Viper's Dream

Listed in the Music category on Art In Fiction, Viper’s Dream (2023) by Jake Lamar was shortlisted for the 2024 CWA Historical Dagger Award. 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 a stunningly original, achingly beautiful read. “[A] taut saga . . . Hard not to wolf down in a single sitting.” — Publishers Weekly 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.   Buy Now from Amazon Buy Now from Bookshop