and the electric chair.
But does Jake have the experience to win this particular case? Is there a legal defense for Carl Lee's actions?
John Grisham's story takes us into the dark side of the southern United States.
Clanton has a black sheriff and many good, honest citizens, but it is at times a violent place where blacks and whites have still not learned to live together. The fear and violence increases when the Ku Klux Klan become involved. 
They, too, want revenge.