The wealthy widow Cookie, who never got over the death of her husband, decides one day to end her life. However, her niece Camille is not happy about this. For the sake of the family's reputation alone, a criminal death would be much more appropriate. So Camille hides Cookie's suicide note and arranges everything so that suspicion falls on Willis, the aunt's black caretaker. However, this triggers a chain of events that gradually throws the entire town of Holly Springs into turmoil.