Matt Scudder - former cop and alcoholic - has had enough. He plans to wind up his investigations and concentrate on his AA meetings and his lovely wife, Elaine. But he agrees to take one last case. Louise, a single woman, has finally met a man she likes - but she fears he's keeping something from her. She hires Matt to check him out. Meanwhile, Elaine's best friend, Monica, also has a secret lover. But Monica is more street-wise than Louise; to her it's just a game, one she's sure she can win. But before Matt can track down the identity of Louise's lover, Monica is found murdered in her apartment. She was tortured to death by a man who left just one piece of forensic evidence behind - an antique letter opener that he'd bought at Elaine's shop. Suddenly Monica's death doesn't feel so random any more. Matt is convinced that the killer is stalking Elaine and he is determined to protect her. It soon emerges that Monica's murderer is a highly practised serial killer. He is also an old foe of Matt Scudder's. Years earlier this man terrorised and murdered his way through New York. Matt was the only man to stand in his way.Deep down, Matt always knew he would return, keen to exact revenge. Matt must get to the killer before the killer gets to him. The story builds to an explosive and dramatic finish that sees Matt and Elaine pitched against a madman who is determined to destroy them both.