Joy Moody Is Out of Time by Kerryn Mayne is an absolute gem! With wit, heart, and a touch of time-travel chaos, Joy’s journey is both hilarious and deeply moving. A perfect blend of humor, mystery, and emotion—this book is impossible to put down. I adored every page!

This book asks a key question: what makes Joy Moody (or indeed anyone) a kind person or an unkind person?
Joy Moosy is an extremely suffocating mother to her two daughters, Andie and Cassie. She allows them almost no freedom, and she lies to them nonstop. But she means really well. Is that enough?
To me, no. To others, and to Andie and Cassie, it’s much more complicated, because Joy is their Mum. Or is she?
Read this compelling and extremely eccentric novel to find out for yourself.

3.5 for this quirky, cozy-ish mystery with found family. Joy Moody has some big secrets and the clock is ticking on most of them. This was a unique set up with a strong start and I was very interested to see where it went. It jumps back and forth in time and in points of view, but is easy to follow as you are slowly given the pieces of the story. I really enjoyed the secondary characters of the other shop owners in the strip center and how they interacted with Joy and the twins.

I think the story might have worked better overall if the twins had been younger. Twenty one years in a suburban shop area made their complete isolation to the outside world unlikely enough that it took me out of the story, even with the given explanations. Also, I obviously don’t know how the health care system works in Australia, but can you just use someone else’s card with no ID? Genuinely curious.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy and a chance to read this early. All opinions are my own.

I loved this little oddball book! It was weird and charming and fun to read. There was a ton of bizarre in this story, which just made it better for me. It really showed the heart of this tale. Joy Moody and her wacky cast of characters were very engaging. I was so sucked in despite a slightly slow start (mostly because I’m worn out!) It was a fantastic story and I adore this author. Thanks for my free ARC in exchange for my review of the book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this quirky and unique book. It's a great combination of mystery and family drama. The characters are all original, and the premise is quite bizarre. It was a nice change of pace from other books I've been reading, but there was something about the way it was written that made it seem believable under the strange circumstances. The author did a great job bringing the characters to life, especially imagining the thinking of the twin sisters who had spent their whole lives being homeschooled and not having friends their own age. Readers slowly have the events that led to their circumstances revealed, and there are multiple mysteries to solve and many red herrings along the way. As a fan of Mayne's previous book, I am happy to have had the chance to read an advance copy of this one. I look forward to reading her next book. Although this is a great book to read just for pleasure, I think it also would make an excellent choice for book discussion groups. Highly recommended!

This story is a wild ride that keeps you guessing from the first page. For the first half of the book, I wasn’t sure if I was reading a fantasy or mystery. The ending was sad and sweet and the whole book was a reminder of all the grey areas between right and wrong.

Extremely quirky and unusual characters and an odd premise combine to form a well written but strange story. This novel was not as good as Lenny Marks but was still intriguing and interesting.

Review of Uncorrected Digital Galley

Joy, sitting near the peppercorn tree, waits with her identical twin daughters, Cassie and Andie. Today the twins are twenty-one; today they’re going to be transported back to 2050.

But nothing happens and Joy declares that “something is not right.”

Joy holds secrets from her daughters; sometimes she means to set things right, but somehow the right moment never appears. And now Joy knows that, by the end of this day she will be gone.

But gone where? And how? And why?

=========

As the unfolding story slowly reveals the backstory of how the girls came to believe their mother’s claim that they’d come from the future, that they would return to 2050 on their twenty-first birthday, readers come to understand how controlling-mother Joy has kept so many secrets for so long. Beneath the seeming-craziness lies a truth so buried that readers are not likely to suspect it before its stunning reveal.

More than a story about events, this is a story about family, about commitment, about caring. It’s about a mother’s love for her children. The characters are quirky, the plot whimsical yet believable and intriguing. Readers will laugh and cry as the reasons for Joy’s isolation of the twins comes to light. Readers are likely to debate whether Joy's mothering is abusive or simply over-protective.

Readers who enjoy family drama, a bit of a mystery, and quirky characters will find much to appreciate in this sad, bittersweet, unique story.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley
#JoyMoodyisOutofTime #NetGalley

This is a cozy and intriguing mystery. Cassie and Andie are from the future, at least that's what Joy has been telling them for the past decade. When the day of their scheduled teleportation ends in Joy's death, the Moody twins try to figure what really happened and who they can trust.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

I had a fantastic time reading this book! The quirky setting of Joyful Suds, with its bright pink facade, immediately drew me in. I loved getting to know Joy Moody and her twin daughters, Cassie and Andie. The mystery surrounding their past and Joy's colorful tales kept me hooked from the very beginning.
Joy's struggle to differentiate between truth and lies added an intriguing layer to the story, and I found myself empathizing with her predicament. The anticipation leading up to Cassie and Andie's 21st birthday was palpable, and I was eager to see how their roles as future revolution leaders would unfold.
When Joy Moody's untimely death left the twins to fend for themselves, I felt their sense of loss and uncertainty. The twists and turns that followed kept me on the edge of my seat, and I couldn't wait to see how Cassie and Andie would navigate their newfound responsibilities and the dangers that awaited them.

Overall, the book was a delightful mix of mystery, family dynamics, and suspense. The author's engaging writing style and well-developed characters made it an enjoyable read from start to finish. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good mystery with a touch of whimsy!

I found myself liking this book more and more as I read it and was able to wrap my head around the fact that this book was different from most of my reads. Joy, Cassie, and Andie are not your normal characters and I needed to not see them as everyday people I would pass in the street people. By the end of the book, I had come to understand what Joy had experienced and what the author Kerryn Mayne was showing me. If you have picked this book up and started it I would recommend giving it a chance to grab you. I think you will enjoy the ride.
Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martins Press for the ARC.

Kerryn Mayne’s *Joy Moody Is Out of Time* offers a captivating blend of mystery and family drama. Set in the quirky Joyful Suds laundromat, the story follows twin sisters Cassie and Andie as they confront the tangled lies spun by their mother, Joy, after her death on their 21st birthday.

Mayne skillfully balances humor, suspense, and emotion, exploring themes of motherhood and identity. Joy is a fiercely protective yet flawed character, and her well-intentioned deceptions create an intricate puzzle for her daughters. As Cassie and Andie shift from blind faith to seeking the truth, the narrative builds tension, revealing secrets at a gripping pace.

With its emotional depth and charm, *Joy Moody Is Out of Time* is an engrossing read that resonates long after the final page, appealing to fans of character-driven suspense and unconventional storytelling.

Joy Moody Is Out of Time by Kerryn Mayne, published by St. Martin's Press is the second book I read by this azthor. The first one is Lenny Marks Gets Away With Murder and I totally did a reread and still loved it like the first read through.
But back to book 2.
Joy Moody owns a laundromat, a place where strange things happen. But nothing is as it seems at first sight, nothing. A twisty read full of very unexpected turns that I greatly enjoyed reading.

I really enjoyed Lenny Marks last year so when I was given the opportunity by NetGalley and Macmillan audio to read this one I jumped!!

I did not like this one as much as Lenny Marks… that said this isn’t a bad book, I just think I wanted more of a true mystery and less of a human interest story. It felt like something you’d watch a crime documentary on. Like watching a report on Gypsy Rose. If those shows are your cup of tea then you’ll love this one.

The authors writing style, voice, and choice of narrators is again top tier! So 3 stars for story and 5 stars for narration so overall 4 stars!

This book is a delightful, quirky crime novel that combines mystery with unexpected emotional depth. I loved how the author slowly peeled back the layers of deception, leaving me questioning what was truth and what was simply a carefully constructed story. The dynamic between the sisters, their journey of self-discovery, and the overarching mystery made this a fun, engaging read that I couldn’t put down. If you’re into clever crime stories with unpredictable twists , this one’s a must-read.

A Twisty Tale of Family, Secrets, and the Future

Joy Moody Is Out Of Time is actually a bizarre book! The novel follows the story of twins Cassiopeia (Cassie) and Andromeda (Andie) as they approach their 21st birthday. Their mother, Joy, has always told them that they are destined to be an important part of the future's future. The twins have been raised under strict guidance, prepared for what they believe is an impending journey to the year 2050 to save the world. Joy has always been cryptic, knowing more than she lets on, and the twins have learned to trust that their mother has a plan—even if they don't fully understand it.

But when Joy suddenly disappears, Cassie and Andie are left alone, forced to reckon with the reality of what their upbringing was truly about. Without Joy to guide them, they begin to question everything they believed about their purpose, their future, and the supposed mission to save the world. As they dig deeper, they uncover secrets that change their perspective on the past and the truth of their mother’s intentions.

What makes this book truly captivating is the relationships between the characters. The twins share an unbreakable bond, shaped by their unusual upbringing, and the relationships with their quirky neighbors add a warm, small-town element to the story. Despite the futuristic, science-fiction twist, it is the human connection—the complex love between family, friends, and neighbors—that takes center stage and makes the story resonate.

I especially loved the dynamics between the twins and the neighbors, and even Joy herself, with all her flaws and secrets. The relationships felt real, and their warmth was a wonderful counterpoint to the more mysterious and suspenseful elements. Personally, I found these relationships more compelling than the science-fiction narrative, making this a bittersweet yet heartwarming book that I enjoyed immensely. If you love stories about family bonds, strange but endearing neighbors, and the idea that everything can change in an instant, then this is the book for you! It's cozy, quirky, and full of surprises.

#stmartins #joymoodyisoutoftime #kerrynmayne