Denny Voss, I know, will go down as one of my favorite characters of the year. His character is written so brilliantly. He is so unapologetically honest. We all need a little Denny Voss in us.
The narrator did such a fabulous job.

I LOVED IT!

Many thanks to Net Galley and Brilliance Publishing for an audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book! It's super charming, funny, and heartfelt, with a good mystery at its core. Denny is a fantastic character -- he's now among my favorite characters. I also loved the narrator. He did a great job of bringing Denny to life. I will definitely recommend this book to my patrons.

I think the term Sideways is the perfect adjective for this book. From the perspective of Denny Voss, a man with intellectual limitations, who is awaiting and undergoing trial for the murder of the mayoral hopeful and prominent businessman in the community. As his therapist and attorney are trying to build his defense, his stories and memories show the boundaries of his abilities and slowly paint the entire picture of the type of man the deceased was as well the character of Denny Voss and those around him. There's a bit of murder mystery element but it's not the focus but the adjustment and growth of Denny through the entire ordeal and the lessons he's learned over the course of the last year or so that his grandmother and main caregiver has needed him to become more independent. The whole book was hard to put down and fascinating to see the interpretations of events through the eyes of Denny.

Denny Voss, living a quiet life in rural Minnesota, finds himself unexpectedly charged with murder after a series of well-meaning but chaotic misadventures. As he awaits trial, he unravels painful family secrets and learns what it means to take control of his future.

The Sideways Life of Denny Voss is the first book I’ve read by Holly Kennedy. This gave me strong Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine and The Maid vibes. I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly I devoured it. I ended up finishing it in a single day and absolutely loved it! Andrew Eiden did a fantastic job narrating. He truly brought the story to life! Holly Kennedy did an exceptional job capturing Denny’s perspective. I felt so much empathy for him. I loved how certain characters showed their love for him in quiet but powerful ways. I also really enjoyed the multiple subplots and how well-developed each of the supporting characters were. I didn’t anticipate any of the twists and I had no idea how the story would turn out which made the reading experience even more engaging. There was one chapter near the end that made me cry which is something that rarely happens when I read so be prepared with tissues and maybe give your fur baby an extra cuddle. Overall, this was a 5-star read for me and I highly recommend it!

I loved this one! I love the character of Denny. He is so true to himself, and I loved seeing the inner workings of his head. I thought creating a MC that is neurodivergent that gets caught up in a murder charge, but doesn’t fully understand the implications, made for a great story. The audiobook for this one was fantastic. If you have a chance, you should listen to it! The narrator was amazing portraying the personality of Denny. I loved the kindness shown in all of his actions and was cracking up when he got himself in situations. The side characters were OK, but Denny really carried the story. There was so much emotion in the story, I laughed and cried and felt for the characters. I couldn’t put this one down and listened to the entire book in just over 1 day. I definitely recommend listening to the audiobook!

Oh my gosh can you give a book 10 stars? One of the most heartfelt books I have read in a long time. I instantly fell in love with Denny Voss and the entire cast of characters in his life.

Denny is a mentally challenged young man who is accused of a crime that he doesn’t quite comprehend. The book tells the backstory of Denny and quite a few situations that he has been involved in during his life.

Funny and heartfelt and a perfect example of community and rallying around each other…no matter how flawed. Add in George the blind and deaf dog that Denny saves from being put down and this book had me laughing and crying and absolutely sobbing at the end!

Thank you Netgalley and Brilliance Audio for the honor to listen and review this book. Narration was absolute perfection!!!

This book will stay with me for a long time!!!

The Sideways Life of Denny Voss

Written by Holly Kennedy
Narrated by Andrew Elden and Holly Kennedy
Publishes on April 8,2025

Trigger Warning: Gun violence, sexual assault, class issues, wrongful accusations, Assault


I absolutely loved this book.5 stars just is not enough for me to rate this book it was THAT good. We follow a story that is told in Denny’s point of view. Denny, a 30 year old developmentally delayed man who is so honest and has a massive heart of gold. I don’t think anyone could do a better job with writing Denny’s thoughts and just how he internally processes things. Even thought Dennys IQ is only a 72 he is so smart and really not seen by others for just how intelligent he is on many things.

Holly Kennedy wrote Denny in such a way that really showed so many aspects of who Denny is especially during really tough times and during tough issues. I have never seen an author write a character in such a way as Holly wrote Denny, and honestly I don’t think I’ve ever read another book whose main character was developmentally delayed.

This book really pulls at your heart and you really feel Dennys emotions when going through these hard events. I felt like this was an extremely well rounded and written book and it flowed. It left me satisfied at then end. Dennys character really made me feel and think about how many developmentally delayed people don’t have a support system like Denny and would have struggled extremely hard in the situations Denny was in. Denny was the most heartwarming, funny and interesting character I’ve read in this type of book. This has become one of my top 10 books of the year, because I can’t just pick 5. I highly recommend this to everyone.

Thank you NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the ALC audiobook. All opinions are my own.

The story is told through the perspective of Denny Voss, a neurodivergent man with developmental delays who is facing serious criminal charges. How can he get a fair shot at justice when he struggles to understand people, and people don’t take the time to understand him? When he speaks in repetition and tangents, and shuts down under stress, how can he tell his story and prove he is innocent?

Fiction so often portrays neurodivergent characters as socially awkward but brilliant (Don Tillman from “The Rosie Project,” Elizabeth Zott from “Lessons in Chemistry,” Christopher Boone from “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time”). Denny helped reshape and broaden my view of neurodivergence and intellectual disability.

I was definitely rooting for Denny the whole time and eager to learn his backstory. I know many readers found this book laugh-out-loud funny, but for me, some of the situations and Denny’s literal interpretations felt written for laughs rather than humor that folded in naturally. Of course, this is coming from someone who cracks up at her own jokes while others stare at me blankly.

If you read the afterword, it’s clear how much care and thought the author put into portraying Denny with respect and authenticity. As someone with a developmentally disabled sibling, I’d say she succeeded.

Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Huge Holly Kennedy fan and this is her best yet! I laughed, cried and hugged my dog after reading. We could all stand to be a little more like Denny Voss….

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

The Sideways Life of Denny Voss is easily one of the most engrossing books I have read in 2025! It’s heartwarming, hilarious, and incredibly moving—there were moments that made me laugh out loud and others that brought me to tears. Denny and the other characters were so endearing, and I truly enjoyed their stories. I only wish it had been longer—I wasn’t ready to say goodbye!

Thank you NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the chance to listen to this book in exchange for my honest review. 4.5

A funny, sad, sweet, and life-affirming novel about a young man with an IQ of 72 who lives with his adopted mother. He works alongside his cousin for the dept of roads and transportation, likely earning minimum wage. One day, due to yet another misunderstanding with officials, he is arrested. This is the story of Denny’s arrest and trial, but as seen through his eyes, as he “does the visiting” with family and attorneys and as he remembers incidents from his past. Denny is naïve yet full of love, always telling the truth as he knows it. A wonderful story with delightful characters.
My thanks to the author, publisher, @BrillianceAudio (for the great narrations), and #NetGalley for early access to the audiobook for review purposes. Available 8 April 2025.

Format: Audio
Rating: 5/5⭐️
Pub day: April 8

I can’t even do justice to how much I loved this book. Denny, a neurodivergent 30 year old, is such a beautiful, sweet, and lovable character. My whole heart was invested in his life from the start and I tore through this audio with a joy for reading I haven’t felt it quite awhile.

This is a coming of age story but done in such a wonderfully unique way. There’s a mystery at the core that is slowly pieced together through Denny’s stories and the way he shares everything helps to showcase the thoughtfulness of Denny himself and the lovely people that surround him. If you love a story with heart and compassion, enjoy distinct voices and rescue dogs then add this to your list asap!

Thank you Brilliance Audio for the alc

The dog dies. Yes, some may consider that a spoiler, but it is more of a trigger warning. The book is not using the dog as the main character, therefore, I did not expect the dog to die. I avoid books where the dog dies, which seems to be something they love to do in children's books. Just don't ask how hard I cried after I read "The Rough Patch." And if I was that distraught after a dog died in a short picture book, you can just imagine my pain at the loss of a deaf and blind St. Bernard. Keep in mind that I also have TWO 7 year old Great Danes. I was sobbing, and blubbering. The dogs were bewildered (and not at all supportive), the cat was enjoying licking my tears, and my husband had to video call me from upstairs to make sure I was okay. This wrecked me. Please prepare yourself but don't try to not get attached to George, because he is a PERFECT boy and deserves our love.

Denny Voss has developmental delays. He lives with his elderly mother, and their blind and deaf St. Bernard, George. His cousin and co-worker, Angus lives on the other side of the duplex. Denny is a good guy and tries to do the right thing, like the time, he kidnapped his neighbor's goose, Tom Hanks, and illegally crossed into Canada to reunite him with his love. So when he crashes his sled into a tree filled with guns and bullets, Denny is trying to do the right thing. Little does he know that one of those guns was used in a murder. The story unfolds with Denny telling his therapist and lawyer all about his sideways life.

There are times where this is difficult to listen to because some people take advantage of Denny. I almost gave up at the part with the rug salesman because I hated seeing him get taken advantage of! However, this is a charming book that is really enjoyable aside from the horrible part that I complained about for a solid paragraph.

All in all, I did love the book, and it had 5 star potential. Perhaps publish it with a trigger warning for dog lovers? If I had known that was coming I would have given it 5 stars!

The audiobook was incredibly well done. The voice of Denny was actually perfect. I ended up preferring the audiobook to the digital copy because it was so well done. It was so good that it deserves an extra half star compared to the book. Making this a 4.5 star rounded up to 5 since this platform does not allow for half stars.

Thank you to Net Galley and Brilliance Publishing for the DLC. All opinions are my own.

WOW. WOW. WOW. This was spectacular and honestly a must read for everyone. May we all be slow to jump to conclusions and listen without judgment. I thought this was sooo well done and completely plausible.

3.5 stars, rounded up. Denny Voss is a developmentally disabled 30-year-old man who is jail on suspicion of murder. As his life story plays out, the mystery of the man he is suspected of murdering slowly unspools alongside his own. I do sometimes wonder about these authors writing books with a neurodivergent main character, but I appreciated Kennedy's author's note and Denny was a lovable, albeit frustrating at times, character who was easy to root for. I also had multiple theories about the mystery, and was satisfied with how everything played out in the end. Andrew Eiden did an excellent job narrating in Denny's voice. Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing | Brilliance Audio for an audiobook review copy.

4.5 stars

Denny Voss is a 30 year old living in rural Minnesota with his elderly mother and special needs Saint Bernard. He lives a simple life and he doesn’t let the challenges he faces (due to issues at birth) hold him back from feeling fulfilled. He has a great support system of people who love him and a solid routine to keep him grounded. That’s until his third arrest (this time for murder) puts a spanner in the works.

Denny and his loved ones are fantastic characters and the heart of this book is in the relationships between them all. This is such a funny cast and you can tell a lot of thought went into every single characters. I laughed out loud many times and topped it off with a bucket of tears (a win in my books). This book gives you a classic mystery unravelling, but it is very much a character-driven narrative and it breathes fresh life into the genre. There’s a brilliance contrast throughout of the ridiculous (like kidnapping Tom Hanks (a goose named Tom Hanks)) and the sincere as Denny discovers world-changing family secrets.

I am not developmentally delayed or neurodivergent (which Denny’s idiosyncrasies are reminiscent of) so I am not in a position to deem this representation good or bad, but I definitely say flashes of people in my life in Denny. He doesn’t feel like a caricature and I think the author does a great job of exploring the social issues he encounters. For example, Denny’s court-appointed therapist, who guides him through telling the story of the past year, often loses patience and learns he has to make changes to the way he normally communicates with clients to engage in a meaningful way. In Denny’s small community, I like that the author included people who endear and treat him with kindness and people who wish to ostracize him due to his quirks, which is sadly a very realistic reaction.

I love The Sideways Life of Denny Voss because it’s wildly entertaining AND makes you empathise deeply. I highly recommend to fans of Fredrik Backman (the writing reminded me of him), Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine or Molly the Maid.

Denny Voss is not stupid. He's a 72 (IQ). His family, friends and dog are what his life consists of, but somehow he seems to find himself in trouble a lot, even though all he wants to do is the right thing. Family secrets are unearthed as Denny tries to talk his way out of a murder charge.

Denny is a complex character and his voice comes so clearly off these pages. Kennedy has written Denny like he's there having a conversation with you, drawing you into the story and consuming you. The characters in this story are complicated, and the troubles they are facing are too. I was so happy to have found this book and can't wait to read more of Holly Kennedy.

Denny Voss is in major trouble.

While trying to do a good deed, he got arrested and, even worse, accused of murder!

Denny is almost 30 and cares very deeply for most others. He lives with his aging mom and blind/deaf Saint Bernard now that his dad has died. But that's okay, his cousin lives next door and works with Denny too.

Over the course of the book we learn how Denny's best intentions often go awry when others misunderstand him. We also get to know his family and learn a few secrets right along with him.

Denny is a sweet character who I greatly enjoyed getting to know.

Thanks to Netgally and the publisher for an advanced copy of the audio book in exchange for an honest review!
Let me start by saying this is definitely one of those books that is 100% better on audio. The narrator did such an excellent job capturing the essence of Denny's character and personality, and I thoroughly enjoyed experiencing this on audio.
Denny's story is poignant, but i also found myself laughing out loud several times throughout the book. Denny's literal interpretation of life is both sweet and hilarious. I really enjoyed reading Denny's story and I was rooting for him from the beginning of the book. I loved the little bit of mystery throughout the story (I won't specify what I'm referring to in order to avoid any spoilers). I loved George and Nana Jo. I'm still on the fence about Angus, but I think he means we'll.
All In all, this was a great book. A little repetitive at times, but the repetition is necessary because it's Denny's point of view and that's his personality.
I definitely think you should listen to this audio book!