“She was a human-sized bad omen, as if she’d smashed every mirror, walked under every ladder and put new shoes on every table she’d ever seen. Lenny didn’t really put stock in superstitions and yet her track record spoke for itself.”


I’m guessing the title of this book will be a bit misleading for most. Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder is basically the Aussie version of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. Not in a way where this book isn’t worth reading— because it is— it will just feel a little familiar.

It’s not a thriller. It’s a partly light-hearted and humorous, partly tragic and dark family drama with a neurodivergent main character who is haunted by the malicious phrase “You did this.” without the full memories to explain it.


Thirty-seven- year old Lenny Marks is our practical, straight-forward neurodivergent main character. When she gets overwhelmed she reorganizes words in her head to create anagrams. Or she watches episodes of Friends. She is logical; she labels everything, checks her locks multiple times before bed; she is always nice and polite and sticks to her schedule.

“Lenny’s existence was many things: simply, predictable and uneventful. It had taken considerable effort and time to get to this point and she was not planning on disrupting the perfectly good order of things.”

But just as Eleanor Oliphant’s routine gets disrupted, so does Lenny’s. Except instead of an IT guy, Lenny begins a friendship with Ned, the grocery store guy who is his own version of nerd with his board game making/playing and love of Lord of the Rings and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. [I love worker placement board games so I would totally be friends with Ned.]

Well, more than the various people that start sneaking their way into her life, her bubble is popped by a letter from a parole board regarding her stepfather. And it sends her into a drawn out tailspin as she struggles with the childhood trauma that haunts her and has driven her to avoid relationships. She has gotten into the habit of making up friends and saying no to social invites, but all of a sudden more and more people are creeping into our life in more than a passing way.

This book is the story of how Lenny confronts her memories and how she comes out of her shell: The One Where Lenny Marks Gets a Life.

But yet, we must not forget the title. Because although this book is not a thriller, the title isn’t a lie. How does someone as nice as Lenny Marks find herself in such a provocative title?

“The woman whose most outrageous move, as far as anyone knew, was to down six wines at a suburban trivia night. She was a renowned truth-teller, honest to a fault. She was only conceivably deadly on a Scrabble board.”

And so, in order to find out how she is inconceivable deadly, you’ll have to read the book…



Random Thoughts

I really thought Mr. Pointy was going to become a murder weapon and I’m a little disappointed that it didn’t.


“Good Vibes Only was emblazoned across it… Lenny always thought that particular cushion imposed undue pressure on anyone who came across it. Sometimes one had only mediocre vibes, which should also be acceptable.”

Preach! That phrase and ‘sending good vibes’ are a major pet peeve of mine. Keep your vibrations to yourself. Let me be mediocrely vibing and leave me alone.


“Her knowledge of coupledom could be grouped with what she knew about flying a plane or doing French braids; she knew these things could happen but had no idea how.”

Piloting and french braiding truly are the mysteries of life.


I spent too much time googling netball. Because then I watched some highlight clips and then I needed to know the defensive rules because it appeared like no one was attempting to block shots. And to be honest it left me wondering: why do we need netball if we have basketball?


This book was written and set during the Covid-19 pandemic but the author chose not to incorporate it because social distancing would really put a damper on Lenny’s blossoming social life. I appreciate her choice. I’ve read several books that were written during that time now. I’ve read some that incorporate the pandemic and most that don’t and I will say the books that don’t have the pandemic are way more pleasurable to read.

A couple other notes on the author: she knows Sally Hepworth and was encouraged by her to write this book. Hepworth is an automatic read for me. Check out her books HERE. Also Mayne owns 11 copies of The Hobbit.


Obligatory Aussie Terminology

If you follow my reviews then you know I often include a section of things or words I learned from the book. This one is set in and written by an Aussie. I’ve read quite a few books written by Aussies, but I’m still learning new things!

jaffle: I really wanted this to be a kind of a laugh but I’m told it’s a grilled cheese sandwich; if you want a true jaffle, I’ve discovered you’re going to need a jaffle maker iron which cuts and seals the sandwich into two triangle pieces

Salada: popular Australian cracker that comes in varieties such as spinach, iceberg, and spring mix

melting moments: shortbread cookies with lemon in between; you eat these right after your kids do something real cute

doona: quilted comforter; also what you pull over your head when you doona want to get out of bed

esky: portable cooler probably invented by eskimos

hot Milo: like a hot chocolate with malt

the tip: the dump; or more precisely, the very very top of the dump- the views are superb

Bonox: not to be confused with Botox, this is a beef extract and used as a drink, do NOT inject it into your face, or we will know exactly where the beef is.

windcheater: windbreaker that breaks the wind illegally

Dandenong Range: yet another aspect of Australia that surprises me. If they didn’t have so many creatures that could kill me, I’d be booking my ticket over there right now!

Bonus: oesophagus. I know about different British spellings, but I had never seen this one before!


Recommendation

I would definitely recommend this book! It was an enjoyable read even if it wasn’t quite the thriller I was expecting.

I wouldn’t say it really surprised me because I had read similar books, but Lenny Marks is still her own character and I was happy to see her character develop and see the good in humanity. Sometimes we don’t realize the good until we contrast it with the bad and this book showcases that difference.

It was also a pretty clean book which I appreciate as well. Minimal swearing and sexual content. However, if abuse is a trigger for you, you may want to pass on it.

Now that I know Kerryn Mayne’s style of writing I would read another one written by her- I see she has a new book out this year called Joy Moody is Out of Time that features twins and a character named Britney, which may or may not be too close to home. I might have to give it a shot!



[Content Advisory: 10 f-words, 3 s-words, 5 b-words; no sexual content; some child abuse situations]

**Received an ARC via NetGalley **

Wow, this story is really good. I was pulled in immediately and I devoured it. I found Lenny to be an interesting character and the story very entertaining. There’s a lot packed into the pages of this read and it’s completely worth it!

Thank you to Netgalley, MacMillan and #MacAudio for the ARC/ALC!

I was expecting this book to be cozy mystery, but it was SO much more! I related a lot to Lenny, with having her routine and keeping to herself, and the feeling of being like a fish out of water when something comes up that upsets you natural order of things. I love a strong female main character, and Lenny encompassed that in her own unique way. Equally heartwarming and tugging on my heartstrings, this was a refreshing read in between my usual dark thrillers!

Fans of Finlay Donovan will enjoy this one.

“Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder” is out NOW!

Thank you to NetGalley for both the galley and the audio galley of this book. I really enjoyed learning about Lenny and her life. Lenny is quirky. She’s a teacher. She had a traumatic childhood and you realize early on reading this book that she’s not remembering everything about her childhood. I really enjoyed that as the story unfolded Lenny began to change. She began to make friends and she came out of her shell a little bit. She had been very much a homebody constantly watching reruns of friends and even playing scrabble with an imaginary MONACO roommate. So glad that I read this book and I won’t forget Lenny very soon. I highly recommend this book.

Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder is a gripping debut novel that blends mystery, suspense, and heartwarming moments. The story revolves around Lenny Marks, a neurodivergent woman haunted by memories of her mother and stepfather’s disappearance. When a letter from the parole board arrives, Lenny’s carefully constructed life begins to unravel. As she reconnects with her community, buried secrets resurface, leading to unexpected relationships. The novel explores truth, vengeance, and family bonds.
Lenny Marks is a quirky yet kind protagonist who seeks acceptance despite her traumatic past.
If you enjoy suspenseful stories with memorable characters, Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder is Murder is for you
Thank netgalley

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC! The writing style of Kerryn Mayne reminded me of Eleanor Oliphant is Perfectly Fine. The story was slow at first to me but I ended up really enjoying this novel. Lenny has severe childhood trauma that comes to her in glimpses and has so far lived a life free of worry. Until, the day she receives a letter at her work that can upend her life again. Lenny tries her best to make sense of her past while also moving forward in her future with making friends, navigating work, and the complexities of people who claim to be Lenny’s friend and aren’t truly.

As a reader, you know Lenny is awkward and has her quirks, but she wants to be loved and comforted like everyone else. Her childhood trauma has affected her way of life in the present, but she really does try to make an effort to live in the present for herself and not worry about the past.

This was a really good read and I would recommend it to others. Lenny deserves all the happiness possible!

I am not sure how this happened, or if it’s just in the zeitgeist right now, but I’ve read two books in a row with main characters who are so socially impaired as to seem autistic and who suffered trauma in their childhoods. (The other was Strange Sally Diamond.)

In Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder, Lenny (short for Helena) Marks is a teacher in a small Australian town who is well organized and effective at her job and taking care of herself but not being social. She is close to the foster mother who raised her and superficially friendly with those she comes in contact with regularly, but she doesn’t have a social life. She plays Scrabble in the evenings against an imagined Monica from “Friends.”

Life is fine, but its careful balance gets tipped when she gets a letter and then phone calls from the parole board. She would much rather not remember what happened in her childhood and why the parole board would be contacting her.

Her foster mother had been gently urging her to make more social connections and even see a therapist. Maybe at least she can take her up on the first of those recommendations: Lenny tries to make small talk with coworkers and even hang out with them after work. And she gets to know more the nice man who works at the grocery store.

She’s going to need these connections as the long-buried truth makes itself known in her mind and in the present. It may take Lenny a while to see the signs of who is really on her side, but those who are show her real care and support. The story plays out as the clues come together about the mystery of Lenny’s childhood even as it shows the development of a woman who is generally socially inept finding her place in the world. It’s sweet to see it all come together.

Again, not sure how I ended up reading two books in a row with such similar characters and trauma from childhood, but there it is. I think I prefer Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder to Sally Diamond, which I may or may not have chosen to read if I’d paid attention to any info available about the character’s traumas. This tipped a bit more to the side of “adult woman finds love and family” rather than “deals with buried trauma,” which worked better for me.

This book was such a surprise…not at all what I expected, given the title. Lenny Marks made me laugh, cry, gasp, and ultimately feel such an urge to protect her, all within the pages of this book. Having worked with many children with emotional challenges, her compulsions stole my heart immediately. I so appreciated her success in the classroom setting, but truly wish that more people had a Lenny Marks in their own lives so they would be more understanding and accepting of those who are a bit different than themselves. Routines play a necessary role as coping techniques in many people’s lives. We all have our own routines and can usually function if they are somehow interrupted, but this can truly be challenging for others.
Kerry’s Mayne has written such a unique book that readers everywhere will appreciate. Her writing usually flows and is easy to read.
Many thanks to Kerryn Mayne, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for affording me the opportunity to read an arc of this recently published book.

This book was unlike anything I've read before. Throughout the read, I kept thinking that Lenny was either autistic, like myself and the rest of my family, or extremely traumatized. My husband - who is always peppered with tidbits of books - reminded me you can definitely be both. In the end, I think that might be the case. Either way, in all her quirky glory, despite her feelings on the matter, Lenny is a beloved character, and will probably be one of my most beloved of the year. While we have very little actually in common - though there are some similarities - I related to her on a visceral level. Something about the way she was written reached out to me. And that's what good writing does. It makes a fictional character feel like a friend. IYKYK.

I wanted to be in this sweet lady's world and to be her friend. To show her that she was worthy of that friendship. And, maybe, to remind myself I was, too. If you've had trauma in your life, be careful with your soul. I always recommend that. There are a lot of trigger warnings in these pages, and Lenny's journey isn't easy. But if you can handle them, it's a journey I enjoyed. My mind is still filled with her story. I kept wanting to read more long after I turned the last page - always a sign that the book was wonderful.

If you're looking for a unique next read, this one is it. It is a heart-breaking, healing, journey following a woman as she finds a life. Don't let the title fool you, this book is much more about life than it is about death.

Oh, and boy did I love me some Ned!! I was rooting for that guy from day 1. He is a big ol' nerdy bucket of loveable. But I'm married to a computer programmer. Okay, and I might be a big-time board gamer myself.

Content Warnings: Death, Child and Parent Loss, Foster Care System, Dissassociate Disorder/Break, Infidelity, Cruel/Hostile Workplace, Adult Situations, Adult Language, Animal Cruelty, Alcohol Abuse, Drug Abuse, Child Abuse, Domestic Abuse, Homophobia, Murder, Violence

This was a great book! I loved all the complexities of dealing with trauma as an adult and what that does to you. Lenny was a great character with lots of layers and it was great to see her development throughout the book. The story had a great ending as well.

The title of this book makes it seem like a mystery, but in reality, it's a journey of self-discovery and recovery. Lenny is reclusive and introverted. She likes control and has trouble with social situations. At first, I wanted to compare her to Molly in The Maid, but Lenny was just harder to like. Once there was some context as to why Lenny was the way she was, it became easy to fall in love with her character. Lenny couldn't remember her childhood for the longest time, and when she does, we are treated to a heartbreaking and emotional journey of healing. If you loved The Maid, this one is for you.

I struggled to get into this book and I kept going because I was hoping the last half would make up for the slow start. I went into this book thinking it was a cozy mystery because if he title but it was not. This book is more of a “coming to terms with yourself”, “finding out who you really are” book.

The first half was more of an introduction to Lenny and we get some clues about what happened in her past but we don’t find out until the last half. I did enjoy the last half of the book. It definitely made me feel better that I continued on. I think had I been in the mood for a book of this kind I would’ve enjoyed it more but I’m a mood reader and I was really wanting a mystery. I think the title is very misleading, however it makes more sense after reading the book.

I’m rating this book 3.5 stars. I did enjoy the last part and I would be interested to read more from the author.

This story starts with a character type we have seen often, (Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, The Maid, etc.). The woman who is a little odd, obviously neurodivergent, trying to make her way in the world . This novel is different though, as Lenny's back story is dark and explains much of her behavior. While the book certainly has some disturbing moments it never feels like too much, as there is humour as well. I really enjoyed this one and loved Lenny. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital advance reading copy. 4/5!

Lenny fills her days teaching at the local primary school, and her nights playing Scrabble with her pretend housemate. She also enjoys watching reruns of Friends and rearranging her thirty-six copies of The Hobbit. She rides her bike too work and stops at a market on the days that she needs groceries. One day, she notices a dog being treated cruelly and steals the dog. She worries that there will be an article about the missing dog but there isn’t. She is relieved. Her coworkers cause her to go out to a bar for “trivia night.” At first, she is uncomfortable but becomes comfortable after some wine. When she arrives home, she ends up falling asleep on her couch. Picking up the mail, she is shocked to find a letter with her old name she finds out that a convict is up for parol. She can’t deal with it. It tells her that she can write a letter telling them why he should or should not be paroled. She doesn’t want to remember about her incident. What will she do?

The author has written.an intricate mystery tale. It is an astute story of engrossing and highly entertaining. I loved how the novel. It has layers of a compelling story of toxic relationships and the path of healing. It's humorous and heartbreaking, with layers of secrets that I didn’t expect. It’s a good mystery!

(rounded up from 3.5)
Lenny (nickname for Helena) is a socially awkward woman, an introvert without any real friends, so at first I thought this was going to be a book similar to some others out there. But gradually we find out that she has suffered several traumas when she was a child, and that is the basis for her adult behavior.

Lenny is in her late 30s and is a teacher in an elementary school in Australia. The events of the story start with Lenny receiving a letter from the Parole Board telling her that her stepfather is being considered for parole and asking if she wants to make a statement to them.

I enjoyed watching Lenny come to grips with what happened when she was a child. I loved the humorous touches throughout; the author treats Lenny’s particular characteristics with sensitivity. Lenny has a collection of 36 editions of The Hobbit and watches and rewatches episodes of Friends, going so far as to name an imaginary roommate Monica, after one of the main characters in that TV show.

There were a few very interesting twists/reveals towards the end of the book, but I felt there were too many coincidences for my liking.

All in all, a lovely debut novel by this author. I switched between reading it and listening to the audiobook, which was nicely narrated by Annie Maynard.

CW: domestic abuse, child abuse, animal cruelty, child death

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

🎧 Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder

✍️ By: Kerryn Mayne-debut author

🗣️ Narrator: Annie Maynard voiced all characters. The narrators' voices fit the characters with standouts from Lenny, Ned, and Faye. Lenny's mind was going a mile a minute, Ned was a calm presence in her life, and Faye was the mother Lenny needed. The reading style brought the text to life, and the author and narrator worked together perfectly. The pacing and flow allowed me to get lost in the story . The narrator paused and announced new chapters and there was a table of contents which helped me follow along with the E-book and audiobook.

📃 Page Count: 352

🏃🏾‍♀️Run Time: 9:42

🗓️ Publication Date: 7-9-24 | Read: 7-26-24

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for this ARC and ALC ❤️! I voluntarily give my honest review and all opinions expressed are my own.

Genre: Women's/Adult Fic, Mystery/Suspense

🌏Setting: Australia

Tropes:
❤️family drama
❤️friends to lovers
❤️h illness-has DID
❤️hidden truths
❤️mental health
❤️found family

⚠️ TW: child abuse, DV, murder-death of parent and sibling, bullying

POV: 3rd

💭 Summary 💭
Lenny Marks leads a very routine life as a self-proclaimed introvert. She doesn't have any friends, rides her bicycle everywhere, and watches Friends at The Treehouse. She receives a letter from the parole board that upends her life as she tries to stay in control.

Heroine: Helena "Lenny" Winters/Marks(37) has been a middle school teacher for 15 years. She collects copies of The Hobbit

Side cast: Ned McKnight-the local grocer who talks to Lenny about Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Faye and Robert Winters-Lenny's foster parents; Amy and Ashley-coworkers and Amy dates Ned; Tammy-Lenny's biological mother; Fergus Sullivan-Lenny's stepfather who served 25 years in prison; Maureen-an elderly neighbor Lenny befriends; Malcolm-Lenny's dog;


My Thoughts: This book reminded me of a few others with an unreliable heroine. The novels One of Us Knows and The Other Mistress took me on a ride as Lenny Marks did as she attempted to keep in charge of her version of normalcy. Gradually the truth came out about her family and she had new found friends to support her. Her friendship/relationship with Ned was complicated by him dating Amy-one of the "cool kids" at work. They had things in common that allowed Lenny to trust him. Maureen was another new found friend after she revealed who she was to Lenny. Faye was an understanding and caring woman who just wanted to see Lenny happy. Fergus faced karma and got what he deserved with Lenny out for a little vengeance.

Range of emotions: 😬🤔🙄
🌶️: Spice 1/5-not until the end
🎧:Narration 4/5
😭: Emotion 4/5
❤️: Couple 3/5-Ned loses points for dating a "mean girl"
⭐️: Rating 4/5

Thank you netgalley!
If yo loved Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, I think you'll love this. The main character Lenny is socially awkward, regimented, best friends with a fake version of Monica from Friends, and definitely a bit on the spectrum. It has a ton of heart and humor and you really find yourself connecting to Lenny even if you know nothing about her lifestyle. Lenny has to deal with past trauma, and this definitely lingers on the side of literary fiction.

I do think this is marketed poorly. The title and cover definitely swing you, and I think could pull people from this.

Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder is the debut novel by Australian author Kerry Mayne. She mentions in her acknowledgements that a number of times she said she’d like to write a book. Finally, a fellow author said “well, just do it” and so she did.

The result is an extremely well-written and thoughtful book about a woman who has never quite fit in with any group and has unknowingly suppressed childhood memories. Her teaching job has grounded her.

The story starts out slowly, which made me decide somewhat prematurely that this book wouldn’t be very interesting or compelling. But boy, was I wrong. After several chapters the pace picked up, the characters became even more interesting as did their interactions, and the plot took off, with plenty of surprises. That’s when I started promising myself “just one more chapter”. Definitely the sign of a good book.

I found Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder to be vastly entertaining and I’m so very glad I kept reading. NetGalley provided an advance copy.

Well this one was definitely a surprise. A case of judging a book by the cover and being so very wrong. I thought this would be your cozy little murder mystery about Lenny Marks, but no. Lenny has some depth to her. I loved how we are introduced to her quirkiness in the beginning. Then, there is a point where it turns serious and we truly come to know who Lenny is and what shaped her.

This book was heartbreaking and heartwarming as it’s described. I recommend giving it a try and going in blind. That element of surprise is what gets you is this one for sure!

! This was a pleasant surprise and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
The premise of the book drew me in but once I started reading it, I just couldn’t get into it at all.
I wish the author, publisher and all those promoting the book much success and connections with the right readers.