How is this a debut novel?? This was so good! Lenny has a lot of quirks, habits, and adheres to a rigid schedule, but they're all meant to keep her life (and mind) nice and tidy. Tidiness equates to a normal life. But then her life slowly unravels and you figure out why she had the strict schedule and routine. The flashbacks and finding out bits and pieces of Lenny's life was done so well. I hope this author writes more books in the future!

What an absolutely delightful novel this was! I went into it with zero expectations and was so pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I will be passing on good reviews of Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder to everyone I know!

This was a good and twist read! The power of the denial is a thing to behold, until it breaks down and you must confront what you've been hiding from yourself! This was my 1st book by Kerryn Mayne but will not be my last, I am adding her books to my TBR!

Thank you to Kerryn Mayne, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for pre-approving me to receive an electrical Advanced Review Copy of "Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder". All opinions mentioned in this review are my own.

"Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder" is nothing like I expected it to be when I was approved to read this novel. Kerryn Mayne's debut novel is an absolute treat. Do not let the title fool you, this is hardly a mystery thriller: which makes the twists even greater.

Lenny is a 30 year old, neurodiverse school teacher still coping from a traumatic childhood through a rigorously structured lifestyle. However, when a letter from the parole board is delivered to her (after very carefully trying to ensure no one knows her actual home address), Lenny's live begins to unravel.

So often are neurodiverse characters used in Mystery/Thrillers as a means to be "unreliable." Mayne's writing of Lenny as a neurodiverse character is incredibly lifelike, and relatable. From the use of alcohol to make Lenny more outgoing, to Lenny not realizing her friends, and the boy she kind of likes, actually like her.

Though the story tackles heavy topics, I would still classify this one as a light read. Though I understand how it could be triggering to others.

Lenny Marks is a 37 year old school teacher that others find rather odd. We come to find out that Lenny's behaviors, including very specific routines that she doesn't deviate from, are related to childhood trauma. However, Lenny doesn't remember everything that happened in her childhood, and only starts to piece things together as she begins interacting more with others and actually making friends in her community. The book is sad and heartbreaking at times while also having moments of humor and hopefulness.

LENNY MARKS GETS AWAY WITH MURDER was a wholly unexpected treat. With Lenny, Kerryn Mayne has created a character who is fully realized and far from perfect but has found a way to deal with her traumatic childhood by creating a very ordered life so she has no surprises. When the surprises come, her life is upended, but she finally has the opportunity to grow and find enjoyment in life. I cheered her on, shed tears, and laughed with her, feeling bereft when I realized the book had come to an end. I look forward to seeing what Mayne comes up with next, especially since LENNY MARKS GEST AWAY WITH MURDER is her debut, and it’s a fabulous one!
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of the novel. All opinions are my own and freely given.

I like that Lenny brought humour to an awful situation. She is awkward and lovable.
Although a bit of a slow burn I did enjoy this read.

I enjoyed getting to know Lenny Marks, and it wasn't hard to find her sympathetic. Her foster mom wants her to get out in the world more, but just as she's finally working up the courage to do that, her past comes back to get in the way.

The character development was well done here, but that ended up counting against the book for me because the end of the story involved Lenny doing a lot of things that seemed out of character for the Lenny we'd gotten to know.


A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

What makes Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder by Kerryn Mayne so special is the way Mayne deals with the character development of Lenny Marks. She's quirky and readers cannot help but love her. She's quirky and has had her share of hardships. Readers will enjoy the journey.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me

This was not a bad book. I really liked the character description of Lenny, but I felt like there was too much of it first half of the book, where nothing really happened. Second half was more packed and more engaging, but felt a bit rushed. I would prefer less of character development in the first half or make it more mixed-up with action

If you enjoyed “Eleanor Oliphant,” you will enjoy this one. This is more neurodivergent child trauma than cozy mystery like the title suggests. A 30s something teacher in Australia is an unreliable narrator in this novel.

It's a good fiction with some mystery elements. There's humour, there's a main character who must find herself and her past.
Heartbreaking and heartwarming, a moving story
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Lenny Marks is a 37-year-old, very responsible teacher who thrives on structure. She struggles socially but seems content with her life teaching students during the day and riding her bike home for her evening routine. The reader learns that Lenny is keeping secrets when a letter is mailed to her work that is addressed to a different name–Lenny’s real name.

Lenny’s closely kept secrets and hidden away memories come to the surface as the novel proceeds. Lenny experienced a life-changing traumatic event as a child, and she is no longer able to leave the past in the past. While Lenny experiences more discomfort in facing her feelings and memories, she also finds herself in challenging social situations that lead her to find people in her life to support her.

If you like loner, quirky characters who experience personal growth and make new friends as adults, you will enjoy Lenny Marks. I recommend this one to fans of Eleanor Oliphant and The Rosie Project.

LENNY MARKS GETS AWAY WITH MURDER by Kerryn Mayne is my most recently loved read. Lenny Marks doesn’t have a social life. She bikes home from her teaching job every day to have a quiet night at home with her Scrabble game and rewatches FRIENDS episodes, pretending Monica Gellar is her friend. Lenny lives a quiet life until she receives a letter and starts getting phone calls about the upcoming release of her stepdad from prison. She can’t remember what happened in her childhood to cause her mother to leave with her stepdad and leave Lenny behind. Just as Lenny begins to develop friendships, her past comes creeping back and she begins to remember.

Why I loved this book:
~I loved the quirkiness and also the mysterious past of Lenny. Uncovering the memories bit by bit kept me coming back to the book and didn’t want to put it down.
~Lenny is one of the best characters ever. I adored her and haven’t cared about a character like this in a long while.
~FRIENDS is my favorite tv show and the references are so fun!
~Malcolm, the dog. Loved him as much as Lenny.

This was a lovely book, and I look forward to more from this author. Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review!

Libby audiobook and NetGalley ARC. I didn’t have a chance to get to this in print, so I did the audiobook. The narration was good. I thought she did a good job bringing Lenny to life. I, however, did not like or connect with Lenny. It was hard not to compare her to Nina Hill or Elinor Oliphant, and I just think those characters/stories were written better.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader’s copy.

Exceptionally well-written, at times heartbreaking yet hopeful, full of heart and humor, this is an impressive debut novel and I look forward to reading more from this talented new author in the future.

Thank you, St Martin’s Press, for the gifted copy of Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder {partner}

Genre: Mystery
Format: 🎧📖
Pub Date:  2.21.2023
Pages: 352
Star Rating: ☆☆☆

“Why some things rolled out of her mouth in the fashion they did, she was never quite sure.”

I’ve had this one sitting on my shelf for way too long! I decided to read it and then listen to the audio so I could experience both formats. 

I can’t tell you how badly I wanted to like this book. I expected to fall in love with the FMC the way that I did with other books with a similar theme. But, for some reason, I just could not find my rhythm with the story. I felt bad for Lenny—she deserved better than the life that she had been dealt. 

My main struggle was with the pacing of the story. It took a long time to build up to a key moment, and just when I thought the plot was about to pick up, it would slow down again and stay that way for a while. As a result, the story often felt like it was dragging on without much direction.

Lenny really grew on me, and I ended up enjoying her inner dialogue—something I typically don’t care for in books. I believe Kerryn Mayne has a lot of potential, and I’m excited to see what she writes next.


Audiobook Review: ☆☆☆☆☆
The audiobook is narrated by Annie Maynard, a newer voice actor. I really enjoyed listening to her tell Lenny’s story, and she definitely helped with the slower pacing of the storyline. I look forward to listening to more audiobooks she narrates!

I recommend reading Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder if you’re looking for a mystery with a slower buildup.

Lenny Marks is a good woman, a correct woman. She follows the rules. She does what is right.
And yet she has flaws that she can't quite understand.
Is she happy? More like functional. But she gets along okay.
Then one day a letter arrives bearing the name she wore before she became Lenny and this sets off a trip through her memory. We learn much about Lenny over the following pages. Her past, her present and her future all come together in a very surprising ending.
This a a terrific read and I highly recommend it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me this ARC.

Pretty much alone in life, thirty-seven year old Lenny Marks gets through life day by day. A teacher who gives just enough, never more, and this includes never forming any close connections. In fact, she really doesn’t have friends; she has acquaintances.

Thanks to her near obsession with Scrabble, with nightly games played against a fictitious Monica Geller, Lenny often thinks in anagrams.

Mrs. Finlay: rainfly, family, flimsy, snarly, mails, fail, liar

Crestfallen: cleanser, reflects, careens, falters, fester, secret

Manipulates: animal, pulsate, insult, menial, past, lies

Lenny, often annoyed by her own quirks, particularly her social ineptitude, lives in a quaint yet uninspired home. Her weekly meal routine and bleak, colorless future mirror her repressed memories, hidden within her brain due to PTSD. This could be a good opportunity to raise awareness about trigger warnings in the book, as domestic and child abuse are integral parts of the well-crafted narrative. However, as readers immerse themselves in Lenny’s mind, they may find themselves repeating her anagrams aloud, which provides a touch of levity that makes the story more palatable.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

The marketing for Lenny Marks Gets Away With Murder is a bit misleading. It's presented as a cozy mystery, but it's definitely not. Instead, this book feels more aligned with Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, focusing on a socially awkward woman coming to terms with her traumatic past and learning to open up to others.

Lenny, a quirky, single 37-year-old teacher, suffers from childhood trauma. When her stepfather is released from prison, long-buried secrets resurface, causing her carefully constructed world to unravel. The heroine's dissociative amnesia, stemming from her trauma, creates suspenseful and intriguing revelations as she slowly pieces together her past.

The story explores heavy topics like trauma, domestic violence, family, and friendships with sensitivity and depth. However, the pacing is quite slow, and I found myself bored at times—nothing significant happens until near the end. If you're expecting a fast-paced thriller, you might be disappointed. This is more fiction with a touch of mystery, rather than the gripping mystery novel the marketing suggests.

Despite its flaws, the book delivers a thoughtful portrayal of healing and connection, which I appreciated.