CrusadingjournalistMaddieMagellanisinstrumentalingettingamanreleasedfromprisonafterservingnineyearsforamurdershebelieveshedidnotcommit.Thenextday,thevictim'swidowerapparentlyshootshimselfafterlockinghimselfinhispersonalnuclearfall-outshelter.Investigatorsandengineersinsistthatnoonecouldhavegotteninoroutoftheshelterafterthedoorwassealed.Yetthoseclosesttotheallegedsuicideinsistthathishandsweresocrippledwitharthritisthathecouldnothaveruntheboltsonthemassivedoor,letalonepulledthetriggeronagun.MaddiecoercesreluctantsleuthJonathanCreekintoinvestigatingthecaseccc