The Starling family regularly travels from various parts of the United States to a vacation home on a lake in North Carolina. Twice a year, parents Richard and Lisa, academics from Cornell University, meet here with their sons Michael and Thad and their partners Diane and Jake. However, this tradition will soon be a thing of the past – the parents unexpectedly decided to sell the house and spend their retirement in Florida. The last weekend at the lake awaits everyone. However, the peaceful meeting is disrupted by a tragic event that the Starlings witness, and the secrets that the individual family members have long hidden from each other surface.

The novel At the Lake ranks David James Poissant among the best Southern authors today. This self-confident, witty and deeply felt work will remind you of classics from the 60s and 70s.