The Testament begins to take place in a busy city in Washington. On the fourteenth story of a law firm. "On a clear day, I can see the top of the Washington Monument six miles away.
" However the novel takes a very large turn and finds itself in the jungles of Brazil. "Ever direction, dozen of small rivers spun in circles around and through each other, water all had different shades. On the horizon, as far as the eye could see, all water was blue and all earth was green." The novel goes to the states to a cozy little cottage on Chesapeake Bay in St.
Michaels "A Victorian, with twin gables, and a long front porch that wrapped around to the sides. Painted slate blue, with white and yellow trim." The characters in this novel I have found to be the most interesting in one book that I have ever read. To begin the characterization properly all characters must be explained.
To start everything off Troy Phelan a self made billionaire at the age of seventy-eight. Been thorough three marriages and three divorces, numerous affairs and more kids than any man in his right mind wanted. Mr. Phelan was at the end of his pitiful road.
His First wife Lillian gave birth to four children. Oldest was Troy Junior, now forty-seven. Next was Rex at forty-four and currently on his third marriage this one to a stripper. Then there was Libbigail, in college she got into drugs really bad to get back at her father.
The last was Mary Ross currently married to a doctor but heavily in debt, as the rest of her siblings. Troy's second marriage was to his sectary Janie. Janie had two children Genna and Rocky. Unfortually Rocky died in a car accident when he was a teenager. Troy's youngest son was with Tira who was 23 when they were married. Ramble at the age of fourteen was a little punk.
Ramble wanted to start a rock band and he certainly looked the part with his lip pierced and green hair. However, there is one more heir but no one knows who this is except Troy. One of his many affairs ended in a secret pregnancy. To produce Miss Rachel Lane. Rachel now forty-two had become a missionary with the world tribes and lives among Ipicas in the jungles of Brazil.
The man sent to find her was Nate O'Riley a recovering alcoholic and was pulled from a rehab just for this mission. Nate is forty-four and has four children that he has neglected for years. Mr. O'Riley hardly has any memories to speak of besides alcohol or drugs. Lastly there is Josh Stafford who was Mr. Phelan's most trusted friend and top lawyer in his firm.
Although there are so many characters and different personalities I started to like every one of them. Mr. Phelan jumps to his death leaving a holographic will with an unknown heir on it. Josh Hires Nate to go to Brazil and brave the harsh environment of the pantanal.
Nate makes an attempt to find Rachel by air but is unsuccessful. He is stuck going by boat after a week with his guide going down wrong rivers, getting lost, running low on food, and loss of many hours of sleep they finally find the right village. Naturally a person who lives as a missionary and a woman of god has no interesting the money. However, Nate started to be interested in Rachel. As Nate is gone Josh Is at his comfy cottage swamped with all the Phelan children contesting the will, saying that Troy was out of his mind. As they all go out and spend millions of dollars hoping for a good settlement.
Then back in Brazil Nate was having no luck getting Rachel to sign anything. Three days later Nate gives up and leaves the village. In the boat on the was back to civilization Nate becomes very sick, he laid at the bottom of the boat covered by a tent, while sweating and becoming very chilly. Two awful days went by and then they go to a city. Nate was rushed to a hospital and he has been diagnosis with Dengue Fever. When Nate was better he was immediately flown back to the US.
Without any signed papers it was hard to have any case but Josh and Nate would do anything to keep the other Phelan children from getting there greedy little hands on the money. ...
