Welcome to the warped world of the "Weed Killer." Albert Champion was a dedicated weed killer, but he wasn't a lawn care specialist or a gardener as one might suspect. He was a serial killer who, during one hot summer, descended onto the busy, peaceful streets of Toronto, Canada. His mission? Eradicate the vagrants, the homeless moochers who despoiled by their very presence the beauty of his beloved city. "They're just weeds," he proclaimed. "Stinking, stifling weeds. The sooner they are killed off and scattered, the sooner the city will revitalize itself and blossom anew. I'm tired of the talk, the bullshit. Time for action. I am the Weed Killer and I'm coming to a garden near you." As the death toll mounted, the police were at a loss for clues and suspects. "He's so new at the game of murder that he doesn't even know the rules. That's why he's winning," declared Sergeant Wright of the Toronto Homicide Squad. "And if this keeps up, the homeless won't be the only victims. We cops will be goners too. Out on the streets looking for jobs." With his career and family life in tatters, the Sergeant's fate was inextricably wedded to that of his elusive opponent until one fateful day when he was offered a way out - by the killer himself. Should he take it? Would he? What dire consequences awaited if he declined? During the murder spree that griped the city, governments officials, anti-poverty groups, and civic minded individuals joined in the battle offering hundreds of opinions and solutions in an effort to halt the killings. Foremost amongst these was Mary Monticello, a Toronto Star columnist and social activist. "Poverty is not an abstraction," said Mary. "Poverty is poor people and poor people need help on a personal level. If we all do our part, we can can change the whole." Mary tried hard to assist the unfortunate around her, but in the end she paid a high price for her philanthropy. The stories of these characters and others, such as Claudia, the last chance for Albert Champion to salvage love and positive purpose in his life, are cleverly interwoven in a tight, action packed plot. This, combined with an insightful study of the pressing social problems of poverty and homelessness that confront many North American cities, will keep you glued to the pages of,"The Weed Killer." Read and enjoy.