Give me a quirky character any day. I adored Lenny Marks. It's a bit of a slow burn, but enough happens in the here and now, and the glimpses into Lenny's past to keep you intrigued and entertained. Lenny is very repressed due to the trauma she endured as a child, and she doesn't always understand social cues and so forth, so my heart ached for her many times when she misread situations. Both Kirra and Ned were lovely side characters whom I would love to have read more of. All in all, Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder isn't your hard-core thriller, but neither is it a cozy mystery. It lies somewhere in the middle, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Lenny Marks gets away with Murder was such an enjoyable book. Lenny is a bit awkward and quirky but that is what makes her so likeable. As she navigates her traumatic past and as she tried to build a "normal" life, she finds unexpected friends along the way.

This book was so unexpected! I didn’t know what to expect, but definitely not what was delivered!

Lenny is such a quirky, endearing, & likable character. On the surface this is a point in time life story about a woman and her ordinary life but… it is much more than the ordinary you would believe from the surface. Especially when we are introduced to bits and pieces of Lenny’s dramatic and traumatic past.

I loved the side characters in this story and the themes of found family, self worth and finding one’s passion in life.

Thank you to m MacMillan Audio for my ALC and St Martin’s Press for my ARC in exchange for my review!

Don't be fooled by the title of this book. Kerryn Mayne has written an extremely entertaining novel that on first glance might tempt you to put it into the "cozy mystery" category. It does have components of that genre, but quite soon you will realize that the title character, Helena "Lenny" Marks, has many interesting and complicated layers and an unexpected depth to her somewhat lonely life.

Without giving too much away, suffice it to say that Lenny's quirks, social awkwardness, and lack of confidence might signal a lean toward the neurodivergent. However, Miss Lenny learned far too early in her childhood to hide behind those attributes. For there was much for the young Helena to contend with within her early family life. Those life challenges required her to hone every and any self-preservation skills within her youthful abilities.

I thoroughly enjoyed "Lenny Marks Gets Away With Murder" and hold high hopes that Kerryn Mayne will delve into her creative imagination sooner than later and create more adventures for Lenny and the cast of friends and family that populated this first book!

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read a galley proof of this entertaining book. It was recently published (July 9, 2024).

#LennyMarksGetsAwayWithMurder
#KerrynMayne
#AustralianAuthors
#NetGalley

The writing was good, but the pacing felt off for me.
At times there was nothing happening and then the next everything happening at once.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I guess this is what happens when you don't read the synopsis, and find this book NOT what you thought based on its cover.

Lenny Marks gets Away with Murder follows Lenny who has experienced life-changing trauma, and lives a simple life. She maintain order in her home, work and life. The reader learns of Lenny's horrible upbringing as she navigates the every changing landscape of her present life. Lenny is NOT good with people or making friends but she good with words. The wardrobe provides her the outlet to absorb words from books.

This debut novel is emotional, leaving you with nothing else but to root for Lenny.

Thank you, St. Martin's Press

I had to DNF. I felt like the story was very slow. I couldn't connect with Lenny and I didn't like her very much. I tried to push through but I just couldn't get through this.

The first half of this book took me over a week to get through, but the second half took me two hours! It was a great book, I just wanted more earlier on in the book. There were few “surprises” that I figured out early on, but a few that caught me off guard. Overall, I enjoyed this one!

🚲 What an amazing debut!!!

🚲 This book is nothing short of phenomenal. Every aspect of it, in my opinion, is flawless. Lenny, the protagonist, is exceptionally well-developed—one of the most memorable characters I’ve encountered in a while. Although I haven’t personally experienced what she goes through in the story, I felt a deep connection to her. Her struggles resonated with me, and I found myself enthusiastically rooting for her.

🚲 Lenny’s childhood traumas, some explicitly described and others subtly hinted at, have profoundly shaped her adult life, leading her to self-isolate and detach. If you’re sensitive to childhood trauma, consider researching trigger warnings before diving into this book.

🚲 The narrative takes unexpected turns—some heartbreaking, others uplifting, and a few downright surprising.

🚲 Witnessing Lenny’s transformation from the beginning of the story to the end was simply amazing. With the support of her found family (which is a favorite trope of mine), she begins to reshape her life. And the love story? It was so heartwarming that it brought tears to my eyes.

🚲 Lenny is a powerful character and this is an unbelievable debut. I can’t recommend this book highly enough!
 
Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for an eARC of this book, which I have read and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Lenny Marks Gets Away With Murder is one of the most delightfully surprising reads of my year, and I just loved it.

I don't even know how to adequately describe this book - a bit of quirky character drama, a bit of mystery and a lot of heart for sure. You find yourself immersed in Lenny's world and Lenny is impossible not to love and to root for.

Having suffered a massive trauma as a child, Lenny is a slightly odd adult woman navigating her life and working hard to maintain order. I absolutely adored following along with Lenny as she went about her days with her own very specific way of seeing the world. And as her repressed childhood memories continue to try to surface, I was totally engrossed in seeing what had really happened and how it was going to explode in her present.

This is truly just a book that is fun, easy and satisfying to read. When you want something that feels comfortable and good this is the book you need to pick up. You will fall in love with Lenny and have some fun seeing how she course corrects her existence when things start to go a little astray.

Many thanks to the publisher for my copy.

I’m torn on this one - it’s definitely a 4, possibly 4.5 from me. Almost from the first page I found myself invested in Lenny - her quirkiness, her habits and her complete misreading of people. At first I had Eleanor Oliphant vibes and that never fully went away although Lenny is different. Her story is one of profound tragedy, masked by coping mechanisms that went too far until they couldn’t contain reality any longer. Her evolution and conclusion were truly remarkable and heart warming. You should always bet on Lenny.

I wanted to like this novel more than I did. The content was inappropriate frequently.
The plus about the story was that it represented a look inside the mind of a child who has spent time in foster care and has experienced trauma. I am glad that I read this book. But I cannot with a good conscience recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to preview this book

The story revolves around Lenny Mark, an unassuming man who becomes the prime suspect in a murder investigation. The plot kicks off with the discovery of a body, and all evidence points to Lenny, who appears to have the perfect motive and opportunity to commit the crime. As the investigation unfolds, readers are taken on a journey through Lenny’s past and present, uncovering hidden truths and unexpected connections. Mayne’s skillful storytelling and unique blend of humor and suspense make this book a must-read for fans of the genre. Whether you are looking for a thrilling whodunit or a story with rich character development and engaging dialogue, this novel delivers on all fronts.

I made it about halfway though this and nothing had happened… I was so bored I couldn’t do it. I dnf this book.

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

Great read. Lenny was an enchanting main character. The overall story was mostly sad but the feel was positive. All of the supporting characters were written well. The story flowed naturally and it made for an easy read due to comfortable writing.

4.5 stars rounded up.
Lennie Marks is one of those quirky characters that worms their way into your heart and soul over the course of a single novel. She absolutely broke my heart and made me want to scoop her up in a big hug (which she would have hated!). I started reading what I thought would be a light mystery, and was surprised by a much darker story of bullying and abuse and the effects on a child that continue during adulthood. Readers should be aware that Lenny's story features abuse, suicide, and bullying yet wraps these topics up in a resilient character's survival story. That said, Lenny and the family she has found in adulthood are some of the most loveable characters I have read recently. I was angry on her behalf, wanted to fight her battles for her, and was rooting for her throughout.

Comparable reads are Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine and Ellie Haycock is Totally Normal.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the digital ARC of Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder by Kerryn Mayne. The opinions in this review are my own.

Lenny Marks Gets Away With Murder seemed extremely slow paced to start for me. I had a hard time getting into the story and enjoying the characters. As the story progresses it does speed up a little and as the story provides more info it does become more interesting. It is worth the push if you are having a hard time getting into this one. While the ending seems a little unlikely as far as character reactions and decisions made, the personality and background of the FMC make it more plausible.

I have posted this review on Amazon, Goodreads

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6627544232

And Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/p/C9S6zrQS_IF/?igsh=dmZhbDR3aXVvd2Qy

Elementary school teacher, Lenny Marks finds peace in routine, finding contentment in life rather than striving for happiness, a fleeting feeling, in her experience. She’s fine with coming home every day to her favorite show, Friends, and “playing scrabble with Monica”. However, when she receives a letter from the parole board her carefully constructed life starts to unravel. Flashes of her childhood start coming back, a different version than she’s allowed herself to remember.

I completely adored Lenny and her matter-of-fact way she approached life, but I did hope for more for her! I knew things weren’t quite the way she remembered them, and I was eager to find out what exactly happened in her past! Some of these revelations were heartbreaking! I was happy as Lenny started waking up, taking charge, and making changes. I was fully on board with Lenny’s unlawful activities, such as with Malcom the dog and well, other things best left out of this review.

I absolutely loved this story! It started out sedate and quiet and ended up with some twisty revelations. I rooted for Lenny throughout her journey and there was even a bit of romance by the end!

I alternately listened to and read the story and I can recommend either version. Annie Maynard’s performance was fantastic, her Aussie accent wonderful and she brought Lenny’s quirky personality to life! I listened at my normal 1.5x normal speed.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Lenny Marks Gets Away With Murder by Kerryn Mayne. A delightfully engaging, heartwarming, and heartbreaking story all in one. A well-written debut that I absolutely devoured from start to finish. A huge thank you to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley and the author for the advanced digital copy of the book. Lenny Marks is a quirky, lovable character who will be long remembered well after you have finish reading the book. Lenny is a young woman who likes to live her life by orderly routines. But when her repressed childhood trauma resurfaces she starts to come undone. She will have to step out from behind the protective comfort of her structured life to deal with the past she buried so long ago. Lenny Marks Gets Away With Murder is an amazingly charming story that will evoke all the emotions. It will have you cheering out loud for its main character to win with every turn of the page.

📱 Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder 📱⁣
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⁣Length- 352 pages. ⁣
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⁣Genre- Mystery Fiction. ⁣
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⁣My thoughts- Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder is the debut novel of Kerryn Mayne and completely charmed me! Lenny is a 37 year old, neurodivergent, teacher who lives alone and likes her very routine life. She watches the same meals each day, loves watching Friend’s reruns, and plays Scrabble with an imaginary friend. As we learn more about her traumatic childhood, Lenny’s reluctance to warm to other’s becomes more understandable. ⁣
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⁣This book is well-written, thought provoking and quirky. I really enjoyed Lenny’s personality; she’s such a kind, strong person who really embraces personal growth. The novel is both heartbreaking and full of humor all at once. ⁣
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⁣If you enjoyed the Molly the Maid series, I think you’ll really like this book! Four stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⁣
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⁣Thank you to @Netgalley for an ARC of Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder. This book is available now!