Death Wish is a 1972 novel by Brian Garfield. A sequel novel, Death Sentence, was published in 1975. Plot Paul Benjamin is a forty-seven year old CPA who lives in Manhattan with his wife Esther in an apartment close to their daughter, Carol, and her husband Jack Tobey. Paul is a staunch liberal, volunteering his time to civic organizations, being generous and compassionate, and trying to rationalize the crime and misery he witnesses on a daily basis. He refuses to move out of the city, explaining that while the suburbs might be safer and cleaner, he can't leave New York after having lived there his entire life. One day, Paul gets a call at work from Jack telling him to come to the hospital. There, a patrolman explains that three junkies broke into Paul's apartment and assaulted Esther and Carol, beating the former to death before stealing Paul's television and fleeing. Carol is still alive, but in a vegetative state where she can no longer meaningfully interact with anyone. After his wife's funeral, Paul begins to undergo an emotional and personal transformation. He refuses to leave his apartment, has new locks put on the doors, and starts carrying a club made from a sock stuffed with quarters in his pocket. He also sheds his previous beliefs; everyone he sees is now either a potential criminal or unproductive, useless "cattle". Paul gradually aligns himself with the conservative viewpoints of his co-workers, unnerving them. The sudden changes in his personality and behavior also alienate Paul from his son-in-law, who disagrees with Paul's contention that since the police aren't making any headway with Esther's case, they ought to hunt down her murderers themselves. Jack points out that vigilantism is not a real solution to crime, and that Paul isn't doing himself any favors by obsessing over what happened to her. When Paul asks for help obtaining a permit so he can carry a gun, Jack refuses. Paul appears to give in, returning to his old job and even accepting a dinner invitation from his friend Sam. One night while walking home drunk, Paul is threatened with a knife by a teenage boy. Overcome with rage, Paul pulls out his club and tries to kill the boy, who runs away in sheer terror. The experience changes Paul; he decides that he won't "let those animals run him out of his own town anymore", and