Robert E. Key is a native of Lubbock, Texas, the son of schoolteacher parents. His mother was a middle-school teacher who insisted on the proper use of English at home—correct grammar and no improper slang. He credits his high school English teacher for her superior teaching skills in English composition and the study of great literature including Shakespeare, Chaucer, and Poe.

He holds degrees from Texas Tech University in park management and the University of Colorado, Boulder, in public administration. He is retired from corporate management, and he previously served as Director of Parks and Recreation for three cities.
He currently resides in Tucson, Arizona, frequently visits his children and grandchildren in Colorado, and is writing his second novel.

The inspiration for Jagged Justice derived from his awareness of the wave of violent crimes in numerous cities and his disgust at the frequency of violence suffered by women. The methods of confronting these issues described in the novel may provide a sense of comfort to justice-seekers everywhere but are unacceptable in a civilized society. Don’t try any of this at home or elsewhere!