Berlin Evers is Clarion County's victim/witness advocate and she sees the effects of domestic violence on a daily basis. What no one knows is her personal history of abuse, filled with dark secrets and shocking trauma. When she sees victims try and fail to leave abusive relationships, she takes it very personally. Brian Malloy hasn't been a detective in Clarion for long when he begins to suspect a serial killer in town. He has always felt admiration for Berlin, but it turns into something more when they finally meet on a case. He begins to try to impress her with tales of hunting down a serial killer, unaware that his suspect is much closer than he realizes. Its Own Defense is part psychological thriller, part dramatic discourse on domestic violence. Powerful and disturbing, it explores the ripple effects of violence in our society and stresses the importance of personal accountability.