Blackmail High

by Jack Adler

Blackmail High is an ironic coming-of-age novel about a 15-year-old high school student who sees one of his teachers commit a homicide against another teacher. He blackmails this teacher to make him into a better person, academically and socially. The teacher, meanwhile, also faces a deepening conflict with his wife, the same conflict which led to the homicide. The escalating blackmail process creates a tremendous intertwining impact on their lives. In turn, the student is then blackmailed himself by a more mature fellow student, who has introduced him to the world of sex and drugs, to help in covering up the death from drug overuse of a young girl. Both student and teacher are brought before the police for questioning and, ultimately, each learns from his experiences as their lives are drastically changed by their actions.

200 pages, Paperback

First published December 4, 2004

About the author

While born in New York I've spent most of my life in California starting
with college at UC Berkeley. I've worked as a travel writer and have been a freelance columnist for the Los Angeles Times' travel section. I've also been a columnist for a number of other publications including Westways, Better Business Traveling, etc. Many freelance articles have been published.
As a playwright I've received a grant from the Yaddo Foundation. Six one-act plays have been produced at Off-Off Broadway theaters with one published.
Currently, I live with my wife, Barbro, in Los Angeles