About this ebook
A story of family malfunction. The Leacock Medal-longlisted novel from the author of Relative Happiness—now an award-winning feature film.
In a Cape Breton family of black sheep, Mary is pure as the driven snow. She is patient and kind with her alcoholic grandmother and volatile mother, loyal and attentive to her spoiled cousin, and pleasant and polite all day as a grocery cashier. Her well-off aunt, the only other normal person in the family, wants to help her more, but Mary's mother is too prickly and proud. So Mary goes to work, comes home, takes care of her family, and wonders if there'll ever be more to life.
When a young couple moves into the apartment upstairs, it sparks a series of changes that leads to major family revelations, and Mary discovers that sometimes doing the wrong thing is the exact right thing to do.
Tender, authentic, and crackling with Lesley's irrepressible humor, Mary, Mary is a book for anyone who's ever had a family—good, bad, or a messy mix of both.
Praise for Lesley Crewe and her novels
"Crewe's books are rich with detail, wit and understanding of how family and its roots impact on people's lives." — Cape Breton Post
" The Spoon Stealer might just steal your heart." —Amy Spurway, author of Crow
"Shines a light on the secrets and lies that bind generations of Cape Breton families." — Toronto Star
"A warm-hearted story of one woman's journey from a dark and abusive childhood into the light of acceptance and love." — Atlantic Books Today
In a Cape Breton family of black sheep, Mary is pure as the driven snow. She is patient and kind with her alcoholic grandmother and volatile mother, loyal and attentive to her spoiled cousin, and pleasant and polite all day as a grocery cashier. Her well-off aunt, the only other normal person in the family, wants to help her more, but Mary's mother is too prickly and proud. So Mary goes to work, comes home, takes care of her family, and wonders if there'll ever be more to life.
When a young couple moves into the apartment upstairs, it sparks a series of changes that leads to major family revelations, and Mary discovers that sometimes doing the wrong thing is the exact right thing to do.
Tender, authentic, and crackling with Lesley's irrepressible humor, Mary, Mary is a book for anyone who's ever had a family—good, bad, or a messy mix of both.
Praise for Lesley Crewe and her novels
"Crewe's books are rich with detail, wit and understanding of how family and its roots impact on people's lives." — Cape Breton Post
" The Spoon Stealer might just steal your heart." —Amy Spurway, author of Crow
"Shines a light on the secrets and lies that bind generations of Cape Breton families." — Toronto Star
"A warm-hearted story of one woman's journey from a dark and abusive childhood into the light of acceptance and love." — Atlantic Books Today
A story of family malfunction. The Leacock Medal-longlisted novel from the author of Relative Happiness—now an award-winning feature film.
In a Cape Breton family of black sheep, Mary is pure as the driven snow. She is patient and kind with her alcoholic grandmother and volatile mother, loyal a...
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Ratings and reviews
2 reviews
Colleen Matlock
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September 18, 2026
Great read. Funny and a little sad!
About the author
Lesley Crewe is the author of several novels, including Amazing Grace, Chloe Sparrow, Kin, and Relative Happiness, which has been adapted into a feature film. Previously a columnist and freelance writer, Lesley lives in Homeville, Nova Scotia. Visit her at lesleycrewe.com
Lesley Crewe is the author of several novels, including Amazing Grace, Chloe Sparrow, Kin, and Relative Happiness, which has been adapted into a feature film. Previously a columnist and freelance writer, Lesley lives in Homeville, Nova Scotia. Visit her at lesleycrewe.com
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