It is the mark of a civilised society when the rights and responsibilities of the individual rank pari passu with those of the State. Sadly, all too often the argument that those individual rights should be set aside for the so called greater good carries the day. Such arguments in A Tooth for a Tooth are advanced with much hand wringing by those in power, leaving the individual no redress. Such is the circumstance confronting Nick Elliot when a terrorist bomb destroys his family and his career. Officialdom decides the goal of peace in Northern Ireland is for the greater good and that it would cause too many waves if those responsible for the attack were brought to justice. It of course must be remembered that a few years after the period in which this book is set the British Government issued Letters of Comfort to murderers and terrorists, protecting them from prosecution and justice. Nick Elliot does not take the State's decision of masterly inaction quietly and embarks in a ruthless fashion to be his own judge, jury and executioner with spectacular results.