A bizarre murder in an idyllic Southern town propels a boy and his father into a world of evil in this World Fantasy Award–winning horror novel.New York Times–Bestselling and Bram Stoker Award–Winning AuthorSmall town boys see weird sights, and Zephyr has provided Cory Jay Mackenson with his fair share of oddities. He knows the bootleggers who lurk in the dark places outside of town. On moonless nights, he''s heard spirits congregate in the churchyard to reminisce about the good old days. He''s seen rain that flooded Main Street and left it crawling with snakes. Cory knows magic, and relishes it as only a young boy can.One frosty winter morning, Cory and his father watch a car jump the curb and sail into the fathomless town lake. His father dives into the icy water to rescue the driver, and finds a naked corpse handcuffed to the wheel. This chilling sight is only the start of the strangest period of Cory''s life, when the magic of his town will transform him into a man."Strongly echoing the childhood-elegies of [Stephen] King and [Ray] Bradbury, and every bit their equal," Boy''s Life represents the finest work of one of the most accomplished writers of modern horror (Kirkus Reviews).