In 1983 William Parker moves from a small town in the mid-West to Manhattan, desperate to escape the provincialism he has endured his entire life. Unsophisticated and struggling with his sexuality, William is shy and insecure. Once in New York, however, he is surrounded by people who understand and accept his quirks. He is soon enveloped by a grand passion and, for the first time, falls in love.

In the City of Shy Hunters is a vivid portrait of Manhattan's East Village and its demimonde of junkies and drag queens, just as AIDS is starting to decimate the gay population. As the novel closes amidst riots and near panic, William performs a breaktaking and unforgettable act of heroism.