Rory Cade is summoned home from her book tour in New York by the housekeeper's cryptic Miss Cade passing. On the turbulent flight back to south Louisiana, Rory finds herself relating her family's past and its particular, poisonous brew of money, passion, infidelity, alcohol, religion, and Irish insanity. The Cades of Covington - a dashing, drunken father; a mother and stepmother both dead at an early age; three young daughters raised in genteel chaos; a live-in grandmother and fiery maiden aunt. This broken, brave menage and their attendant circle of friends, lovers, and servants are realized with amazing penetration and deftness in a stirring, stinging survey of the cruel, humorous, unpredictable human heart.