City Of Fools

A seemingly typical, cold-blooded gang killing between Boston's Rox Boys and their rivals, the pan Man Klan, leads private eye Jake Rossi down a perilous path -- unearthing a terrorist plot set to cripple Boston's infamous Big Dig and shut down the city. Terrifying... because it could happen. Boston's morning commute is about to change.

A seemingly typical cold blooded gang killing between Boston's Rox Boys and their rivals, the Pan Man Klan, leads Private Eye Jake Rossi down a perilous path unearthing a terrorist plot set to cripple Boston's infamous Big Dig and shut down the city. Private Investigator Jake Rossi, the protagonist in CITY OF FOOLS, is a tougher, yet more flawed and vulnerable version of Spenser (in Robert Parker's SPENSER FOR HIRE novels). When 19-year-old Jimmy Mason disappears after a gang murder, he becomes the number one suspect and is hunted by the Boston Police. Eddie Mason, Jimmy's grandfather, calls on his friend, ex-Navy SEAL turned Private Eye, Jake Rossi, to help find him before the police or the Pan Man Klan do. Jake's investigation reveals that Jimmy, an up and coming professional fighter, has befriended a group of diplomatic brats from the African country of Burundi who attend Boston University. Jimmy's relationship with the beautiful Johana Mugabi has even caused him to convert to the Muslim faith and begin a perilous trip with heroin addiction. Convinced these diplomat kids are hiding something, Jake follows his raw instincts. His relentless investigation leads him from hip nightclubs to Boston's inner-city slums; uncovering missing shipments of the plastic explosive C4, Russian detonators and an army of suicide bombers - all pieces in this jagged, terrorist puzzle. When the FBI, Homeland Security and the Boston Police doubt his claims, he calls on the help of Boston's crime lord, Donato Mastrocola, whose legitimate empire, Modern Construction, was the lead builder of the Big Dig project. Mastrocola is aware of the missing C4, since much of it was stolen from under his company's nose, and he has been searching for it himself. A man of great pride, Mastrocola is determined to preserve the integrity of the Big Dig and punish those who stole from him. He details the possible weaknesses of the structural integrity of the project, convincing Jake that the Big Dig is susceptible to a terrorist attack. As he gets closer to piecing this intricate puzzle together, Jake's life becomes endangered, and he's framed for the original gang murder by the cunning student terrorist cell. With time ticking down, Jake Rossi races frantically across Boston, desperately trying to stop the terrorists and save the City of Boston from devastation.

Patrick Coppola is a writer, independent filmmaker, and actor. With over a dozen film and television scripts to his credit, CITY OF FOOLS is his first novel. Patrick has written, produced, and directed numerous feature films, TV pilots, and music shows. As an actor he studied Meisner method acting, at the Victory Theater in Burbank, CA with the renowned, Maria Gobetti, and Shakespeare from noted author and Shakespearean scholar, Delbert Spain. His film and television appearances include The Departed, Spenser for Hire, Cheers, Unsolved Mysteries and others. He's appeared in several national commercials including those for Burger King, Toyota, John Hancock and Exxon. He has a degree in Business Management and Law Enforcement from Boston State College and a Certificate in Filmmaking from New York University. A former hockey and baseball player, he has enjoyed coaching both sports at youth levels for many years.