The Man from Primrose Lane

By: James Renner

Narrated by: L. J. Ganser

A mind-bending, genre-twisting debut novel. In West Akron, there lived a reclusive elderly man who always wore mittens, even in July. He had no friends and no family; all over town, he was known only as The the Man from Primrose Lane. And on a summer day in 2008, someone murdered him.

Four years later, David Neff is a broken man. The best-selling author of a true-crime book about an Ohio serial killer, Neff went into exile after his wife’s inexplicable suicide. That is, until an unexpected visit from an old friend introduces him to the strange mystery of “the man with a thousand mittens.” Soon Neff finds himself drawn back into a world he thought he had left behind forever. But the closer he gets to uncovering the true identity of the Man from Primrose Lane, the more he begins to understand the dangerous power of his own obsessions and how they may be connected to the deaths of both his beloved wife and the old hermit.

With a deft and singular blend of suspense, literature, and horror, James Renner's The Man from Primrose Lane boasts as many twists and turns as a roller coaster. It’s a spellbinding journey of redemption and a reflection on the roles of fate, destiny, and obsession when it comes to matters of the heart.

©2012 James Renner (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

“ The Man from Primrose Lane is a well-told story filled with darkness, horror, humor and surprising tenderness. And that’s just the first part. There is a moment in this novel when the story moves in a way so unexpected I actually had to put it down and catch my breath. Go ahead, see what I mean. I’ll wait here for you.” (Charles Yu, author of How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe)

“ The Man from Primrose Lane is one of those novels that will leave you torn: you’ll want to read it slowly, in order to savor every scene, but you’ll feel compelled to rush through the pages to discover what happens next. With uncommon skill and intelligence, James Renner weaves an intricate story of murder, abduction, and obsessive love. An incredible achievement—beautifully written and dazzlingly plotted, full of well-drawn characters and unexpected twists.” (Harry Dolan, author of Bad Things Happen and Very Bad Men)

“ The Man from Primrose Lane is a haunting, wickedly clever book. Part Dennis Lehane and part Murakami, the twist of H. P. Lovecraft mixed in gives it a taste like no other. James Renner starts off his fiction career with a bang.” (Jonathan Carroll, author of The Ghost in Love)

Interesting and entertaining!

Quite the rollercoaster! Interesting premise, with lots of cool twists (which should not be spoiled!).

Great twists and unexpected plot!

It takes a second to get going but then I could hardly keep up. What a great read.

Good read, despite, not because of sci fi twist

I never fully settled into this book because I was looking forward to a 'cold crime mystery' read, not a detour into the twilight zone. That said, the writer is clearly talented and while the sci fi angle never quite gelled for me, I was entertained and would try another of the authors efforts.

great psych thriller until the time travel started

I was so into it, then they started with the science fiction and time travel element and ruined what was a truly extraordinary book

my head hurts 😞

this book was abusive, it abused my mentality ,my nerves, my thought process and triggered me to no end, it was mind fu¢k€ry at its finest.
I can say I'm happy to be rid of it and I'll happy to start a new book.
if my rating confuses you, you should read the book to realize how a person can hate a book while appreciating its genius.