The Boy and the Lake — Adam Pelzman

The Boy and the Lake is a poignant and haunting coming-of-age story … a multifaceted, evocative and masterfully told tale. —Lynda Cohen Loigman, bestselling author of The Two-Family House and The Wartime Sisters Pelzman excels at creating an intensely atmospheric setting and revealing how it shapes his characters' identities and worldviews … The narrative is full of rich, descriptive language … a well-developed vintage setting and classic but thought-provoking coming-of-age theme. —Kirkus Reviews Set against the backdrop of the Newark riots in 1967, a teenage Benjamin Baum leaves the city to spend the summer at an idyllic lake in northern New Jersey. While fishing from his grandparents' dock, the dead body of a beloved neighbor floats to the water's surface—a loss that shakes this Jewish community and reveals cracks in what appeared to be a perfect middle-class existence. Haunted by the sight of the woman's corpse, Ben stubbornly searches for clues to her death, infuriating friends and family who view his unwelcome investigation as a threat to the comfortable lives they've built. As Ben's suspicions mount, he's forced to confront the terrifying possibility that his close-knit community is not what it seems to be—that, beneath a façade of prosperity and contentment, darker forces may be at work. In The Boy and the Lake, Adam Pelzman has crafted a riveting coming-of-age story and a mystery rich in historical detail, exploring an insular world where the desperate quest for the American dream threatens to destroy both a family and a way of life. Praise for Adam Pelzman's TroikaRiveting drama and sensuous prose make for an unforgettable love story … [a] beautifully rendered debut. —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)Pelzman's talent and vision are formidable … —Publishers Weekly… transcendent, magnetic, intoxicating … —Bookreporter Praise for Adam Pelzman's The Papaya KingDevilishly smart social commentary … another entrancing, deeply memorable offering from Pelzman … acutely observant, timely writing … —Kirkus Reviews [Approx. 70,000 words]