Jake Lamar was born in 1961 and grew up in the Bronx, New York. After graduating from Harvard University, he spent six years writing for Time magazine. He has lived in Paris since 1993 and teaches creative writing at one of France's top universities, Sciences Po.

WINNER OF THE CWA HISTORICAL DAGGER AWARD 2024!
For fans of Colson Whitehead and Wild Women and the Blues, Viper's Dream is a gritty, daring look at the vibrant jazz scene of midcentury Harlem, and one man's dreams of making it big and finding love in a world that wants to keep him down.
Harlem, 1936. Clyde "The Viper" Morton boards a train from Alabama to Harlem to chase his dreams of being a jazz musician. When his talent fails him, he becomes caught up in the dangerous underbelly of Harlem's drug trade. In this heartbreaking novel, one man must decide what he is willing to give up and what he wants to fight for.
Viper's Dream is a fast-paced story that is charged with suspense. A snappy, provocative voice and a stark look at Viper's Black American experience weave with endless plot twists to offer readers a stunningly original, achingly beautiful read.