Charting one boy’s search for companionship amidst violence and isolation in the mid-century rural South, with a new foreword from National Book Award winner Justin Torres.

Nathan’s used to being alone. Drifting from town to town following his salesman father, he seeks solace in his studies when he can’t find understanding in his own home; his father is abusive and an alcoholic and his mother would rather disappear into the background than protect him.

Enter Roy. The older boy next door might have a girlfriend at school and at church, but there’s no question that they’re drawn to one another, and the two quickly become entangled in a covert relationship. As their relationship intensifies, Roy and Nathan must navigate their fears of being caught and their growing desires for one another. But when Nathan’s dad begins to suspect Nathan and Roy’s relationship is more than just friendship, Nathan’s home ceases to be safe, forcing Nathan to run away and altering his life, relationships, and future.

Through lyrical and evocative writing, Grimsley explores violence, tenderness, trauma, religion, and queer love against the backdrop of the 1950s rural South.

“Romantic passion, violence and ultimate liberation coalesce in this singular display of literary craftsmanship.”—Publishers Weekly