When a series of brutal murders occur in Money, Mississippi, two detectives are dispatched to the rural town to investigate the mysteries. At every crime scene, accompanying the white victims with racist pasts, is another body from an unidentified black man who resembles Emmett Till. Similar murders soon spread from Mississippi to every corner of the US. As the detectives attempt to uncover the truth, they encounter a root doctor who will not let the past stay buried, a woman who keeps a document of every lynching in the country.

The Trees is a powerful novel that examines the history of lynching in America through fast-paced storytelling and sarcastic writing. It doesn't necessarily focus on solving the mysteries when the crimes serve primarily as a reflection of the brutality black people were and still are exposed to. Because of this, most plots in the book won't necessarily make sense in the modern days, but perhaps will when put in historical context.

The Trees will not be for everyone because of the writing style and how the plot evolves. Nonetheless, it is an essential book on racial violence and police brutality in America, particularly when Everett includes the names of all those who have perished due to lynchings or police violence. The Trees is a must-read for political junkies who enjoy satire and dark humor.