At the celebration of his 100th birthday, local billionaire Francis Hearty Withers announces that he has finalized his will. In it, he bequeaths $1 billion to his north Georgia hometown of Witherston and another $1 billion to be divided up equally among the town’s 4,000 residents in recognition of their support for a Senextra pharmaceutical factory. Senextra is a drug that enables individuals to lead healthy lives well into their second century, but it has some unanticipated consequences.
Two days later Withers is found dead. A few people die in unusual circumstances and others live in unusual circumstances in this first mystery novel by Betty Jean Craige, University Professor Emerita of Comparative Literature and Director Emerita of the Willson Center for Humanities and Arts at UGA.
