An isolated boy. His loving but meddlesome mother. An astonishing journey into inexpressible unity.
Jason Anderson keeps his private life locked away from prying eyes. Socially awkward and deeply introverted, the seventeen-year-old high schooler avoids relationships with his peers at all costs. But acquiescing to a pair of beautiful classmates for a ride leads to a tutoring gig… and the girls becoming entangled into the very fabric of the reclusive nerd’s complicated household.
Kate Anderson craves for her vanished nirvana. Still grieving the death of her and her husband’s paramour two decades earlier, the shrewd woman sees a pattern when her son’s new consorts’ social status and physical appearance make them dead ringers for herself and her lost lover. Convinced that history is repeating itself, Kate manipulates the teens to live vicariously through them until they turn the tables on her schemes.
Shocked and uncomfortable with the queen bees’ exploration of his world, Jason is dumbfounded when the girls declare their relationship as friends. And though Kate is overjoyed the young ladies are walking the same path she did, the perceptive forty-something fears her boy’s resistance will doom her desperate grasp for happiness. As old memories and present passions collide, will a tormented family repeat history or find a way to return to Eden?
With fearless insight and great sensitivity, author John Richmon poses the question: What would it be like to be truly naked inside and out? Told from the perspective of each member of two different throuples, this unique novel brings to light the pain of hidden yearnings, the importance of human connection, and the transcendent power of love.
Outside These Walls is an extraordinary work of literary fiction with a speculative twist. If you like layered characters, exploring the recesses of the soul, and hints of magical realism, then you’ll adore John Richmon’s passionate tale of finding peace.