Wow! What a twist near the end - I did not see that coming. Although I probably should have. Lenny was delightful, even as she desperately needed counseling and therapy. She controlled her world down to every minute and action as a way to survive trauma, which is completely understandable. But news from her past started to shake up her life and she found support and friends in unlikely places. If you liked Eleanor Oliphant, give Lenny a try. Also, it’s set in Australia!
4.5 stars rounded up to 5
Thanks so much to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Such a fun book- if you enjoyed Nita Prose’s “the maid”, or Gail honeyman’s “Elinor oliphant is completely fine” and the prose of fredrik backman - you’re sure to enjoy following the story of lenny marks!

Thank you to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review!

This book was, unexpectedly, the complete opposite of what I thought it was going to be. The list of trigger warnings alone would have deterred me, as they may some of you. HOWEVER, this book was incredibly well written. Lenny Marks was a very well thought out character and the author did an excellent job of keeping her integrity, and spunk, alive through some very hard to read scenes. I am quite fond of Lenny - as much as one can be about a literary character anyways.

If you judge this book on the title, cover, and/or trigger warnings alone you won’t be doing the book a service. There are some extremely sad and truly heartbreaking scenes in this book. I wouldn’t recommend it to every reader but I do think this book will find its niche.

Overall I really enjoyed the writing itself! The ending wrapped up a little fast for my personal taste but that’s one of those preference things!

TW’s include but aren’t limited to:
Domestic violence
Death of a child
Child abuse
Animal cruelty/abuse
Attempted suicide
Mental illness

*If you’re looking to read this and have any questions on the trigger warnings, feel free to reach out!

This was a wonderful read. The story was filled with characters you feel you know and love (for the most part) and the plot has a nice little twist at the end. Lenny is pretty peculiar, but throughout the book she reminded me of my daughter, so it was fun imagining this story. It made for a pretty easy read because of how well it flowed.
The only critique I would note is how I’m not a fan of the cover art. I feel like it does t draw me in to the book and is a poor choice to represent such a great read.

Very slow to warm up to, I nearly put this book down a few times. I grew to enjoy the quirkiness though. Good read.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this wonderful book in an advanced readers copy prior to the US release date. I was immediately drawn to Lenny Marks. Lenny holds everything in tight spaces in her mind and physically, she hides in the bottom of a wardrobe in the dark and reads with a torch while hidden away. She is an excellent teacher, but never quite feels like she fits in.
One day a letter arrives, a parole hearing and an imminent release for a man from her past, a past locked away and hard to remember, until now. I love Lenny and her quirks; her memories brought me to tears. The skillful writing, time jumps and character insights are unusual in a debut novel.

Lenny Marks is an interesting charactrer who is comfortable with routines and staying in her lane. As more
is learned about Lenny's past, one understands why she is the way she is. Attending a trivia night at a local
bar with fellow teachers will be the start of changes in her life. It will also reveal the trauma of her childhood
and how she dealt with it. Remembering the past will allow her to move forward.
#LennyMarksGetsAwayWithMurder #StMartins #NetGalley

I enjoyed the characterization and the charm. However, this was a very slow start, which made it had to stick with.

Lenny Marks Gets Away With Murder is a really strong debut from Kerryn Mayne, and one that I'm glad to have read! The comparisons to Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine will likely be made, and although there are some ways in which the two novels are similar, I would say without a doubt this one is the stronger of the two.

One caveat is that the story takes a minute to warm up to - it's setting the stage of Lenny, her character, her quirks, and her day to day life, but in places it does drag. It could use from some editing at the start to tighten it up. But once you're settled into the world and the story, it takes off at a clip. The last third is especially remarkable, and it's stunning how Lenny's singular voice really shines through in the storytelling.

Much more and I'll give it away, so I'll just finish with: this one is worth the read! There are heavier topics, so check the trigger warnings, but it's all in service of a really powerful story. 4 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Spoilers in this review. I came around to Lenny but it took until after halfway through the book. The last 40% of the book is where all the action is and honestly, it was kind of a slow trip there. The pace of the first half of the book could have been a tad quicker. I would check trigger warnings before reading this book because of child abuse. I was not quite prepared for the revelation of who Malcolm was and how he died. Of course, it's Lenny's journey from timid teacher to advocate for herself and children and animals.

This book gives me vibes of Elinor Oliphant is Completely Fine, and I loved it.
I loved the quirky awkward personality of Lenny. The traumatic past was spot on, and brought tears to my eyes.
I found myself cheering Lenny on, laughing at her antics, and crying for her too.
Highly reccomend this book.
Overall I give it 4.5 stars, but will round up on Goodreads and Amazon.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC

Lenny Marks is a fifth-grade teacher who likes to stick to a schedule. She goes to school, she goes home, she watches Friends, and she pretends everything is fine. That is, until she gets a letter from a Parole Board, and she must start facing the truths of her past. This story is heartwarming at times and heartbreaking at other times. The book was reminiscent of the book Elenore Oliphant is Completely Fine, but it does take it to another level. The pacing of the book was well done, with the flashback to Lenny’s past revealing just enough each time. I really enjoyed Lenny and her thought process as she interacted with the people around her on her personal growth journey.
Thank you to Net Galley, St. Martin’s Press, and the author for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Lenny started out annoying me but I grew to empathize and root for her. Very interesting to see the thought process behind her action and her inability to read social cues. Lenny has been through a lot! I’m hopeful for a sequel.

For a stretch of time, we had an influx of quirky main characters in top-selling, highly-buzzed-about books. And honestly, I was getting a little burned out. I gave myself a break from them, and just as I was starting to feel the tug of interest to find a new quirky heroine... Lenny Marks appeared, like a gift.

Lenny's life seems so cozy and lovely, which she (unknowingly, perhaps) designed that way to protect herself from childhood trauma and instability. But it's also quite lonely and she tries so hard to build connections with people. Your heart aches for her.

Kerryn did a fantastic job of bringing the reader into Lenny's life and helping us understand her. It created so much empathy for Lenny and built an understanding of neurodivergence in such a helpful and authentic way. I can't believe this is a debut novel!

Not to compare, because Lenny shines all on her own, but to help you decide whether you want to pick this one up: If you're a fan of The Maid, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, Where'd You Go Bernadette--I've no doubt you'll fall in love with Lenny Marks!

I really enjoyed this book! Kerryn Mayne took risks with the characters and I loved all of them. She did such a great job making each one multidimensional so they leapt off the pages-as if they were real people you'd know. The plot was fast-paced, equally heart warming and a bit heartbreaking. There's a twist at the end that ties the story up like a bow on a gift. I highly recommend this one♡

I've unintentionally been reading multiple books about neurodivergent characters, but it appears I saved the best one for last. Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder is charming and touching, with a protagonist in Lenny that you may not necessarily relate to but that you can't help but root for as she navigates a world where there are people who like her just the way she is, some that make her feel less than herself, and one in her stepfather that not only wants to make her miserable but everyone else around him too. It was heartbreaking to see early in the story a young Helena (Lenny as a child) get beaten down by Fergus, her stepfather. As an adult she has her foster mother Fay to rely on, but she's very insular because of being neurodivergent and because of the trauma she went through as a child. Part of the book is about Lenny forming and understanding new relationships with people in her life - Ned, the man she knows at the grocery store she goes to; Kirra, her coworker and Maureen, her next door neighbor. But it's also about her finally being able to peel back the layers she's shrouded herself in over the years to finally cope with the trauma she went through as a child and learn how to gain acceptance of herself and grow her confidence in how she deals with people and the world around. I loved Lenny. I loved her fascination with the Hobbit, and her willingness to learn about things Ned cares about because she care about him. I love how she goes from wanting to be friends with fellow teachers Amy and Ashleigh, to realizing she doesn't need to and she may not want to. And I also love that there are characters in the book that happen to love Lenny just the way she is. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I enjoyed reading this book about Lenny Marks. Lenny is a 37 year old woman who sticks to her routines. Her life is disrupted when she receives a letter from the parole board that brings up memories from her past. Lenny is a like able, quirky character. The mystery element kept me reading to find out what had happened to her years ago. I am looking forward to the next book by this author.
Thank you Net Galley and St.Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this book early.

This book was so fun to read! I loved following Lenny through this story. She's so great and I loved watching her grow throughout this story. I can't wait to read more by this author.

Finishing this book was bittersweet as I’m sad to no longer have Lenny Marks in my life. This was a fabulous book, with a great plot and endearing characters (well, all but the one…).

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion..

This is a contender for my favorite book of the year!

Lenny is a young, single, smart, neuro-diverse woman who can be painfully socially awkward at times but you always cheer for her.