This book has been touted for fans of Eleanor Oliphant, The Maid, and may of the works of Fredrik Backman.

I have read all of those and I can honestly say that giving any of those books five stars means THIS book should get 10.

I've never read a character like Lenny Marks. She's quiet, shee keeps to herself, she follows a very strict routine. She keeps her world very small due to great deal of childhood trauma (and has been diagnosed with dissociative disorder as a result of such.). My heart broke reading this. It also rejoiced in watching this woman learn how to fight back and stand up for herself (and her stolen dog) after so many years of being abused and made to feel worthless.

It's such an empowering story of overcoming ones past and letting people in when you've walled yourself off for so long.

I cannot recommend this book enough. It's absolutely beautiful. You will laugh, I assure you. But, you'll also want to keep a box of tissues at hand (which honestly, I think this book should come with a coupon for!)

Thanks so much to the author and Netgalley for this advanced copy. I can't wait to see how many others are going to discover and fall in love with this after it has been released.

One might look at the cover and read the synopsis of this book and think cozy mystery with a quirky protagonist, but that would be far from the truth. LENNY MARKS GETS AWAY WITH MURDER is an onion; a literal onion. There are layers upon layers to peel away in order to get the the heart of this story and Kerryn Mayne paces the book in a way that allows us to experience the reveals alongside Lenny while simultaneously falling in love with her.

Lenny is a 37-year-old, single fifth grade teacher who thrives on routine and predictability. Her wardrobe is comprised of four dark, drab colors. She rides her bike home from school at the same time every single day. She lives with an her imaginary roommate, Monica Gellar - a tribute to her devotion to "Friends", owns thirty-six copies of the Hobbit, and buys the same groceries every single week. Is she neurodivergent? Perhaps. But maybe her dependence on routine is more related to the severe trauma of her childhood. Trauma so debilitating that she can't remember the events surrounding the disappearance of her mom and step-father. Her carefully woven protective shell begins to disolve after receiving a letter from the parole board.

As Lenny's memories begin to resurface, she is faced with reliving the horrors of her past and coming to grips with the realities that have been hidden for so long. In order to cope, she must agree to let people in and form connections with the people around her. As each layer is removed, the reader learns more about Lenny and what she's been carrying for far too long.

It's hard to believe this is Ms. Mayne's debut novel as it is nuanced and expertly crafted. It is well paced and the character development is exquisite. I wanted to wrap my arms around Lenny and let her know that she was safe. Getting to know Lenny's story gave me the same feelings I had when reading Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine (this is high praise!!!). In both cases, the characters are permitted to slowly discover the truth about the things that happened to them that made them who they are. And in both instances, it made the characters more sympathic and unforgettable.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this advance copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

Don’t let the title & cover trick you! They made it seem like it’d be a cozy mystery, however it absolutely is not. But that’s not a bad thing. What happens is a wonderful story about Lenny, a woman most likely on the spectrum, quirky & organized. A lot of the book focuses on Lenny making friends & coming out of her shell, all while avoiding a letter from an unhappy past. Slowly what actually happened to Lenny as a child is revealed.

I enjoyed this quite a bit. It is a character driven story. Lenny is very endearing. There’s so many secrets revealed a long the way, some I didn’t see coming at all. I think a lot of people will really feel for Lenny & enjoyed following her. I loved the ending! For a debut novel this is a very strong start for the author. I will definitely keep an eye out for any future works.

Thank you St. Martins Press for inviting me to read the ARC of this book through Netgalley, for an honest review.

🚲

Read if you like:
* The Maid by Molly Prose
* The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth

Lenny Marks leads a very solitary life. Her most interaction with people is her daily elementary teaching job where she tries to avoid her colleagues at all costs. She owns 36 copies of 'The Hobbit' that she arranges by height to alleviate her anxiety, and her favorite show is 'Friends', whom she imagines are her real friends.
Everything changes one day when she gets a letter from the Parole Board at work, informing her that her stepdad is being released from prison and inviting his 'victims' to dispute the process with the parole board.

This book very much reminded me of 'Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine', as Lenny is quirky, socially awkward, and most likely on the spectrum. So the title is a bit misleading as we don't know if she really commits a murder. It's also like Eleanor in that the cause of the trauma is not revealed until the very end. She lives a lot inside her head with an imaginary friend Malcolm, who she reads to, and a younger version of her former self, who encourages her to get therapy. At 70% into the book you still don't know what trauma happened to her as a child. She has a mysterious scar on her thigh, flashbacks of packing her suitcase, of living with her grandmother, and of being locked in the shed. Some serious editing might have moved this section along and kept me engaged but it's a long time before there is any payoff or resolution to explain any of her behavior. And then of course there is the requisite 'Lenny exhaled a breath she didn't know she'd be holding', uggggg.

The writing is good, and you feel sympathy for Lenny and hope she works things out with all the new friends and potential romance suitors in her life, but it could be tightened up a bit.

I read an early copy of "Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder" by Kerryn Mayne on NetGalley. Lenny had a traumatic event happen when she was a child and as a result of that she is very reserved and follows her routine exactly. That is until she receives a letter in the mail that she can't ignore. This book made me laugh and cry and Lenny is unforgettable!

My thanks for the ARC (advance reader copy) goes to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Women's Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Australian Fiction
Spice Level: No sex on page (kinda fade to black)
Language: Some swearing including about a half dozen f-bombs
Threat Level: References childhood trauma and abuse, adults are also threatened and bullied
Representation: Neurodiverse main character, gay side characters

LENNY MARKS GETS AWAY WITH MURDER superficially reminds me of THE MAID because of the neurodiverse main character and the mystery element—and I think the same demographic will like both books.

Even though this book is listed as a mystery/thriller, I would call it more general fiction or women's fiction because the central theme is about Lenny Mark's healing journey and coming into her own. The mystery supports this, but it is also in the past and she's reconciling events.

I found Lenny to be interesting as a character, especially as the book developed and we saw more of her childhood. People in her life deeply care for her, and that is so wonderful to see. There are others who are dismissive and cruel. I hate "mean girl" behavior in adults—and that's in here as a means of highlighting how some people don't change and their actions affect others.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it.

Happy reading!

CONTENT WARNING: child abuse, alcoholism, animal abuse, parental abandonment, suicide attempt, domestic violence, murder, trauma

If I was judging this book based solely off the title and the cover, I’d have thought that this one was a cozy mystery, or maybe even something along the lines of Finlay Donovan Is Killing It. So imagine my surprise when this book turned out to be more like Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine goes to Australia. Mind you, that surprise was a great thing, because not only did I love Eleanor Oliphant, I also discovered that this book was a fantastic read. Don’t get misled by the cover and the title, this book is a powerhouse, and Lenny Marks will be taking up space in my head for a while.

When we first meet Lenny, we are introduced to her and the strict routines that she lives by. There is very little change in her life: she rides her bicycle home from the elementary school where she teaches at the same time every day; she eats the exact same rotation of meals every week; has an obsessive love for The Hobbit, of which she has 36 copies; and her social life includes playing Scrabble with her imaginary best friend, Monica Gellar (from the show Friends), while watching reruns of said show.

The routines came across a little obsessive to me, but Lenny’s character is so sweet and likable that she was immediately endearing. It quickly becomes evident that there is something in Lenny’s past that contributes to her way of life in the present. Lenny is obviously highly intelligent, and one of her most commonly used coping skills is to create anagrams of words in her head. I must admit that I was so impressed by the number of words that she was able to come up with in her head, since I love anagram puzzles, but I can only do it when I see the words written out in front of me. And she really only ever created anagrams of words with negative connotations, which spoke about her mental state and coping ability.

Lenny struggles significantly with interpersonal relationships, with friends and significant others, and basically with anyone that she comes into prolonged contact with. It made it even more puzzling to me that she chose a career in teaching, yet she didn’t seem to have any issues interacting with the students that she works with. Maybe because children are more direct, and she seems to have more trouble with inferring meaning from other people.

When a letter from the parole board arrives for Helena Winters, Lenny’s birth name, Lenny’s routines and anagrams aren’t enough to block out flashbacks from her past. As she learns more about her early years and the circumstances that led to her abandonment by her mother and stepfather, she is forced to let down some of her walls and create bonds with the people around her. This was where the book really started to get interesting. Not only because Lenny starts to really connect with other people, but also because she starts to connect with the past and with some aspects of herself that she’s suppressed for more than half her life. It was fascinating to see her change throughout this story. She really went through a lot of pain in the story, but it wasn’t for nothing—it was the kind of pain that needed to occur for growth, and she grew immensely throughout the book. While it was really difficult to see her going through all of this, it was wonderful to see the changes that took place in Lenny over the course of the story.

Much like I felt about Eleanor Oliphant, this is an absolutely fantastic book, but it’s the kind where there are some really heavy triggers that should be noted before reading. I was especially disturbed by the scene involving abuse of a dog, although even that served a purpose in the story by allowing Lenny to practice new and different behaviors. All of the triggers in the story have a reason for being in there, and don’t ever cross the line into trauma porn. The second half of the book moves a bit faster than the first half, but there’s a lot more happening in the second half, as we delve deeper into Lenny’s past, and it becomes a part of her current reality as she learns how to integrate new information, ask for help from the people around her, and become a healthier version of herself. I adored everything about this book, and the audiobook version is narrated wonderfully by Annie Maynard, who has a strong Australian accent, but it isn’t too heavy to understand her clearly, and she had me rooting for Lenny the entire time. This is the kind of book you’ll adore if you liked Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, stories about underdogs overcoming immense challenges, mysteries from the past, and how trauma manifests in various ways.

This is seriously Kerryn Mayne’s debut? What a beautifully compassionate and raw look at Lenny, a neurodivergent girl with suppressed trauma. There has been a slew of neurodivergent MCs in current fiction, and I definitely related to Lenny more than any other I’ve read. Most of her “quirks” felt real and understandable to me. Lenny leads a very ordered and quiet life of bike riding to her teaching job and errands, after which she comes home to “hang out” with the Friends (yes, Monica, Chandler, etc.) The layers of Lenny’s past are slowly peeled away to a truly tense and scary climax. Order is no longer there, and Lenny has to dig to find who she really is and just how far she’s willing to go to acknowledge and put her past to rest. You can tell that Mayne really loves and respects Lenny. I’m glad I took a chance on this book and absolutely recommend. I stayed up until 4:30 am to finish it, so I really mean that!

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for kindly providing this arc in exchange for my honest review.

I have never cheered for the demise of a villain so much in my life. GO LENNY!!! I absolutely positively loved this book. Lenny is one of those inspirational characters that digs deep in your heart and doesn't let go. Lenny girl, I am so honored to know you.

Full of lovable characters and a great storyline this is one that you will be thinking about long after finishing it. A great debut! Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this copy for read and review

I understand the title, but there is SO much more to this book than Lenny Marks getting away with murder. I enjoyed this book about a quirky 30 something who is still dealing with trauma from her childhood. Lenny is such a great main character and I was rooting for her throughout the book. Loved the ending and felt satisfied with how the story wrapped up. Great debut! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced reader’s copy.

Lenny Marks is who Eleanor Oliphant wishes she could be (in the nicest way possible, I promise). Helena (Lenny) Marks has always been left behind by those she cares about; so why should she be social when she can protect herself in her Treehouse? Lenny is an awkward 5th grade (in American terms) teacher who has shut her childhood behind closed doors and is just trying to move forward. However, when she receives word her stepfather is being released on parole, her world quickly falls apart. Her foster mother Fay has been pushing Lenny to talk to someone about what happened to her when she was young, but Lenny feels she is fine - and will continue to be fine. As Lenny tries to put herself out there and make friends, only to appease Fay, she must face what happened two decades prior. Her past is quickly coming back to haunt her and she needs a friend now more than ever.

I say this a lot, but I truly had no idea what to expect going in to this one. Despite reading the blurb, I expected Lenny to take on a murder investigation. However, I am glad it did not take this route. Lenny is so charming and you really root for her to heal and come to terms with her past. Some of the "twists" were easy to figure out, but did not take away from the overall read. Lenny Marks deserves all the hype Eleanor Oliphant receives (and more). Readers can relate to many aspects of Lenny's life, even if they are not socially awkward or have a traumatic past. I highly recommend this book! If you're looking for a cozy, yet somewhat tense, read, this one is for you.

Lenny Marks was told you did this and she answers Yes, I did. And I'd do it again. From beginning to end was divine. I will never be able to understand how a author can write a story that I can disappear into and feel for the characters. Lenny Marks will stay with me forever.

Lenny Marks is a character of routine - she bikes home at exactly 4pm from work each day, buys the same groceries for the same meals each week, and owns 36 copies of The Hobbit. Her closest friendship is playing Scrabble against Monica Gellar while watching Friends reruns. Lenny is also very good at not remembering what happened the day her mother and stepfather disappeared. Until a letter from the parole board arrives in the mail and Lenny starts to unravel as long-buried memories resurface. For the first time, Lenny is forced to connect with the community around her and unexpected new relationships begin to blossom.

Lenny Marks is a quirky and socially awkward character. She mostly keeps to herself but she also seeks friends on her own terms, while actively trying to keep people at a distance. She's a hoot to get to know over the course of this story. I adored her coping mechanism of using words and rearranging them into other possible words to calm herself. She spends a lot of time alone watching Friends reruns and I truly loved the Friends references thrown in. She also has a strong affinity for The Hobbit and there's some references to the characters thrown in here and there as well.

The first half of this book is on the slower side as we learn about Lenny and her current routines, but it picks up as the story progresses and we learn about her past and the memories she has buried. I loved Malcom, he was the perfect addition to her life - and Rottweilers are my favourite type of dog so easy win.

I really liked the ending of this story and enjoyed the realizations that Lenny has about the people in her life. It's more of a cozy, whimsical and heartwarming story than a crime/mystery story so keep that in mind if you decide to pick this up!

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher, St Martin's Press, of this advanced digital copy for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for an honest review! All opinions shared are my own.

Great book in the vein of Strange Sally Diamond and Eleanor Oliphant is Fine. Lenny is just trying to live a life that is fine and relatively happy after an abusive childhood. But she has repressed memories that are uncomfortably coming to the surface and intruding upon her satisfactory life. But Lenny is stronger than she thinks even if it takes her 11 year old self to prove it to her. And she has more friends than she realizes who become a support network she didn't know she had or needed.
I read this book in two days! Wonderful characters, especially Lenny, who I rooted for all the way through. But it was realistic and not just patronizing to her and what she went through.

Calling all fans of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman and The Maid by Nita Prose this book is for you! This book had a slow start and the Australian accent of the narrator took some getting use to but this book was absoultely beautiful and amazing! This story tackles the difficult topic of coming to terms with your past and learning to open your eyes to see where you are going in the future

Lenny Marks considers herself alone with no friends while she waits for her mother to return after 25 years of being missing. Lenny is corky and doesn't want to depend on anyone but herself in case she becomes overbearing. This explores dealing with a traumatic past and owning your own quirks.

I really loved the character of Lenny and her character growth was so well done! Her story had my heart breaking and cheering on her acceptance of her past while embracing her future.

I was pleased to be approved for the advanced reader copies of the book and audio book. I believe the narrator brought this book to life and made Lenny shine. While I thought this would be a mystery about a murdered getting away with it,it is actually a book about Lenny who is a very quirky teacher and had massive trauma in her life. She lives in her head a lot while trying to fit in and failing. This is a book is not a cozy mystery, it’s Lenny coming to terms with the child abuse she endured, being abandoned by her mother and grandmother and the news of someone being released from jail. All while trying to have a life, do the right thing and hopefully make friends with the other teachers at school.this is a slow moving book but at the end as things come to light it does pickup.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

Intriguing book. I was attracted to the cute cover and thought it was a cozy murder mystery. I was very wrong but enjoyed the book anyway. Lenny Marks is in her late thirties, and lives by her routines. She is a school teacher and riders her bike around her village. She is clearly neurodivergent but it is never explicitly mentioned. As mentioned in the blurb, a letter from a parole board causes memories to begin coming back. She needs to remember her past before she can move forward.

Part of this book is being in the mind of a neurodivergent person. Wanting to do things that are socially normal but knowing she doesn’t always get the cues. The mystery of her past unravels as the story goes on, this isn’t something she sets out to solve. I enjoyed the side characters but Lenny is front and center in carrying this story.

This is not a traditional mystery, but more about the mystery of Lenny's past. Thirty-seven-year-old primary teacher Lenny likes her routine and sticks to it. Two unrelated things trigger a change to Lenny's life and a start to opening her past. One is her foster mother encouraging her to be more social. The other is a notice of a parole hearing for her stepfather. Traumatic events occurred in Lenny's family, but she has blocked it out. We learn what happens as she does. I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher through Netgalley. This is my honest and voluntarily given review. I enjoyed reading about Lenny because she is such an interesting character. She has limited social skills because of her past, but she slowly evolves and finds real friends. I like watching her grow stronger and better at handling a few stressful and suspenseful events. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder - 6.25.24

This book was completely different than I expected. I thought there would be a quirky protagonist who was slightly off but very charming, and through the care of one or a few others overcame their shyness and social awkwardness to finally bloom as an adult. Think of “Eleanor Olyphant is Completely Fine”.

However it is much deeper than that. Lenny, you see, is quite troubled. But she doesn’t agree. She keeps herself to herself. She avoids social situations, going so far as to invent a housemate named Monica (due to an obsession with “Friends”).

Lenny is also obsessed with right and wrong. Her moral code is quite strict, and not necessarily within the law. She wants things to be right and fair in a world where neither is possible. She even rescues (steals) an abused dog. She lives by denial. If something is too difficult to deal with, Lenny simply opts out. But what caused her issues? And what about the title? There’s a murder? By this girl?

If I had to describe it, this is a case of bait and switch. What you think you see is not what you get. Because there is a change - I wouldn’t say twist, but a decisive shift in tone. The book gets darker quickly as we find out the truth about Lenny’s past. And we discover that nothing is as it seemed.

This change in tone makes the book much more emotional. That emotional attachment drove me to keep reading. I simply had to know. I felt so sorry for Lenny. Lenny being a foster child shines a light on that system’s deficiencies without being preachy. I rooted for her as I disagreed with her actions. And the world is then shown to be shades of gray.

I rooted for Lenny, I wanted to help her, and I was smiling at the end. I was happy for her, but I want to know more. This is a debut novel and I hope there is a sequel. Lenny Marks left a mark on me.