Lenny Marks is my new favorite character. She is a neurodivergent that has suffered a lot of tragedy in her life. She starts spiraling down one day and hits rock bottom, then has to start clawing her way back.
This was slightly slow but in a good way, not boring but thoughtful. It’s not a fast paced book and it’s not really a murder mystery. It’s hard to put it in a genre. I really liked it and found myself rooting for Lenny. This is a debut novel and I can’t wait to see what the author does next.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for a honest opinion.
4.5⭐️

I’m not a huge fan of character driven plots. Usually, the characters cannot keep me interested. However, this is the one where I fell fast and hard for a character that is the odd girl out, the socially inept, and is as complicated as they come. Obviously I’ve been reading about the wrong type of characters in my previous books.

Lenny pulled me into her world the first time she turned her teapot three times and from that moment forward, she felt as real as any character ever could. While much of Lenny’s story was mysterious, heartbreaking and her personality at times resembling myself or someone I know, this book was layered with moments that made me smile and even more that had me cheering her on.

I cannot believe this is Ms. Mayne’s debut novel. It is pure genius and I found myself rereading it as soon as I finished it. It still plays in my mind at random times and if ever there were a story that should be used for the “big screen”, it is this one. The one where the world fell in love with Lenny Marks.

Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder by Kerryn Mayne is a story that will stay with me for some time. This book hit a nerve, and personally, I think that any individual who has gone through intense trauma while growing up can connect to in some form.

Lenny Marks has a routine and a schedule. She is socially awkward, but she is absolutely fine. That's what she tells herself. A letter arrives, which she tries to ignore, but there are things in life that do come back. Lenny might just have to come to terms with her past.

This story just about broke me in some ways. I really liked the way the author with humor has written the effects of trauma. It stuck a chord because I am in some ways like Lenny. I loved this book, but I felt that it dragged a bit. Nevertheless, this book will be one of my top books of this year.

Thank you, St. Martin's Press for this book.

CW: Trauma, domestic abuse

Lenny Marks is one of those sweet characters like Eleanor Oliphant, Molly the Maid, or Ove whose existence is “many things: simple, predictable and uneventful.” She might initially be described as neuro-divergent, but as the narrative continues, she’s mainly been shaped by past trauma that she’s mostly forgotten and buried. She’s 37 years old, a primary school teacher who bicycles to work, has a schedule of meals for every night (except for Thai takeout on Saturdays), streams “Friends” all the time, plays Scrabble with an imaginary Monica, and owns her own adorable, secluded house. But she’s mostly friendless and is still being encouraged by her foster mom to step out of her self-imposed boundaries. Lenny has been this way since childhood, but even more so since the day her mother and her stepfather suddenly disappeared from her life when she was eleven. She’s managed to keep control with rearranging words mentally. Is she…

Unperturbable: ultrapure, reputable, upbeat, rebel
or
Disintegrating: danger, rigid, straining, stagger, insane, rant

However, at this particular moment in time something arrives that starts a chain of changes in Lenny: a letter from the Parole Board. First, she steals a Rottweiler named “Beast…”

Lenny is such a wonderful, complicated character who you can’t help rooting for as her regulated life undergoes a metamorphosis. Author Mayne has created a truly memorable personality and plot that keeps you engrossed until the last chapter. 5 stars!

You will fall in love with Kerryn Mayne's smashing debut, LENNY MARKS GETS AWAY WITH MURDER! Lenny is quirky, funny, intelligent, and has repressed trauma.

Follow her journey with this heartwarming story and her loveable and memorable character who will steal your heart from a talented new voice in fiction! A moving story of memories, trauma, truth, secrets, love, and loss.

About...

Meet Lenny Marks (formerly Helena Winters). Lenny is an intelligent, 37-year-old neurodiverse woman who loves routines. She is a devoted school teacher. Her favorite TV show is Friends, and her favorite book is The Hobbit.

Every weekday at 4 pm and never before, Lenny ensured her blackboard was clean and her classroom straightened before heading home. She rides her mint green Polygon Zenith bike and rides the twenty-one minutes to her Tree House—which was not actually in a tree as the name may suggest.

She purchased her groceries two afternoons a week (Mondays and Thursdays). She was a regular at McKnight's General Store. Ned was one of the few people outside of work she considered an acquaintance. Often in the company of Ned, Lenny would become discombobulated.

She plays Scrabble with her imaginary flatmate, watches Friends, and follows the same meal routine every day of the week. She also likes self-soothing word games to calm down and relieve stress.

Lenny's existence was many things: simple, predictable, and uneventful. She likes order.

When Lenny receives a letter from Adult Parole Board Victoria, she pushes it back into her bag. It wants to be read, but she ignores it. She knows that if she reads it, her life will get messy and change, and she does not like change. She wants to open the envelope, she realizes. She has to.

Was she a victim? She was Helena Winters, and the letter had reached its intended destination.

Lenny is very good at not remembering what happened the day her mother and stepfather disappeared when she was still a child. The voice in the back of her mind whispers, "You did this."

The author takes us back to June 1991, where we learn about Lenny's past, alternating from past to present (May 2022).

Lenny's past begins to unravel; raised by foster parents after she suffered a loss in her childhood and painful trauma. What memories has she repressed? Is it too difficult to remember? Long buried memories rise to the surface, and her carefully planned routines fall apart. Will she have to connect with the community and friends and rely on others for the first time?

My thoughts...

I loved LENNY MARKS! The author grabs you from page one to the end with this creative, fun-loving, quirky, loveable character. Thought-provoking and compelling, the author tackles high-charged emotional topics mixed with humor with a heroine that will linger long after the book ends.

Mayne's writing is impressive, as is her well-developed cast of characters. She handles topics of mental illness, domestic abuse, trauma, and loss with sensitivity. The book is full of heart, deliciously entertaining and clever, packed with wit, mystery, and suspense. It is heartbreaking and heartwarming, an endearing and charming story. I can't wait to see what comes next from this newfound author.

Audiobook...

I had the privilege of reading this exceptional book and listening to the engaging and entertaining audiobook, narrated by Annie Maynard making the characters come alive for a superb performance!

Recs...

Lenny Marks is for fans of Sally Hepworth's The Good Sister, Elizabeth Berg's The Story of Arthur Truluv, Gail Honeyman's Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine and Fredrik Backman's Britt-Marie Was Here

Special thanks to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, #MacAudio2024 and NetGalley for a gifted ARC and ALC.

blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: July 9, 2024
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Lenny Marks Gets Away With Murder by Kerryn Mayne

Lenny Marks lives a simplistic life. She goes to work via her bike. Buys her groceries at McKnights on her way home. She lives in a house that looks like it belongs in Hobbiton. Lenny makes the same food each week and lives alone quietly

Until everything changes by the receipt of a letter from the parole board. Now she has stolen a dog, gone to trivia night at a bar, and participated in a celebration of the winter solstice. Slowly, Lenny is beginning to take chances with life. Slowly, she is trying to make friends. Slowly, she is doing new things.

The book was an unexpected read for me. I chose it on a whim and am ever so glad. I have enjoyed reading it. I enjoyed how Lenny began to open up and began to work through life and all the past torment. I enjoyed how the story unfolded with various pieces of information dropping in. Lenny’s differences made her ability to see life in black and white only added to the drama of the story.

Lenny Marks Gets Away With Murder by Kerryn Mayne is a good read.

So this book looks like a cute mystery based on the cover and title, but it is far from it.

Lenny Marks remembers bits and pieces about her childhood; but remembers that her mother left her and never came back. This is until she receives a letter from the parole board, and memories about her childhood begin to come back. Lenny has always kept to herself, but this letter forces her to connect with others around her; and she begins to form relationships with those people. Lenny finally begins to break out of her shell and may finally get a life, but her past may negate everything.

So I gave this book a 3.5 but rounded up.
There times Lenny got on my nerves, but she may have be neurodivergent? It isn't explicitly said, but she did have some childhood trauma. I did appreciate the ending of this book and everything that went into it. It doesn't get boring or monotonous at times; and there were a few twists that I didn't even see coming (and I am good at spotting a twist).
Overall, it is a good book. A bit dark and if you are a sensitive reader, definitely check the author's website for any trigger warnings.

3.5 Stars

Was very slow going for me in the beginning but maybe 2/3 through it, it picked up and had me not wanting to put it down. Finished in 2 days which was because I wanted to know what happened. A few twists that I didn't expect but overall, it was an enjoyable read.

A quirky main character that has been through so much from a young age which you learn about throughout the book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The title makes the novel sound like it's lighthearted and fun. It's not - but in a good way. A rich, compelling story with an unforgettable heroine, it's about forgetting and remember, what makes a family, and allowing yourself to be whole.

"Lenny Marks is excellent at not having a life.

She bikes home from work at exactly 4pm each day, buys the same groceries for the same meals every week, and owns thirty-six copies of The Hobbit (currently arranged by height). The closest thing she has to a friendship is playing Scrabble against an imaginary Monica Gellar while watching Friends reruns.

And Lenny Marks is very, very good at not remembering what happened the day her mother and stepfather disappeared when she was still a child. The day a voice in the back of her mind started whispering, You did this.

Until a letter from the parole board arrives in the mail—and when her desperate attempts to ignore it fail, Lenny starts to unravel. As long-buried memories come to the surface, Lenny’s careful routines fall apart. For the first time, she finds herself forced to connect with the community around her, and unexpected new relationships begin to bloom. Lenny Marks may finally get a life—but what if her past catches up to her first?"

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

Did Lenny Marks get away with murder? She might be neurodivergent, she keeps to herself, and lives a small, quiet life. How could anyone possibly think that Lenny could murder someone? When author Kerryn Mayne throws a wrench into her character’s life, we readers might think twice about Lenny.

The wrench in the works is a letter from the parole board, and Lenny is so discombobulated and disturbed by its arrival that she begins doing very uncharacteristic things. She goes out with coworkers. She meets the grocery store manager at the dog park. She starts remembering things she long ago buried for survival, and her imaginary friend, Monica Gellar, is replaced by the apparition of a younger Lenny.

Lenny is a fantastic character. She is odd, lovable, and empathetic. Her story is both heart-wrenching and heartwarming. The book is fun and sometimes humorous while still having depth and presenting readers with some very serious issues and beautiful messages of love, family and friendship. This is one of my #MustRead2024 books.

Annie Maynard’s narration of Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder is brilliant. She made the characters sparkle.

I really really wanted to like this book, but it was not for me. This story was soooo incredibly slow, and honestly I felt like nothing worth while happened. Did I read the same book that everyone else did? Because the ratings are soo high but I just didn’t enjoy this one.

Lenny is quirky, unique and takes everything literally…but her life was just so mundane I just didn’t care for any of the characters especially Lenny, the main character. In the beginning the letter she received did draw me in…then it took forever for her to finally open it and read it, then nothing happened…it just went back to her regular mundane boring life.

I need more action or drama or at least something going on besides the main character waking up and doing the same thing everyday and going to work at the school…

I would recommend everyone to read this because it could be more for others, it just wasn’t it for me.

I absolutely ADORED this. I found Lenny to be deeply relatable and my heart hurt for her at many times throughout the book. This story gets an indisputable 5 starts for plot, emotions, character development, and so much more.

oops I put the wrong book review here.will edit once i'm done with lenny. oops I put the wrong book review here.will edit once i'm done with lenny. oops I put the wrong book review here.will edit once i'm done with lennyLenny has a routine and way of life that fits her perfectly. She’s also very good at not remembering her past and why her mother left her. Until a letter from the parole board comes addressed to her.

Anyone who likes peculiar but endearing characters, will enjoy this story. Lenny has a bright way of looking at life, despite her traumatic past, which we learn about bit by bit. If you’re a fan of Friends, you’ll like this one, as it’s Lenny’s favorite show and plays a role. I liked how Lenny grew and found friendship as she dealt with trauma from the past.

“She was allowed to live her life. And she was ready to do just that. The One Where Lenny Gets a Life.”

Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder comes out 7/9.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an ARC copy of this book. It was such a great read! Lenny Marks is an amazing and fun character. She was written so well that I found myself rooting for her and even experiencing second-hand embarrassment with her. It was a cozy mystery that was thrilling and gave you a big dose of rom-com vibes.

Lenny Marks is a protagonist who is easy to love! She’s a school teacher who is socially awkward, but who has a strong work ethic and sense of justice. This story was quirky, fun, and humorous at times, while still having depth and a serious side. (Think Eleanor Oliphant.) I couldn’t help but laugh at some of Lenny’s thoughts, but I also felt empathy for her.
This is a mashup of drama, humor, with a bit of mystery thrown in. I think the title is deceptive, as it implies that the story is primarily a mystery.
I wish that the last third of the book had moved as quickly as the beginning! It felt somewhat drawn out. I think that anyone who loves a neurodivergent main character will enjoy this book.

Thank you Netgalley & St. Martin’s Press Publishing for an eARC ♥️

Holy moly, Lenny Marks is my spirit animal! This book had me hooked from the start. I mean, a woman who owns 36 copies of The Hobbit and plays Scrabble with an imaginary Monica Gellar? Yes, please!

But beneath the humor, Lenny's story is heartbreakingly relatable. Her struggles with her past, her fear of connection, and her desire for a life she's never known are all so beautifully captured.

As Lenny's world begins to unravel, you can't help but root for her. Her journey is a powerful reminder that it's never too late to face our demons and start anew.

Kerryn Mayne's writing is like a warm hug for your soul. It's like she took all the feels, wrapped them in a blanket, and handed them to you with a cup of tea.

If you're looking for a book that will make you laugh, cry, and maybe even heal a little, then this is the one for you. Trust me, Lenny Marks will steal your heart!💓

I hope you enjoy it!

I so enjoyed meeting Lenny Marks! She felt very real and very relevant to me, a real character--quirky, sympathetic, charming, and flawed--and I loved following her on her journey. Despite the fact that I love a good quirky crime novel, I found myself wishing that the word Murder was not in the title, because I would have gone on any quest or adventure Lenny Marks got herself involved in. Lenny tries to make friends with people who really don't deserve her? I'm there. Lenny isn't aware a Buffy-obsessed man is asking her out on a date? I want to find out what happens. Lenny tends her neighbor's overgrown garden and when she finally meets the woman, discovers a mysterious painting in the hall? I want that mystery solved! I wanted Lenny to succeed at all the new challenges her life presented to her.

WOW! I was not expecting to absolutely adore this book as much as I did! When I first started, the humor was a little off-putting (we all know I'm not a huge fan of books that try too hard to be funny), but I ended up completely falling in love with the characters, especially Lenny, and not wanting the story to end!

Lenny Marks lives a fairly simple life - she rides her bike to work as a fifth grade teacher, shops in the same grocery store, comes home to her empty house, and plays Scrabble with her imaginary friend. She keeps very little company, but she prefers it that way, no matter how much her foster mother tries to convince her to put herself out there. Lenny's traumatic childhood taught her it's better to keep people at arms length, and she can't imagine anyone out there truly wanting a relationship with her. But as she starts to find her own voice, and some potential friends along the way, Lenny realizes she might have more power than she thought she did.

I thought this was going to be more of a thriller, it's definitely not that. I'm not even sure I'd label it as a cozy mystery. It's somewhat genre ambiguous, but its an endearing story nonetheless. I flew through reading it once I started to get further into the story. The first 50ish pages took me a minute, but after that I could not get enough of Lenny and this coming-of-age type story.

As a debut work, I am highly impressed. If every character Kerryn Mayne writes is as charming, witty, and brave as Lenny Marks, she is going to have a long, beautiful career ahead of her!

Lenny Marks is a quirky, socially awkward teacher in Australia who has decided it's time to try to make some friends and change her routine. The book got off to a slow start but I am glad I kept reading. If you like books about quirky, single women, then this should be a good choice. This book actually takes a turn that makes it a bit darker than most of those types of books but in the end, you will be rooting for Lenny.

Lenny Marks is not a character I will be forgetting any time soon. Even through repressed childhood trauma she finds a way to be the most delightful human being. The scene in the staff room where Lenny finally tells her co-workers what she’s really thinking was highly entertaining. I enjoyed the discovery of who her neighbour really was and was so sad and horrified to read what really happened with Lenny’s family.Thank goodness for the Marks family being the best possible foster family. The ending of this book was beautiful and is a good reflection of life after trauma.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy of this lovely story.