Lake Barcroft - Second Edition

Teen pregnancy in a 60s suburb of Washington, D.C.

Beck, the seventeen-year-old daughter of the Senate Majority Leader, secretly gives up her baby for adoption. Plagued by chronic, unresolved grief, and the stress of lying about the birth to her family and Randall, the child's father, Beck vows to renounce her Episcopalian faith and become a Catholic nun. Randall, the rock star Butch Malloy, marries Beck. When Beck discovers their teenage daughter is following Randall's band, she is forced to confront her lie and reveal the truth to him and their daughter.

The author's experience as a singer/songwriter shines through as sets of lyrics peppered throughout the narrative touch on heavy, period-appropriate topics such as the Vietnam War, abortion, drugs, and mental illness. Moments of welcome levity lighten the exploration of themes like religion as a means of redemption and the fallout of a life based on lies.

 Beck's journey is compelling. Oshins devotes welcome time to exploring Beck's surrounding friends and family, a richly characterized group that includes her charming but reckless stepsister, Sonia-Barton, desperate to grow up too soon, and the villain-esque Miss Kitty, abrasive, outspoken, and trying to rebuild her life by going into the music business. Readers will enjoy spending time with characters that are flawed, real, and struggling with inner demons.