MacLaren Yarborourgh's old boyfriend shows up in town with his son who is running for governor. Joe Riddley's barn is burned down by Tad who runs away. A homeless person is found dead near the water tower. Who would want to kill her and why? Mac has to puzzle this out while being somewhat laid up with an injury. This installment of the series got off to an extremely slow start. I was quite ready to abandon it, but then it began to pick up, first slowly about halfway through the book and then more rapidly in the last third of the book. I really get annoyed by the people in the town, but then there's a Southernness about it that rings true as well. ( )