Equal parts charm and deep sadness.
Full of heartbreak but also some great humour and joy.
Loved the suspense of figuring out what had really happened to little Lenny and the mystery of “Malcolm”

Couldn’t put it down and it will stay with me for a long time.
I really liked this book and its original premise.

Lenny Marks is a triumph

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc

Thank you to netgalley.com for this ARC in exchange for a review.

I really enjoyed this novel about a quirky but isolated main character and her back history and how it shapes her future life. It was great to see how Lenny evolves with the people around her. While not a traditional mystery, it had some good twists and turns

The cute cover and synopsis caught my attention while browsing NetGalley, and I’m finally, getting around to reading & reviewing.

Somehow, I hadn’t realized the story was based in Australia. There were a few words/phrases I wasn’t familiar with. But it didn’t take long to figure out what they meant and it didn’t really detract from the story, itself.

I thoroughly enjoyed our main character, Lenny Marks! She felt a little prickly, in the beginning, but once you got to know the reasoning behind it, it made complete sense. I loved watching her personal growth & healing as the story developed. I felt most of the side characters were endearing, and some got what they deserved {good riddance!}.
Also, there was just enough {closed door} romance for my liking. I loved how The Hobbit & Friends played a part in the story, too.

Believe this was the debut novel for author, Kerryn Mayne, and I will be keeping an eye
out for any future books since I enjoyed this one so well. Definitely recommend giving this one a read!


I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from NetGalley.
A positive review was not required. These are my honest thoughts.
Thank you to the publisher, author and NetGalley for this opportunity!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder by Kerryn Mayne in exchange for my honest review and opinion. This was a fantastic read that will make you stop and reread lines over and over again. Totally heartwarming as she is trying to "relearn" how to live life again. Sweet book.

Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder by Kerryn Mayne
This was a slow burn, but it was well orchestrated. Lenny lives a very routine life, and she likes it that way. She knows what to expect daily and avoids any disruption to her routine.

Lenny also has a traumatic past that she has kept quiet for 25 years. Her routine and her secrets motivated her until she started to remember. And until she decides she deserves more.

This was well written. I wanted to hug Lenny from the start. She had so much potential to be a great friend, but was forcing herself to stay distant. And she needed someone to see her.

I enjoyed how this story unfolded and how the path of trauma was used. We followed Lenny as she figured out how to let go and heal. We also discovered that some secrets are never meant to be shared.

This is an excellent thriller, with a slow pace and a heavy emotional load.

Publication date: February 21, 2023
Publisher: Penguin Books

This book is equal parts humorous and heartbreaking. Lenny has had the same routine that keeps her safe nd secluded from real life. That is until she receives a letter from the parole board and thoughts she's kept at bay since her mom and step-dad disappeared....

Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder is not your typical mystery/thriller story. This book focuses on who Lenny Marks and her quirkiness and less a murder.

Lenny Marks is a 39 year old teacher who does not like going out and wants no one to know where she lives so her mail comes to either her school or a box at a local grocery store. One day a letter comes to her school under a name no one knows and it starts a chain reaction that changes Lenny's life. Next thing she knows, she is going to trivia night with some other teachers, "rescuing" a dog, and seeing her child aged self. Who is Lenny Marks, what happened to her, and why does the parole board want to get a hold of her.

This is a book about trauma and how we survive as well as friends we do not realize we have and the strength they provide. As mentioned at the top this is not you standard mystery/thriller so if you are wanting that this will not come through. But if you are up for anything, this is a good option.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved Lenny. She was such a relatable FMC for me. I also do no enjoy being out of my comfort zone and thrive on schedule. But such as life, things often take a turn and don't go as planned. You wanted to root for her from start to finish and it was worth it!

Lenny Marks is a single teacher in her 30s who lives a very cautious and carefully ordered life. She has pushed down some traumatic events from her childhood and bits and pieces are starting to break through the wall she put up to protect herself. Now, her stepfather is being released from prison and that order is starting to crumble.

While this was a good book, I wasn't fully invested in Lenny's life or the outcome. I was expecting a character like Molly the Maid and I wasn't feeling the same about Lenny. I found the story to move a little slowly for my personal taste. I also felt like this was marketed as a "cozy" mystery when it was more of a personal journey than a mystery.

I followed along with the audiobook while reading and I really enjoyed the narrator for this one. I felt like she brought a lot more life into the character than if I was just reading it. If you enjoyed Eleanor Oliphant or Molly the Maid and like a pretty good representation of neurodivergent main characters, you'll probably like Lenny Marks! I encourage you to pick it up and give it a try for yourself.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

It admittedly took me a little bit to get into this book. Lenny’s constant need for routine and her quirks took some getting used to. And she did annoy me from time to time. BUT…. My advice is to stick with the book. It is worth it. I rated this 3.0 to 3.5. It kind of gives off Eleanor Oliphant vibes. I’ll definitely read more by this author.

I have never been a fan of the show "How to Get Away With Murder" because it irritates me when people do not follow the rules or commit crimes. However, there have been movies that I have watched where the good guy is really a bad guy and I have rooted for him, like Robin Hood. Lenny Marks is a sort of Robin Hood. Kerryn Mayne filled this book with so many little details that made me love this story. I was not fond of all of the events Lenny had to endure as a child, but reading about how she overcame those events made for a very interesting read. The details on Lenny's character were such an added addition to the story. The "Friends" show reference and the tidbit about a jerk from Lenny's high school gave me moments of character connection. Malcolm pulled at my heart strings. This is a well -rounded story that is very difficult to put down.

An entertaining story with a twist. I’ll admit that the twist threw me a bit. I had assumed that most of Lenny’s quirks were more likely the result of being on the autism spectrum, though PTSD does make sense. I was glad that Lenny got a happy ending.

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.