Imprisoned for murder, innocent Luther Larkin feels only resentment towards the town of Bitter Root and its lawman. But when an unexpected confession sets Luther free he finds himself drawn back to his boyhood home, and pretty soon trouble, in the form of Marcus Cooper, a neighbouring rancher, seeks him out. But Luther is determined to prove to the town that he is no longer a kid to be pushed around. And he isn't the only one who has been drawn back to Bitter Root: deranged killer Donald Ricket has a score to settle with the town, and only Luther stands between him and his goal.