Repent, Lanny Merkel

by Faith Sullivan

Suburban housewife Laura Pomfret finds her serene life is hilariously shattered by ghosts of the past, especially Lanny Merkel, when she receives an invitation to her twenty-fifth high-school reunion

Genres: Fiction

214 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1981

About the author

Faith Sullivan was born and raised in southern Minnesota. Married to drama critic Dan Sullivan, she lived twenty-some years in New York and Los Angeles, returning to Minnesota often to keep her roots planted in the prairie. She is the author of Good Night, Mr. Wodehouse (2015), Gardenias (2005), What a Woman Must Do (2002), The Empress of One (1997), The Cape Ann (1988), Mrs. Demming and The Mythical Beast (1986), Watchdog (1982) and Repent, Lanny Merkel (1981). A “demon gardener, flea marketer, and feeder of birds,” Sullivan lives in Minneapolis with her husband. They have three grown children.

She is the winner of the Midwest Book Award, the Langum Prize for Historical Fiction, the Milkweed National Fiction Prize and the Ben Franklin Prize, and is a Minnesota Book Award Finalist.

Reviews

[Kristi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of the novels of Faith Sullivan, especially The Cape Ann, Empress of One, and What a Woman Must Do. This book is her first novel. It does not have the poignancy that is so wonderful in her later books, but I enjoyed her sense of humor. Kristi & Abby Tabby

[Colleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

pretty funny and shallow, quick read

[Sheri · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was the first book this author wrote and I really liked her later books so thought I'd give this one a try. It was a cute story about a 25 year high school reunion and the boy she never got over. They come to grips (literally) and the story ends. Quick short read.

[Vikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lenny Merkel married a woman with three kids. She gets an invitation to his 25th class reunion. This tells of her going back to the reunion. It is so funny. A great book!

[Yvonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very funny read about coming to terms with aging, returning to your home town for a high school reunion, and past mistakes.

[Barbara Pogoler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read many of Faith's books. Liked this very much. Great character development. We all have some of those same feelings right?

[Roslynne Levine · Rating 3 out of 5]

As my son would say... meh