Revenge is a kind of wild justice which, the more man's nature runs to, the more ought law to weed it out

                                  --- Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626)

Elderly people fight back against youth crime. Frail old people face a stark choice: be victims, or stand up to bullies and refuse to be indimidated

This means taking drastic action.

The 'silver bees' are fighting back against crime and vandalism in their neighbourhoods, mainly by turning themselves into walking booby traps. 'If we can't save ourselves from attack,' they say, 'at least the criminals won't escape either!'

One kindly old lady, Hannah Meadows, faces a dilemma. Her clever and manipulative grandson, Billy, is one of the miscreants and she feels responsible for his behaviour because of her own guilty secret.

As her past comes back to haunt her, she fears for the safety of her granddaughters, Helen and Veronica, as well as for her elderly neighbours, many of whom are too nervous to go out. Her own sister, Jessie, will not talk to her after Billy's gang attacked her garden.

Seeing how Billy's behaviour is destroying his family - his sisters fear him and his father has lost patience with him, while his mother believes he is an innocent victim - Hannah wrestles with her conscience. She hates violence, but how can she protect her family if she is not prepared to act?

Then there is Hannah's young artist neighbour, Declan, who sees her comings and goings from his attic window, and who is desperately in love with Billy's sister...