Recently recovered from a stroke, Fonnie Beachum is ready to reclaim her life--with a little help from her grandson, a rookie cop, and a competent but preoccupied aide who helps out daily. But her bustling North Carolina town is embroiled in a bitter controversy over a proposed landfill, and Fonnie has divided loyalties. And when Christine Hauner, Fonnie's aide, is found dead at a demonstration, the older woman takes it personally.

Along with her new friend Bebe Englehook, a dedicated activist determined to expose the dangerous landfill scheme, Fonnie digs into Christine's past. But high-stakes corruption and scandal are dangerous traps for a woman just learning to walk with a cane. And Fonnie hasn't come this far to sell out to a clever killer--at any price.