The ruthless, moneyed Hubbard clan lives in, and poisons, their part of the Deep South at the turn of the 20th century. Regina Giddens née Hubbard has her daughter under her thumb. Mrs. Giddens is estranged from her husband, who suffers from a terminal illness and is convalescing in Baltimore. But she needs him home, and will manipulate her daughter to help bring him back. She has a sneaky business deal that she's cooking up with her two older brothers, Oscar and Ben. Oscar has a flighty, unhappy wife and a dishonest worm of a son. Will the daughter need to marry this contemptible cousin? Who will she grow up to be--her mother or her aunt? Or can she escape the fate of both?—J. Spurlin