Set against the backdrop of 1950s Texas, 'Getting Mother's Body' is Suzan-Lori Parks's enthralling debut novel that spins the tale of Billy Beede, a tenacious, pregnant sixteen-year-old with hopes larger than her stifling world. Burdened by the Beede legacy of misfortune, Billy's life takes an unexpected turn when she hears the rumor of buried jewels with her late mother, the Billie Holiday doppelganger Willa Mae. Seizing what she believes to be an opportunity to escape poverty, Billy instigates a fervent quest, rallying her peculiar relatives for a wild road trip to unearth Willa Mae's rumored fortune. Through a narrative rich with humor and poignant satire, their journey delves into the heart of ambition, legacy, and the lengths one will go to break free from the shackles of the past.