Author Anthony De Sa, whose new book is "Kicking the Sky," will be at Bank Square Books in Mystic from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday.

De Sa was an adolescent in 1977 Toronto when a Portuguese shoeshine boy was raped and murdered. De Sa's first novel, "Kicking the Sky," is set during the aftermath of this crime and is seen through the eyes of 12-year-old Antonio Rebelo. He explores his Toronto neighborhood's dark garages and back alleys along with his two best friends. The boys strike up a curious friendship with James, a charismatic young hustler who eventually pulls them toward his world of sex, drugs, and theft. As the media reveals the truth behind the Shoeshine Boy murder, Antonio begins to see his family, his church and his neighborhood with new eyes.

De Sa, who also wrote the story collection "Barnacle Love," graduated from University of Toronto, did his postgraduate work at Queen's University, and attended the Humber School for Writers and Ryerson University.