Jared, who comes from a wealthy family, is many ways a happy boy, but he is overweight, socially awkward, and gay.

Jared McCaverty has a sexual encounter with a friend, Paul Herzog, but his father finds out and beats him.

He then has another homosexual episode with Randy Sparks, a school friend, but his father discovers them having sex in Jared's bedroom.

Jared meets Julian Clay, the new curator of the local museum, and a sexually abusive relationship ensues.

This article about a novel of the 1980s with a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer theme is a stub.