Mysterious Skin: A Novel

"Wrenching . . . powerfully sensuous."  — New York Times

"As searing and unforgettable as an electric shock." —Kirkus Reviews

At the age of eight Brian Lackey is found bleeding under the
crawl space of his house, having endured something so traumatic that he cannot
remember an entire five–hour period of time.

During
the following years he slowly recalls details from that night, but these
fragments are not enough to explain what happened to him, and he begins to
believe that he may have been the victim of an alien encounter. Neil McCormick
is fully aware of the events from that summer of 1981. Wise beyond his years,
curious about his developing sexuality, Neil found what he perceived to be love
and guidance from his baseball coach. Now, ten years later, he is a teenage
hustler, unaware of the dangerous path his life is
taking. His recklessness is governed by idealized memories of his coach,
memories that unexpectedly change when Brian comes to Neil for help and,
ultimately, the truth.