The story follows the fictional Boston-based PI Spenser as he tries to identify the killer of a widow's husband.

Spenser is approached by a beautiful blonde widow who wants him to find the identity of the murderer of her late husband.

However, the couple had just recently moved from Los Angeles, so Spenser heads there to talk to their old neighbors.

Meanwhile, he is investigating a band of thugs that live on the outskirts of town in an area called "The Dell".

The further Spenser digs, however, he finds that all is not what it seems in Potshot and the killing of the widow's husband may just be part of a much larger conspiracy.