<p><strong>"<em>The Boy and the Lake</em> is a poignant and haunting coming-of-age story ... a multifaceted, evocative and masterfully told tale." -Lynda Cohen Loigman, USA Today bestselling author of <em>The Two-Family House</em> and <em>The Wartime Sisters</em></strong></p><p><strong>"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."&nbsp;-<em>Kirkus Reviews</em></strong></p><p>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.</p><p>In <em>The Boy and the Lake</em>, 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.</p><p><strong>Praise for Adam Pelzman's <em>A Cuban Russian American Love Story</em></strong></p><p>"Riveting drama and sensuous prose make for an unforgettable love story ... [a] beautifully rendered debut." -<em>Kirkus Reviews</em> (starred review)</p><p>"Pelzman's talent and vision are formidable ..." -<em>Publishers Weekly</em></p><p>"... transcendent, magnetic, intoxicating ..." -<em>Bookreporter</em></p><p><strong>Praise for Adam Pelzman's <em>The Papaya King</em></strong></p><p>"Devilishly smart social commentary ... another entrancing, deeply memorable offering from Pelzman ... acutely observant, timely writing ..." -<em>Kirkus Reviews</em></p>