The Sideways Life of Denny Voss

A Novel

By: Holly Kennedy

Narrated by: Andrew Eiden, Holly Kennedy

In this poignant and funny novel, a man who is defined by his limitations sets out to fight a murder charge—and discovers unexpected truths about himself, his family, and the world at large.

On the surface, Denny Voss’s life in rural Minnesota is a quiet one. At thirty years old, he lives at home with his elderly mother and his beloved blind and deaf Saint Bernard, George. He cleans up roadkill to help pay the bills. Though his prospects are limited by a developmental delay—the result of an accident at birth—Denny has always felt that he has “a good life.”

So how did he wind up being charged with the murder of a mayoral candidate—after crashing a sled full of guns into a tree?

As Denny awaits trial, his court-appointed therapist walks him through the events of the past year. Denny’s had other scuffles with the law, the first for kidnapping a neighbor’s cantankerous goose. And then there was the time he accidentally assisted in a bank robbery. It seems like whenever Denny tries to do the right thing, chaos ensues.

Untangling the events around the murder reveals even more painful truths about his family’s past. He’s always been surrounded by people who love him, but now it’s up to Denny to set his life on a new course.

©2025 by Holly Kennedy. (P)2025 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“Andrew Eiden charmingly performs this first-person story of Denny Voss, which recounts a series of misunderstandings that lead to his conundrums and, eventually, his arrest for murder. Thirty-year-old Denny is cognitively challenged, and Eiden's portrayal displays Denny's persistent optimism and heart of gold in a natural way.… At the audiobook's end, author Holly Kennedy conversationally describes her reasons for writing a respectful, amusing story based on a developmentally disabled character. Listeners will, no doubt, root for Denny, too.”—AudioFile Magazine, Earphones Award Winner

“Original, deftly crafted, and told with author Holly Kennedy’s distinctive and narrative driven storytelling style…Unreservedly recommended.”—Midwest Book Review

“The Sideways Life of Denny Voss will be a modern classic. Kennedy’s Denny is not idealized. Instead, he is fully revealed, with a clarity not seen in the pages of a novel since Carson McCullers wrote The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter. His story is a meditation on justice, bigotry, gun violence, and equity. Read it, perhaps as I did, all night, in one sitting, then look deep into your own community—and into your own heart.”—Jacquelyn Mitchard, New York Times bestselling author of The Deep End of the Ocean

Absolutely WONDERFUL Book

Oh my gosh, I LOVED this book, I LOVED Denny! I loved how he shouted out, "I'm not disabled." Awesome read and amazing character development ❤️!

Totally Unexpected Gem

What a wonderfully flushed out story with some incredibly likable characters. Tackling social issues without preaching or condescending is not easy and was handled with true grace. This story definitely makes you feel for the protagonist as he is dragged through a horrible situation. One of my favorite books that I have listened to this year. So happy that I stumbled upon. This unexpected gem.

Great Book

Loved everything about this book! The narration, the characters, the story..all wonderful. It’s an uplifting story despite the heavy topics. Highly recommend.

unique story performed wonderfully!

such an interesting and uniquely different story and the Audible narrator did a great job!

Such a beautiful and real story

This book was perfect in every way. I rarely give 5 star reviews but this wonderful book deserves each and every one of them. Denny's story made me laugh and cry. Do yourself a huge favor and give this one a listen. The narrator did an amazing job of capturing Denny Voss.

Heartwarming

Easy listen, great story, tear jerker at times and laughing sometimes. Recommend listen. Easy voice to listen to as well

Worth the money or the credit

This story was so unique and told with so much skill and care. I laugh d out loud, I smile, and cried but must of all I cared.

Witty and entertaining!

Great characters and good story line. Fun and funny to listen to. More books with Denny Voss, please!

Fabulous narration, Even better story

This is the first time I e ever left a review on audible even as I’m an avid reader/listener but this book was the perfect mix of humor and emotion — part love story, part relationship between parents and children story, part story of friendship, part mystery, and part journey into the life of special people who walk this planet. And as good as the story itself, the narrator was the best I’ve ever heard. It was such a difficult voice to get right with subtleties and nuance and he nailed it. It really added to the story line.

Warm heart felt story with unique characters. I really enjoyed each one. Great narration.

I liked everything about this book. I highly recommend for it story, characters and humor.