Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an early copy of this book in exchange for a honest review. I loved this book so much and read it in one sitting. I really could not put it down and wanted to know what was going to happen. I loved the storyline and the characters. I would definitely recommend this book.

This book was so good!

We meet quirky Lenny Marks, a teacher who has everything in a routine and everything in a line. She is reliable and predictable, a little socially awkward, but she is content with her life. When she receives a letter from a penitentiary stating that she can write a statement regarding a possible parole, her life starts to become a little less predictable.

This book gave me Elinor Oliphant vibes in the best way. Lenny is a quirky and loveable, and the unraveling of her story was a good adventure. This story was sad and heartbreaking, but also hopeful and beautiful. I highly recommend.

This book was such a surprise—quirky, heartbreaking, and unexpectedly uplifting. Lenny is a character I won’t soon forget. The trauma at the heart of the story is handled with nuance and care. Some tonal shifts jarred me a bit, but overall it was a gem.

Part of the new trend of quirky/neurodivergent detectives. Lenny Marks seems to possibly have OCD (which I can relate to) and likes order and routine. Who better than to solve a mystery? Many of us with OCD tendencies love a classic mystery, where order is restored!

But Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder is as much a character study as a mystery, as we learn how past trauma has led to Lenny's insistence on things being a certain way (I'd argue that it's environmental and biological).

It's not quite fair to call this a cozy as it has a more serious tone. It's more in the realm of Elinor Oliphant is Completely Fine and Where'd You Go Bernadette.

I looked forward to reading this book, but I just never connected with the characters. Lenny was just too socially awkward and the dialogue was painful. I do have to admit that once I got about two-thirds of the way in, it did pick up a bit. But the first 66% of the book was too difficult and did not encourage me to continue reading. If it had not been an ARC, I probably would have set it aside and picked up a book that would have brought me a pleasant reading experience. But there are plenty of positive reviews, so I would encourage you to give it a try and see if this one appeals to you.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

Adult
Australia
Book Club
Contemporary
Crime
Fiction
Mystery
Mystery Thriller
Thriller

The story centers on Lenny Marks, a quirky and highly routine-driven 37-year-old fifth-grade teacher in Australia. Lenny lives a meticulously planned life, avoiding social interactions and confronting her traumatic past. This structured existence is her way of coping with the disappearance of her mother and stepfather when she was a child, and the haunting words from her stepfather: "You did this."

However, Lenny's carefully constructed world begins to unravel when she receives a letter from the Adult Parole Board, forcing her to confront the long-suppressed memories of that fateful day. As her past surfaces, her routines fall apart, and she is unexpectedly forced to engage with the people around her, forming new relationships. The novel explores themes of trauma, healing, growth, and the journey of a woman learning to live and connect with others despite a difficult past.

There are elements of suspense, and it is a very interesting read!

Lenny Marks is a schoolteacher who lives alone and plays scrabble with her pretend roommate. Tragic events in her past keep her from making friends and keep her on a strict schedule to minimize surprises. nicely written with fine character development. I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to more from this author. I received a complimentary copy of this book and chose to write a voluntary, unbiased review.

In Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder, Kerryn Mayne introduces us to Lenny Marks, a quirky and lovable fifth-grade teacher who lives by routine. Her days are meticulously planned: biking home at 4 PM, preparing the same meals weekly, and playing Scrabble against an imaginary Monica Geller while watching Friends reruns.

Lenny's life is structured to avoid confronting her traumatic past, especially the day her mother and stepfather disappeared when she was a child. It was all in balance until she received a letter from the parole board, forcing her to face long-suppressed memories and emotions.​ Lenny's character is endearing and relatable, making her journey all the more compelling. and keeping readers engaged as Lenny navigates new relationships and challenges.​

Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder is an impressive debut that explores trauma, healing, and growth. I expected this book to be a mystery based on its title, but it’s more like contemporary fiction with elements of suspense.

Recommended for readers who appreciate character-driven stories.

I received this advance reader copy of Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder from St. Martin's Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Reading this debut novel by author Kerryn Mayne made me very uncomfortable. It’s abundantly clear throughout “Lenny Marks Gets Away With Murder” that protagonist Lenny Marks doesn’t connect well with others and doesn’t know how to read people’s verbal or nonverbal cues, as though she is on the autism spectrum. The reality is, however, that her childhood was so traumatic that she disassociated herself from reality and suffers from post traumatic stress disorder and suffers from severe memory gaps. She’s unable to bond easily with others having suffered many losses during her youth.

Reading about Lenny’s repeated, difficult, awkward experiences made my skin crawl. I kept wanting her to stand up for herself, grow a spine, and stop behaving so cowardly. The details of her childhood trauma are revealed in snippets, sprinkled slowly and sparingly as the novel progresses. The true extent of the horrors aren’t revealed until near the end of the book, when the Lenny finally remembers everything and admits the truth of what happened to herself. The novel’s structure is interesting and different, and it works effectively to keep the reader guessing. I think the book could have used a bit more editing, however, making it less repetitive in theme and hence shorter, thus making it even more impactful.

Nevertheless, the ending was fabulous and could not have been any more satisfying! Thank you NetGalley, Ms. Mayne, and St. Martin's Press for giving me an advanced reader’s copy for my review. My opinion is voluntary..

Just finished *Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder* by Kerryn Mayne, and I loved it. It’s quirky, heartbreaking, and hopeful all at once. Lenny is such a unique, lovable character—you root for her even when you’re not exactly sure what’s going on. The mystery unfolds in a really unexpected way, and there’s just the right mix of humor and emotional depth. If you liked *Eleanor Oliphant* or *The Rosie Project*, this one’s right up your alley.

Kerryn Mayne’s Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder is a darkly comedic debut that blends psychological tension with unexpected heart. Lenny Marks, a reclusive, rules-obsessed primary school teacher, has spent two decades carefully crafting a quiet, controlled life; until a letter from her estranged stepfather threatens to unravel everything, including the secrets surrounding her mother’s long-ago disappearance. Lenny is a masterclass in complex characterization, quirky, socially awkward, and deeply wounded, yet incredibly sympathetic.

I rarely read synopses or blurbs, so I had no idea what was waiting for me within the pages of Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder, but it surprised me. Lenny made me fall in love with her right away, and as the story unfolded, my love for her continued to grow. The side characters were fantastically frustrating, and the plot was engaging.

She is quirky, odd, and has imaginary friends. She arranges her 36 Hobbit books by height (the only proper way to shelve them, if you ask me). She keeps to herself and avoids speaking with almost everyone. Lenny's "oddness" stems from the trauma of being left behind as a child when her mother and stepfather disappeared. As the story continues, memories begin to surface, and Lenny starts to understand who she is and who she wants to be. Lenny is much more than a neurodivergent character with a backstory. There is real trauma she is dealing with. If you have any triggers, I recommend checking content warnings.

I think fans of character-driven stories that are a little dark but hopeful will enjoy this. Think Eleanor Oliphant and, on some level, Strange Sally Diamond.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was not what I expected, but it was better than I could have imagined. Lenny Marks is an endearing protagonist who processes her childhood trauma throughout the story. Overall, this is a heartwarming and thoughtful book with real characters. I would highly recommend this book.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

Lenny Marks lives a very routine life. Everything is done at a specific time, in a specific way, and that is the way it is. Lenny did not have a great upbringing, so this is how she copes, by everything being very black and white. However, when she receives a parole board letter in the mail - addressed to her at school because no one knows where she lives, that carefully crafted routine starts to unravel.

As time passes, can Lenny form new relationships, start trusting people and start living her life, not just existing?

It was really fun! Lenny was quirky. There were found family aspects and Friends references.
Lenny reminded me a bit of some of Fredrik Backman's characters. I liked that the story felt unique and layered.

Lenny Marks Get Away with Murder by Kerryn Mayne
Genre: Mystery I Thriller
Narrator: Annie Maynard
Length: 9 hours, 41 minutes
Release date: February 21, 2023
Thank you @NetGalley and the author for the e-arc

I enjoyed the audio narration by Annie Maynard, I love hearing different accents. She really captured me with her tone of the different situations that Lenny found herself in. I recommend the audio for this one.

I am still going strong on my NetGalley clean out, I thought saw this cover and it looked adorable so it was one of the first books that I requested on NetGalley. This book starts out cute enough, we follow Lenny Marks, a school teacher in Australia that would rather be at home with her extensive collection of Lord of the Ring editions than socialize. She rides her bike to school and really just keeps to herself. I will say, until about 50% into the novel I thought this was going to be a cute slice of life novel or one about going out of your comfort zone a bit. Guys, I was so wrong. As the title entails, there is a murder that happens. I can't speak too much on it because it's a massive spoiler, but I say all of this to say that I need to stop judging books by the cover and ACTUALLY read a synopsis. lol. I felt like I had whiplash because of the drastic difference between the first and second half of the book. Overall, I liked it, but I think had I known what I was getting into I would have potentially had a higher rating.

This was a charming book with such an interesting main character. Funny and mysterious but also complex and emotional. It's a well written novel that is engaging and easy to get pulled into.

I've been saying for weeks that I needed a good thriller, something to put my brain into spooky season and this book hit the spot more than I thought it would.

While it's not spooky per se, it is a thriller; it will mess with your head one second and have you laughing out loud the next; Lennie is the kind of character that I wish I could have as a best friend.

Through stealing dogs, breaking into houses, and realizing so many parts of her life are connected, Lenny leads us on a rollercoaster of a ride, and I loved it.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for providing a copy of this e-book, I have voluntarily read and reviewed it, and all thoughts are my own.

Lenny Marks is an interesting character; she is truly unforgettable. I think this book would be a good choice for a book club. The story stayed with me a while after I read it. I highly recommend.

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

This book was different than I thought it would be, and in such a good way. Lenny was a delight to get to know and so endearing. I enjoyed spending time with her and look forward to reading more from the author.

Thank you to Kerryn Mayne, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a digital copy of the book for an honest review.