Growing up, I observed as much as I could, so I could catalogue as much as I could, so I could learn to be “normal.” We now know this is called masking and after 35 years, I am finally starting to unmask. But until then, I thought I was broken. Weird, off, wrong, incompatible. Throughout my life, I’d read weird or obscure books about characters who weren’t socially accepted. They were the outcasts.

The Perks of Being A Wallflower was like my mind exploding open. There were others like me. Maybe I wasn’t so off? But it wasn’t until recently that I discovered books with neurodivergent characters. Britt Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman and The Maid by Nita Prose being some of the firsts. It was the first experience reading first person of someone with a brain like mine.

All of the dialogue felt so similar. It felt like reading my own thoughts, and it made so much sense. I suddenly made so much sense. Now I virtually will read any book with a neurodivergent character, just to learn more about other people like me.

Lenny Marks Gets Away With Murder is on that list, and I loved it. I love a good story about character growth. Mind, not character change, but an acceptance of who you are, as you are. And the community coming together and accepting who you are, as you are.

I think that’s one of the things neurodivergent folks want the most: to be understood. We spend our lives trying to understand those around us, and yet, very rarely, does a community do that for us. It gets lonely and we isolate because it’s easier. But I love a good story about a sense of community being built around someone who is neurodivergent.

Overall, this was a complex and beautiful book. Even the acknowledgments had me chuckling. I think I will be a fan of this author for years to come.

This book is remarkable. Not only does it feature a curmudgeonly female character, it is also chock full of drama and comedy. Most importantly, though, it deals with abuse and its impact on its survivors. There is such an array of wonderful and important features of this book, it is truly remarkable. I love Lenny Marks; she has secured a cozy little nook in my heart. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

A slow burn cozy mystery with an endearing & quirky protagonist. Although I found the main character entertaining, this book moved a little too slowly for my liking, and the mystery was pretty tame after such a big build up. This book was introduced to me as a comparable to Fern in The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth (which I loved), but I’d say this book is more a cross between Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman meets The Maid by Nita Prose.

Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder
by Kerryn Mayne, narrated by Annie Maynard

I thought this story might be more lighthearted but instead it hides deep heartache and feelings of guilt. Lenny Marx is 37 when the story starts and she lives alone in her little house. She likes being alone although she's not really alone. She has Monica, from the TV series, with her when she wants to play Scrabble or needs to say she already has plans with her "roommate". Yes, yes, Monica is just a character on a TV show but Lenny knows her so well by rewatching the shows all the time and she doesn't have real friends. Well, soon she does have a dog named Malcolm and he really is a woman's best friend!

But Lenny's mom, the woman who had fostered her after her granny went away, has been urging Lenny to make friends, to get out more, to do things with others. So Lenny is trying, not very successfully, to become friends with the "cool girls" at work. Still, Lenny has trouble reading people and often misinterprets what they are thinking or meaning.

Now something very big is happening. Lenny's stepfather is getting out of prison. He's the reason people left her, why everyone leaves her. Or maybe it's Lenny's fault everyone leaves her. Lenny's stepfather's voice runs through her thoughts, "this is your fault" and Lenny applies it to all her life.

Now, just as Lenny is making friends with her elderly neighbor and enjoying it, walking dogs with her grocer friend and liking it, doing things with others and mostly liking it, Lenny's world is about to blow up in the worst way. Memories are coming back and what she doesn't remember, people are filling in. Things were worse than Lenny thought and the truth just may destroy Lenny.

I was fortunate enough to have the ebook and the audiobook and I enjoyed both. With the ebook I was able to see the anagrams Lenny makes from words when she's feeling distressed. Seeing what Lenny was doing with the words helped me understand a bit better exactly what she was doing. With the audiobook, I could "hear" Lenny and the narrator does a great job allowing me to feel what Lenny was feeling, speeding up as Lenny's anxiety became too much for her. Reading or listening, this story is heartbreaking, touching, and hopeful. There is so much more to Lenny Marx than meets the eye and she's amazing in her very special ways.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for this ARC.

Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder may be the textbook example of don’t judge a book by its cover. The title and artwork give a cozy mystery vibe, but it is anything but, and that is a good thing.

Lenny Marks is such a great character. I wanted to give her a hug throughout the entire book. I don’t normally include the blurb in my reviews, but “Eual parts heartbreak and heartwarming” is the absolute truth.

4.5⭐️

Thank you Macmillan audio and NetGalley for my ALC & ARC

Lenny Marks is in her mid thirties. She is a school teacher who does not have much of a social life, and has had to deal with a lot of trauma in her short life.

I went into this story blind (as I usually do) and I was so pleasantly surprised at how much I loved and adored Lenny! I thought this was going to be a *cheesy* mystery, and it wasn’t that at all. Lenny is complex. She is loveable and has been broken down by people who should have loved her unconditionally. Lenny is a character I wanted to hug through the phone. Despite all of this, she is so strong, brave and wants to fit in with society. This wasn’t a strictly sad story by any means, but rather sad events took place and we see as readers how Lenny overcomes each and every obstacle. The audio was done perfectly and I binged it in one day!

What a wonderful debut novel! The reader can’t help but fall in love with Lenny and there are twists and turns throughout.

Ohhhh this book was so good! Absolutely devoured it! Can't wait for more from this author. Thanks to the author and Netgalley

Listen, I know some people get annoyed with book titles like LENNY MARKS GETS AWAY WITH MURDER and FINLAY DONOVAN IS KILLING IT and ELANOR OLIPHANT IS COMPLETEY FINE, but I, for one, love them. This is the perfect title for this book.

Lenny Marks is what you'd get if you combined Sally Diamond (from STRANGE SALLY DIAMOND) and ELANOR OLIPHANT.

Based on the title and cover alone, I was expecting a cozy mystery with an armature sleuth but I was SO WRONG. This is not really cozy (okay, maybe a little) and it's not really a mystery (also MAYBE a little). I'd describe it as a character study in which readers learn about the character as she simultaneously learns about herself. It almost felt like a coming-of-age story, but in reverse, as she tries to go back in time to her childhood to understand who she is today.

This is darker than I expected but it is dressed up to seem cutesy with a socially awkward character who has 36 copies of THE HOBBIT, plays scrabble, and talks to her imaginary friend. Only once the many layers of past trauma are slowly revealed through flashbacks do we begin to understand the awkward and quirky Lenny Marks is really a scarred and broken human who doesn't even fully understand how dark her past was until she gets a call from the parole board and things begin to unravel.

Even with her broken past, Lenny is still an overall delightful character and one I was rooting for the whole time. I was very pleased by how the story ended for her and I'll remember her for a long time.

I loved that the author thanked Sally Hepworth in the author's note for encouraging her to write this book because I really think Sally fans will love this book!

4.5 stars rounded up for GR

This will be available for purchase on July 9th!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the copy of Lenny Marks Gets Away With Murder by Kerryn Mayne. I was anticipating a cozy mystery so I was surprised at how dark parts of this book were. This was a new author for me, and after a bit of a slow start, Lenny grew on me and she became one of my all-time favorite main characters. I loved how she took everything literally and how honest she was when expressing her feelings. If you're looking for a well-paced book with an intriguing story and a heroine you will root for all the way, grab this book! 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

"Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder" by Kerryn Mayne presents a premise that holds a great deal of promise. The protagonist, Lenny Marks, is portrayed as a quirky and reclusive character with a mysterious past. Her character is likeable and draws the reader in early on.

Lenny is a character who is grappling with suppressed memories and the possibility of a dark secret from her childhood. While this is intriguing, there is not a great deal of mystery or intrigue. The plot has very few twists and the reader can make a guess from very early on in the book as to what the "mystery" will be.

Despite this, "Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder" does have moments of poignancy, particularly in its exploration of themes such as truth, secrets, and the complexities of family relationships.

In conclusion, Kerryn Mayne's debut novel shows potential, but it ultimately falls short in delivering a truly compelling mystery narrative. Readers seeking a captivating mystery may find themselves disappointed by this mediocre offering. I would classify this as a fiction read, with the main focus being the protagonist's neurodiversity.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

Lenny Marks seems to be inspired by “The Rosie Project” by Graeme Simsion, another Aussie writer. Because I loved The Rosie Project so much, I may have been unfairly comparing Lenny Marks to the Rosie hero, Don Tillman who has Aspergers.

“Lenny Marks” was hard to get into and the character had no real appealing qualities.

I am thankful to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“Lenny Marks Gets Away With Murder” might sound like it’s a COZY mystery-but it isn’t.

And, if you read the taglines- you might be expecting a thriller-but that those taglines are misleading as well.

Lenny Marks is your latest neurodivergent character in search of acceptance after a traumatic childhood, which she doesn’t quite remember, and this is HER story.

Expect a well written DEBUT by Australian author Kerrin Mayne, more in line with “Elenor Oliphant is Completely Fine”. It builds a bit SLOWLY as we get to know Lenny and her World, but there is more “action” in the second half.

Routines help Lenny to stay CALM.

She bikes home from work at exactly 4pm each day, eats the same meals every week, and owns thirty-six copies of The Hobbit (currently arranged by height). She loves “FRIENDS” reruns, and a favorite pastime is playing Scrabble against an imaginary “Monica Gellar”.

She may NOT be good at reading people, or making friends, but she is VERY good with words.

Lenny is thriving as a 5th grade teacher at Selby South Primary School until a letter arrives in the mail from the Parole Board. She tucks it away in an attempt to ignore it but when that fails-Lenny starts to UNRAVEL.

Her BEST coping mechanism- rearranging the letters of words into as many anagrams as she can come up with isn’t working this time…(Maybe a bit overused but I was impressed at all the words she could scramble!) 🤓

“Parole Hearing: orangerie, orphanage, helping, reaping, roaring…”

And, for once, as her past catches up to her present, she may have to break out of her comfort zone, and learn to accept help from others! It’s a wonderful surprise for her when she discovers how many people are ready and willing to rally around her!

I enjoy heartwarming characters driven novels, so I enjoyed getting to know Lenny Marks. And, as an added bonus, the book brought back fond memories of playing Scrabble with my own Grandmother! 👵🏻

3.75 ⭐️ rounded ⬆️

AVAILABLE July 9, 2024

Thank You to St. Martin’s Press for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!

I have to admit, getting through this book was a real challenge. I struggled to find any redeeming qualities in the story, and I came up empty-handed. The characters felt incredibly one-dimensional and monotone, lacking any depth or development. There was no humor or emotion to speak of—nothing that could evoke any feelings in me.

I found it impossible to connect with any of the characters. The story itself was bland and unengaging in every sense. Overall, it was a disappointing read that I wouldn’t recommend

I would like to express my deep gratitude to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for their generosity in allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first read by this author and I’ll definitely be adding her to my TBR list for future reads. The title and the cover initially were what drew my eye. I’m not quite rue what I was expecting, but this story made me feel all the things and broke my heart.

Lenny Marks, a neurodiverse middle aged elementary teacher enjoys her job and her routines. I enjoyed seeing a neurodiverse heroine and cheered for Lenny during her attempts to overcome a life that would have broken most human beings.

Her love for her made family, while reluctant at first is the heart of this book. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but make sure you have your box of tissues on standby.

3.5 Stars


I found this to be an entirely frustrating read. It was very difficult to submerse myself in this book. To start, Lenny is a frustrating creature until I figured out that she must have not only been traumatized as a child but also "on the spectrum," although this is never explained in this novel. I understand that using this as a trope is trendy, but I have not read another book like this. Secondly, her habit of mentally rearranging words to make new ones just got downright annoying, and I skipped all of that rigamarole.

Finally, about 1/4 to 1/3 of the way through this ARC, I got into Lenny's life and the story and started to care about her.

I imagine you will have no problems figuring out most of what Lenny can't/won't remember happened to her when she was a child. However, some of it came as a shock to me, and that made the fact that I kept reading tolerable.

The ending was a pleasant surprise (don't judge me, LOL, you'll see!), hence the title.

It's a worthwhile read.

*ARC provided by the publisher St. Martin's Press, the author, and NetGalley.

Thank you St Martins Press and MacMillan audio for the review copy of Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder; a solid voice performance from Annie Maynard that honors the neurodiversity voices in this book and adds to the development of a thoughtful and impressive, debut novel. The title might suggest humor, even a little Finlay Donovan kind of vibe, but this book is not that (and that's not a bad thing, love Finlay though)... this book is a honest and loving portrayal of a young woman who loves words, who retreats into words and books when she needs to step back (I get that) and a moment in time when the main character Lenny has to work to reconcile her past and her present. As Lenny deals with reconciling her past, and her relationship with her mother, Mayne also gives the reader a sense that Lenny is reconciling a bit of who she could, maybe even wants to be, a sense that dealing with the past fully is well timed to help her connect more with others in her life. I really loved Mayne's writing, it was strong and loving, respectful in approach to developing Lenny's identity and her neurodiversity; I also appreciated a change of pace a bit in the end, a more action packed ending that worked for me as it helped create that sense of big change and growth for Lenny.


I would like to note that I also vastly appreciate a book that has a positive foster parent rep, all too often I read books that portray foster parents as (all the less than helpful things) and I don't know a single foster parent who isn't like Fay, warm and loving, a stable loving presence. It matters to have this perspective offered in books that tackle on complicated family histories and mystery.

I recommend this for fans of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine

3.75 stars rounded up

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my ARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be published July 9, 2024.

Lenny Marks is quirky and I love that about her. She also loves the TV show Friends (me too!) and has an imaginary roommate she calls Monica.

What starts off as light-hearted becomes a bit more concerning as we learn more about Lenny’s stepfather and his upcoming release from prison.

Lenny really grew on me. She changed A LOT during the book and I was actually not surprised she did what she did.

Trigger warning: domestic abuse

This was a very enjoyable heartfelt story about grief, loss and friendship and if you want to know if Lenny Marks Gets Away With Murder you’ll have to read this great book to get the answer. Well worth the read to find out. Highly recommended.