The Man Behind the Wall

Annie needs a change in her life and avoids the temptation to follow her generation's fixation on becoming homeowners. Instead, she rents a room at Russin House, a boarding house in Durham, North Carolina and settles in. When she learns that David Stern, a graduate student living here during World War II, went to bed one night and mysteriously disappeared, her curiosity is piqued. She begins to delve into David's life and finds herself in a world as emotionally charged as it is unlikely: David suddenly appears to her, a man of flesh and substance, and they enter into a relationship. As Annie becomes acquainted with David, she recognizes patterns of tragedy and despair buried deeply in the soul of this young man trapped between the walls. Working together, building trust and then love, the couple seeks an escape for David, the route by which he can be liberated from his purgatory. In The Man Behind the Wall, author Jennifer Arnold weaves a wonderful tale of pain, the supernatural, mysticism and redemption. In each compelling scene, the reader is reminded that true freedom and happiness come not from worldly goods, but from love, caring and sacrifice.