The Ballot Box Murders

Bishop Bone, having been run out of California by a corrupt banker and developer, ends up in the middle of a mud slinging gubernatorial campaign between the banjo-picking governor, Peacher Mac, a shopping center developer and a state senator. Bone's participation resulted from having rescued the granddaughter of developer, Seth Campbell, from an assault by oil field roughnecks. Bone becomes a project manager while the campaign is progressing. Almost immediately, Seth's investigator is killed. Bone is helping with a project planned for the Mississippi Delta headed up by a popular black preacher who supports Seth. Next the state senator is killed right before he was scheduled to meet with Seth. Bone discovers that Seth is having an affair with a local attorney, Jean, who also has connections with Preacher Mac's campaign manager, Trish. They play together in tennis tournaments and are sisters but keep that fact private. Mac plans to use the affair to discredit Seth. Bone puts an end to that plan and thus puts himself at risk. Everything comes to a boil during the Neshoba Fair political rallies when Seth's granddaughter and Jean are kidnapped and threatened unless Seth withdraws. Trish is outraged that her sister would be put at risk and tries to free her. At the same time, Bone threatens Mac with knowledge about his wife and son. As a result, he is almost killed but survives and ends up at the kidnap site to try and rescue the girls before they are killed.