When Earl Alden is found dead, his wife Missy is arrested. Unfortunately for Joe Pickett, Missy is his much-disliked mother-in- law. All signs point to her being guilty as sin. But then things happen to make Joe wonder if everything is as it seems. He has the county DA and sheriff on one side, his wife on the other, and some powerful interests breathing down his neck. Whichever way this goes, it's not going to be good.