Simon

by Scott Gibson

Adrift after high school graduation, socially inept, highly intelligent Robert MacKenzie infuriates his younger sister, baffles his parents and alienates most everyone else with his unconventional ways. His only real emotional connection is with his friend Mrs. Scoggins, a cranky 76 year-old woman dying of cancer. Adrift after her death, Robert reconnects with Simon, a former classmate who has returned to spend one final summer in his old home town before entering college. Simon is everything Robert is athletic and popular. Without quite intending to, he offers Robert a tantalizing glimpse into a world of new social possibilities. Now Simon is saddled with a new pal who just won't go away or pick up on the subtle hints. Even as Simon tries to negotiate romantic interludes with his girlfriend Vanessa, Robert is an unwitting party, ingratiating himself at every turn. When sorely-tried patience gives way to an unexpected burst of violence, Robert takes to the road and a guilt-ridden Simon follows in an attempt to bring Robert home again. Though not strictly a sequel, "Simon" follows characters first seen in the book "A Year in Stucker's Reach," six years after the conclusion of that novel.

212 pages, Paperback

First published April 5, 2013