Book Review - The Summons

This story concerns a man summoned home by his ailing father. He finds his father dead and he also finds a large amount of hidden money. The plot revolves around his attempt to determine where the money comes from and his struggle to decide what he should do with it. I found the story somewhat less than compeling, but the book was redeemed to a large extent by its ending.
Linda Rodriguez, Resident Scholar

Judge Atlee was a powerful figure in Clanton Mississippi-a pillar of the community who towered over local law and politics for forty years. Now Judge Atlee has become quite ill, and is a lonely old man who has withdrawn to his sprawling ancestral home. He knows the end is near, and has issued a summons for his two sons to return to Clanton to discuss his estate. Ray Atlee who is the eldest, and a Virginia law professor, and Forrest is Ray's younger brother, who redefines the notion of the 'family black sheep.'

The summons is typed on Judge Atlee's handsome stationery, giving the exact date and time for his sons to appear in his study. Ray reluctantly heads south to his hometown, to the place where he grew up and now likes to avoid. But as it will turn out here, the meeting never will take place, as Judge Atlee dies before his sons make it.

What happens as Ray searches the house is interesting and should not be kept a secret, but it is. Someone else knows a secret though, and they are stalking Ray for what his father left behind.

A great book and engrossing read.
Boppy, Resident Scholar

Ray and Forrest are called home to face "the judge" and the contents of their father's will. Ray arrives first and finds not only a dead father but an inordinate amount of hidden money. As Ray attempts to find the origin of the money, Forrest enters yet another drug rehab program. Harry Rex, a small town attorney, Patton French, the self proclaimed "king of torts" and the "Bonanza," the plane Ray covets, are all well thought out characters to support the plot.
Sara , Resident Scholar