"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 Troika"Riveting 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 King"Devilishly smart social commentary . another entrancing, deeply memorable offering from Pelzman . acutely observant, timely writing ." -Kirkus Reviews [Approx. 70, 000 words]
"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 Troika"Riveting 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 King"Devilishly smart social commentary . another entrancing, deeply memorable offering from Pelzman . acutely observant, timely writing ." -Kirkus Reviews [Approx. 70, 000 words]
