SUMMONS, THE

Once Judge Atlee was a powerful figure in Clanton,Mississippi--a pillar of the community who towered over local lawand politics for forty years. Now the judge is a shadow of hisformer self, a sick, lonely old man who has withdrawn to hissprawling ancestral home. Knowing the end is near, Judge Atlee hasissued a summons for his two sons to return to Clanton to discusshis estate. Ray Atlee is the eldest, a Virginia law professor,newly single and still enduring the aftershocks of a surprisedivorce. Forrest is Ray's younger brother, who redefines the notionof a family's black sheep. The summons is typed by the judgehimself, on his handsome old stationery, and gives the date andtime for Ray and Forrest to appear in his study. Ray reluctantlyheads south to his hometown, to the place where he grew up and nowprefers to avoid. But the family meeting does not take place. Thejudge dies too soon, and in doing so leaves behind a shockingsecret known only to Ray. And perhaps someone else.