Wowza, this was awesome!
Lenny is the kind of character I am always attracted to.
She is awkward and weird and funny without meaning to be and I totally relate.
The story itself is great and the slow reveal in the flashbacks adds to the emotional tug.
All in all I highly recommend this one!
Much love to NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for my ARC.

-This book : it is so hard to believe it was a debut.the best debut mystery of 2024 @kerrynmayneauthor

This is not a cozy murder mystery , it is a terrific character driven book that is a testament to how childhood trauma follows you through life, and how memory protects children from the darkest moments of their lives.

Lenny Marks a school teacher is introverted and keeps panic attacks at bay by routine , her love of words , Scrabble and her 36 copies of The Hobbit.

She was the last standing from a brutal murder that she has vague memories of, and her life starts to fracture when she gets a letter from the Parole Board that her father was being released.

"Lenny ran her fingers over the smoothness of the envelope. Adult Parole Board Victoria was emblazoned proudly in the top right corner, as if this was a regular and not at all concerning place from which to receive mail.”

There is a rescue dog Malcom ..and how she needed to name him that.

She finally allows Ned the grocery store worker in at the end of the book because of his patience and care.

And she is a surprise character because of all she went through she stands and learns how to.move forward. Many reviewers don't understand the quirkiness of Lenny though slightly humorous is a wall she has erected to protect herself. Just like her word games to soothe her fracturing mind. PTSD is not something that ever goes away it sounds like her foster parents attempted to take her to therapy, but most childhood trauma survivors put up walls to block out memories . When Lenny finds herself in the shed in the back of the school she blacked out ..these scenes which were dark were good representation of how a survivor copes

Lenny Mark's Is the definition of a final girl, the last standing , slaying her dragons and coping through all the tragedy . I think the marketing of this book is wrong, because fans of Scream, Halloween, or even I Know What You Did Last Summer would love the retribution Lenny Marks gets in the end.

Thank you to St Martin's Press and Netgalley for my advanced copy.

I absolutely loved this book. I went in pretty blind and thought I was going to get Finlay Donovan but instead, I got something more like Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine.

Lenny Marks is a 5th-grade teacher who loves her routine of buying the same groceries, making the same meals, playing Scrabble alone, and watching Friends. She has absolutely no memory of what happened when her stepfather and mom disappeared when she was 11. She gets a letter from a parole board, and a whole bunch of secrets start coming out.

I related to Lenny and my heart went out to her. This book was nicely paced and had really well-done reveals.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

I enjoyed this book so much! I loved Lenny and all her quirkiness. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the plot. The pacing was great and the story itself endearing. I will definitely read more from this author.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for the copies to review.

I enjoyed this one, and Lenny was a very endearing character, quirks and all. I enjoyed her journey, she has experienced a great deal of trauma, not sure if that accounts for her quirkiness or not (I don’t think all of it but perhaps some), and how she worked through this trauma throughout the book. This is a heartwarming read with humor worked in, and I was sad when this was over, I was not ready for it to end. The audio was great, the narrator did a wonderful job with Lenny and this story.

Lenny Marks is a character that I won't soon forget. A teacher who has exacting routines, has social anxiety, and unprocessed past trauma, she is doing her best to act "normal." Yet, she cannot seem to get past social and emotional barriers to find her place. She is much more comfortable at home by herself, watching Friends and following her daily routine. Still, she makes progress and allows her neighbors and coworkers into her life little by little. All of this is interrupted by the prospect of her stepfather being released from prison after something that happened 25 years prior. The exact details are kept deep in the past, and Lenny begins to remember small snippets of her childhood, though the memories are painful.

This was so good on audio - I loved the voice given to Lenny. Her inner monologue delighted me, and I felt for her as she struggled through normal aspects of life. Still, I wanted to hug her and loved how she fiercely protected those close to her. My one gripe is that the mysterious events of the past took too long to unravel. I just wanted to know what happened! Still, the journey was both enjoyable and emotional. Some of the details of Lenny's past trauma were difficult to read, yet the outcome was quite heartwarming. The Friends references were fitting for a huge Friends fan like myself!

After a traumatic childhood, Lenny Marks leads a very structured life. She has no real friends, bikes to the store at the exact same time everyday and purchases the same foods weekly. She doesn’t quite remember what happened in her earlier life, but structure helps her through. Keeping to a routine and teaching the fifth grade, she’s thriving, but when a letter arrives from the parole board, she tries to ignore it, but her well structured life starts to unravel. As Lenny steps out of her comfort zone, she asks for help and is surprised by how many people are willing to come to her aid. Lenny is on a journey of self discovery and this is a beautiful heart warming story. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Loved this. I really enjoyed everything about this. I loved the story completely. It will stay with me for a long time. I appreciate that the author has very strong voice - one I really enjoy.

This novel is an absolute gem! This book masterfully blends suspense, charm, and humor, creating a story that’s both chilling and heartwarming. Penney herself is unforgettable! She is a character you will root for from the beginning to the end.
Such an engaging story and this one will keep you on the edge of your seat and will be hard to put down.

Highly recommended!
Thank you NetGalley and to the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Marketed as a cozy Aussie murder mystery, this book was neither cozy nor a murder mystery. That being said, this book was an absolutely endearing and heartwarming look at surviving childhood trauma and navigating adulthood. Oh yes, and there is murder.

Lenny Marks is a neurodivergent adult elementary school teacher who lives alone and is obsessed with old school tv shows such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Friends. Her routine is very structured and she is trying hard to make friends in order to cure some of her lonliness that her former foster mother feels she is becoming too comfortable with. When a letter from a parole office arrives, Lenny's world starts to spiral out of control as she tries to keep the reality of what happened to her as a child at bay while also attempting to move on.

I absolutely fell in love with the character of Lenny Marks and the rest of the supporting cast. Her actions were always true to her character and I loved watching her evolve as she dealt with her past and coming to grips with what she truly went through when she was little. As a mom of two neurodivergent children, all I wanted to do was protect her. I would definitely marketed this one more as Womens Fiction rather than a murder mystery, however.

For fans of The Maid and other murder lite stories. This one focuses on character development far more than plot and there is zero spice, but hints of possible romance.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Kerryn Mayne for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

**This is NOT a mystery. I picked it up thinking it would be such. However, don't let that deter you!
Lenny is content to do her own thing in life and not let anyone in. She has her routines and that's that. However, when she receives a letter from the parole board, she finds her life turned upside down. As she struggles to remember what truly happened when she was a kid, she learns that letting people in isn't so bad.

I almost put this down because the first quarter at least, maybe closer to third, was a little slow (things start turning better with Malcom, and then after page 100 really picked up). However, once we really get into Lenny starting to remember and open up, I really enjoyed it! Once you learn why Lenny is the way she is, it makes the rest of it make sense. I was also confused by the title until the last quarter or so. Don't pick this up if you are looking for a mystery. However, if you are looking for something more similar to Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine (now looking at it, the title structure is so similar too!). Perhaps a different cover, something that looks less mystery-esque, would help steer people in the right direction. It is also on Goodreads as a thriller?? So don't pay attention to marketing I guess!

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

For a debut book, this one blew me away! Maybe she has some undiagnosed behavioral disorder ( no expert I am for sure), but she is loyal, endearing, and smart to boot. Her fascination with the Friends show and her clumsy efforts at trying to make new friends at school while being totally oblivious to who her real friends felt very real to me. If you liked The Maid's Molly, you'll love Lenny as well.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

I did not love this one as much as I thought I would. The story was a bit slow and I was expecting it to have more of a thriller vibe than what I got from it.

I struggled to engage with this book. Lenny Marks grated on my nerves a bit. Her character came across helpless & inept, which frustrated me, as I felt there was so much potential for her to be a character who shone.

The final pages of the book helped redeem me a bit, as some unexpected twists put some life into the plot. Overall, I thought the storyline was very drawn out & could have been shortened quite a bit. That being said, if this were to turn into a series, I would give a second book a chance before completely writing off Marks & her creator, Kerryn Mayne.

Five Stars!!!! All the stars!!! Lenny Marks was so delightful, endearing, and lovable. I had no idea where this book was going to take me but wow did I love it. I cannot get over how fantastic this debut was.
Lenny Marks is a woman who lives her life in a very specific routine, so as not to disturb the balance she's created for herself. She slowly finds herself breaking out of that routine, and discovering just what exactly her brain has been keeping from her to protect herself.

This book is full of emotions and much heavier than I anticipated, but it's handled with such grace and care. Everyone should give this book a shot.

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

Lenny Marks is a 37-year-old school teacher. Her students love her, but she has a hard time reading social cues and making friends with her peers. She also doesn't remember details of the day 26 years ago when her mother and stepfather went away. She can only remember the words of her stepfather, "You did this." Now that Fergus Sullivan is up for parole, though, Lenny might have to remember.
This novel includes a sweet romance. I don't usually like predictable books, but I'm glad this romance ended in a predictable way.
Several plot twists also tugged on my heart strings. One twist even made me cry!
And I like that Lenny is neurodivergent. Her behavior is endearing.
The ending gets a little strange, though. It felt too sensational. And I didn't believe that Lenny would speak up for herself in the way she did.
I do like that Lenny remembers the truth. It's heartbreaking but also an important part of her story.
I hope the author writes more books starring Lenny Sparks!

3.5 stars

This was not what I thought it was going to be but the last 30% had my full attention. The problem is/was that the other 70% seemed to drag a bit. I kept thinking I had to be almost done and but when I looked I was no where near it. The ending was very satisfying and was a great ending for everyone involved.

Thank You to St. Martin’s Press for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley.

I *hate* bringing work home, so I get to my classroom early most mornings. Usually I spend the time doing odds and ends like grading, making copies, and organizing for the day. Luckily, my classroom is a cozy spot to be in the morning, with sun coming in the windows - and I usually have an audiobook going in my earbuds, which is where I finished this book earlier this week.
Finishing it in my classroom was perfect for this book, because Lenny Marks works as a teacher, too. Lenny has a very precise schedule, leaving work by bicycle every day at 4pm and buying the same groceries to cook the same meals. She spends her evenings watching Friends and playing Scrabble (the physical set, of course) “against” Monica. If you’re a fan of the show, you’ll especially enjoy some of the episodes/titles referenced. My favorite episode is mentioned - The One with the Apothecary Table 🤣 The reader gets to know Lenny, as Lenny also starts remembering some of her memories that have been repressed due to trauma.
The book blurb describes Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder as “equal parts heartbreaking and heartwarming” and I can not begin to come up with a better way to succinctly describe how this book made me feel. I am so glad that I read this book. I mostly listened to the audiobook, which is beautifully narrated by Australian actress Annie Maynard and I would listen to her read pretty much anything! Thanks to St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for my review copy in exchange for my honest opinion. I recommend this book to readers who enjoyed Elinor Oliphant is Completely Fine.

Wow I wasn't sure o was going to like this book at first but I'm glad I stuck with it. It wasn't too long before Lenny grew on me and by the time she started remembering the tears were rolling down my cheeks. Even though I could tell things had happened to her and everything I didn't expect it to hit so hard. I loved how everything came together and I'm happy with the ending. It was well written and I would definitely read more books by this author.