Roger West of Scotland Yard, one of their finest and most down to earth detectives, get involved in the callous brutality of the underworld. Cecil Chayter is released from prison after serving twenty years, but there are those that believe he should have incarcerated for longer, whilst others are convinced of his innocence and that he was the victim of a hate campaign that preceded his trial. West has to battle with those who now want Chayter dead and at the same time fight off any notion that 'bygones should now be bygones'.