"Who is the criminal? The Lakeside Lolita, or the Limnological Lothario?" Was Louis's hatred of the woman who had mistreated his love for years finally boiling over? Or, was he a gullible young boy used by a jealous adoptee weary enough of abuse to plan and plot a heinous crime over the course of years? Sharing the loss of a parent (the death of both of Tina's biological parents and the mysterious disappearance of Lou's father), they are increasingly isolated by Tina's mother's jealousy, and physical and emotional abuse. Lou's uncle has his own plans to be a mob capo, and wants the boy to follow his example. As they grow older, their love, devotion, and inevitable sexual tension grow stronger, while the prejudices and bigotry of their respective families threaten to keep them apart. For years these two disguise the truth from their families, but it all falls apart, leaving them at the mercy of their familes, fates, and the legal system.