A Time To Stand

In a small Georgia town, lines are drawn and tensions mount. Can one woman stand in the divide and find truth in the face of hate

Adisa Johnson, a young African American attorney, is living her dream of practicing high-stakes law with a prestigious firm in downtown Atlanta. Then, a split-second mistake destroys the world she's created. Left with no options, she returns to her hometown so she can care for an aging aunt recovering from a stroke. Once there, Adisa is confronted with a much more brutal reality-a young unarmed black man has been shot by a white police officer and now lies comatose in the hospital. As a former assistant district attorney, Adisa is itching to jump into the fight as a special prosecutor. But she's being pulled in another direction by equally powerful forces urging her to do what she considers unthinkable-defend the officer.

Tensions in the local community are at the boiling point with Adisa trapped in the middle. As the case unfolds, everyone must confront their own prejudices. For Adisa, it means seeking counsel from her Aunt Josie and charting her way through the labyrinth of a relationship with Rev. Reggie Reynolds, a charismatic young preacher and leader of the local movement seeking justice for the young man who was shot. For the police officer, it means confronting why he acted as he did.

Some problems have no solution. Some people don't know where to look for answers. Some people are called to be lights in the darkness.

About the Author

Robert Whitlow is the best-selling author of legal novels set in the South and winner of the Christy Award for Contemporary Fiction. He received his J.D. with honors from the University of Georgia School of Law where he served on the staff of the Georgia Law Review.