Sad but good

  I had never heard of author Scott Heim when I stumbled across his book “We Disappear.” I didn’t know anything about his background or his previous books. I jumped right in and was rewarded with such a well-written tale I had to go out and get “Mysterious Skin,” an earlier book he’s more well-known for that was turned into a movie.
  Heim’s subject matter in both books is dark and the tone somber, but both novels are poignant and memorable.
  “We Disappear” centers around Scott, a writer and drug addict who goes home to take care of his dying mother, Donna. Donna is haunted by memories of being abducted as a child and obsesses about missing children — going so far as to interview families of the missing under the false pretense that she’s writing a book on the subject. She enlists Scott in this endeavor, and as her health begins to fail, he tries to uncover the truth about his mother’s own abduction.
  “Mysterious Skin” is a bit darker than “We Disappear.” The novel deals with child molestation, so it can be pretty disturbing to say the least. One boy suffers blackouts and bed wetting and is puzzled by his missing time, thinking perhaps he has been abducted by aliens. Another boy turns to prostitution and even romanticizes his relationship with the molester.
  The books may be too much for some readers, but I loved them. Heim has a real talent for character development. I became very invested in the story and wanted so much for the characters to be OK.
  If you like good writing and aren’t afraid of disturbing content, check these books out and let me know what you think.