Seven years after he was sent to prison for stabbing a fellow police officer during a robbery, Joe Denton, one-time crooked cop, is paroled, and returns to his home town of Bradley in Vermont. Determined to put his past behind him, he quickly discovers that his former underworld cronies are just as determined to settle old scores. In grave danger of being killed or sent back to prison, Joe embarks on a quest to discover the truth about those who are out to frame him, and to ensure they’ll be in no position to destroy him without at the same time destroying themselves. Joe’s ordeal at the hands of his pursuers makes for rather grisly reading at times, but if you don’t mind that sort of thing, it’s well worth reading to see how he eventually − and cleverly − takes sweet revenge on his enemies.