A number of strange and startling characters struggle to make their way through the halls of a Jesuit school on a fateful Halloween day.
In this labyrinthine but meticulously plotted novel, Kevin P. Keating introduces readers to a number of carefully drawn characters who struggle to make their way through the halls of a Jesuit school on a fateful Halloween day.
There is the star quarterback who finds himself entangled in the lives of a prostitute and a seemingly opportunistic and seductive teacher. There is the lead guitarist of a death metal band who begins a dangerous affair with the owner of a local cafe. There is the down and out football coach whose gambling addiction forces him to wager more than his dignity. There is the ancient priest whose heretical platitudes infuriate his superiors. There is the editor of the school literary magazine who mourns the recent death of her husband. As the story unfolds we also meet a duplicitous housekeeper, a chronically unemployed handyman, a mischievous dog, an insatiable landlady, and a madman roaming the streets of the city in search of his next victim.
Portions of this book have been nominated for several prestigious awards, including the Pushcart Prize. Read and find out why "The Natural Order of Things" has impressed so many.