Rob Taft

The Leaders of the City Rob Taft

Roy Krull was a young man with a derelict father and mother who raised him to view things in terms of right and wrong. Blessed with a terrific fastball, Roy beans a would-be murderer, killing him during the championship game. While he has saved the life of a woman, spectators and the town believe he has committed murder. In a reformatory he beans two bullies who have abused weaker inmates and while life for everyone improves there, he gains a contentious reputation. He studies torture and ancient martyrdom, and with the crude help of the reformatory librarian, forges new purpose to his life. Once released, he works to earn money to go to New York where he wields his craft on unsuspecting criminals and exposes them publicly in the most ingenious and ignominious of ways. Crime in the city plummets and the mayor, in a highly controversial move, endorses Roy's "Leaders of the City" concept. When a nationwide serial killer lands in New York and the media virtually ignores him, he challenges "the leaders" to catch him. Using the New York Post as their communicator, Roy and Hat Pin Harold plot to meet at a prominent social event. Despite heavy police surveillance, Roy and Harold tangle and through a bizarre series of events, "the leader" brings the elusive serial killer to justice in a most unusual and redeeming way. Rob Taft has lived and worked in over seventy-five countries around the world. A former diplomat, he has written articles and published a number of short stories. He currently teaches at the University of Central Florida, where he is director of the International Business Center. Mr. B is his first novel.