Janice Shapiro

Dead Beat

In 1965, Rudy, a Midwestern high-school kid, moves to Albuquerque; lonely and friendless, he's attracted to Kit, slightly older, with a car, his own apartment, and spending money. Kit loves Elvis and loves the ladies; plus, he's a complete phony: his tan is fake, he wears lifts, he lies to girls, and he pretends to care about Rudy.