Mysterious Skin: A Novel

“Wrenching . . . powerfully sensuous.”—New York Times

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

As relevant and urgent as when it was first published more than three decades ago, Scott Heim’s propulsive novel about abuse and its aftereffects in the lives of two teenage boys is an honest and searing exploration of memory, survival, friendship, and the power of truth.

At the age of eight, Brian Lackey is found bleeding under the crawl space of his house, having endured something so traumatic that he has blacked out an entire five-hour period. During the following years he slowly recalls details from that night, fragments that hint at yet cannot explain what happened to him, leaving him 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 he’s on. 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.