Bob White, a southern politician, is trapped between two social worlds. He is indicted in the murder of Dr. Ray Williams, and the evidence against him is overwhelming. The civil side threatens a racial uproar and pursues the acceptable conduit for justice: the courts. The criminal side pursues their own form of redress: murder. He has to act fast. Bob thinks he can get the heat off him by politically attacking his opponent, Reverend Bryant, a gentle and noble soul who believes that everybody's salvation lies with God. But Bob holds a trump card. Johnnie Mae Dixon, the last matriarch of the south, is forced by her heart to protect one of her babies, and so brings together all the children she has mentored, most of whom have attained the heights of social and political power. All the while, an SBI Agent watches their every move. The Last Matriarch brings an unpredictable mix of charming southern life, the ominous criminal underworld, and the tumultuous life of a politician together in one explosive read.