The Dead Boys' Club

Set in the 1990s, the story follows Toby, a recent college graduate from Wisconsin, who visits Manhattan for the summer to stay with his older cousin, Packard. Packard is a gay man whose longtime partner, John R., has recently died of AIDS. Toby, who is shy and uncomfortable with the openly gay social environment, is given a pair of John R.'s shoes by Packard. When Toby wears them, he experiences vivid visions of the pre-AIDS 1970s, as though he is physically present in that time. The shoes also cause him to adopt a more confident and assertive personality, allowing him to express his attraction to men. While wearing the shoes, Toby goes to a bar, meets someone named Dick, and ends up spending the night with him. The narrative explores how Toby will cope with the experience and what the future holds for the mysterious shoes.