Looking at reviews, I am seeing many people loving Lenny Marks Get Away with Murder. Unfortunately, this was a DNF at 26% for me. I think it was a combo of the writing style, the tone, and the main character just not being a right fit for me. The 26% I did read/listen to seemed familiar to me too. Lenny Marks is a character who has a very predictable and lonely life but she begins to branch out, socialize, and challenge herself. She also receives a letter from the parole board that brings up unfavorable memories of her past. While I was curious to see the parts of her past that would be revealed, the current timeline wasn't enough to keep me interested in Lenny's day to day life. The narration on audio was wonderful though!!

Lenny Marks Get Away with Murder is out July 9th. Thank you St Martin's Press and Netgalley for me e-arc, sorry it didn't work for me!

Very emotional story

Lenny (Helena) is suffering from PTSD, severe introversion and likely OCD from a terribly abusive childhood experience. She's a teacher, but other than school and her beloved home, she has little life or interaction with others. As a reader, I felt so terrible for her and what she has gone through.

As the story enfolds, the reader learns the full story via flashback-type reenactments. Characters are introduced into present day and their role in her past is explained. There are some new characters that she manages to get past her defenses and become part of her present, but not many.

I feel like this book is very heartfelt, the author must have had some experience with PTSD or did some really intensive research, the feelings seem so realistic. I found myself rooting for Lenny whenever she stood up for herself or had a good day.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

This was just not the book for me. I like Lenny well enough but there wasn't enough suspense or tension or murder, at least until more towards the end. Like the last third or so. The rest of the book is just a snippet of the life of Lenny Marks while her life as she knows it slowly unravels after receiving a letter from the parole board regarding her stepfather. I was just bored for like 90% of this book. There is a part with a dog that I really liked, and I think had what happened at the end happened more like halfway through the book I would have found myself more interested in what was going on.

Thank you, NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio, for my free audiobook for review.

What initially sounded like a read about a quirky character has evolved into something much deeper. Our heroine, Lenny, is someone I found myself wanting to give a comforting hug. Beneath her unconventional exterior, she is filled with unresolved trauma, and the narrative skillfully explores the lengths the mind goes to suppress a painful and tragic past. I enjoyed the unexpected curve balls that emerged throughout the story, keeping me engaged and invested.

As the story progresses, I witness Lenny finding her voice and cultivating the courage to come to terms with her past, correct her misconceptions, and move toward a more hopeful future. This multifaceted character development was highly compelling and resonated with me.

Pairing the book with the audiobook provided the perfect medium to experience Lenny's journey. Annie Maynard's narration gave me a richer, more immersive understanding of Lenny as she gradually unravels and shares her story. I particularly appreciated how the narrator captured Lenny's deep-seated love of reading - she epitomizes the notion that you can never have enough editions of a beloved book.

I'm not sure what I was expecting when I started this book but what I got was completely different. From the blurb I thought the main character was OCD, perhaps on the spectrum, running away from her memories.

I was partially correct. Lenny is actually Helena, but prefers to go by Lenny. The story very slowly reveals a past that the reader does not expect. Poor Lenny is very damaged and she doesn't even know how damaged. She keeps to herself, but at the same time, she tries to lead a “normal” life as a teacher with a nice home.

There are hints throughout the book, I had different ideas of what the truth might be. My thoughts kept changing. I was pretty close to getting it right, but not completely. And then there was an abrupt right turn. To me, it was surprising but very welcome.

Lenny is such a sweet but vulnerable character. She is very careful with trying to do the right thing at all times. She is very likeable, I can't help but cheer her on! Her memories are overwhelming at times, but she does not know precisely what they are. Quite contradictory! Lenny has a very complex backstory which she has completely (and unconsciously) blocked.

Great book, well written. It's classified as a thriller. I'm not sure I agree with that. But it is suspenseful. I tend to separate those two.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers 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 step father 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.

From the beginning, Lenny Marks is a character you want to get to know. It's clear she has some childhood trauma, and it's also clear that friendship is a hard concept for her. Over and over, you find yourself wanting to be Kirra, a woman who teaches at the same school as Lenny, and who shows her what friendship can be.
Most of the characters in this book are well developed, albeit from Lenny's POV, so we're certainly missing some important details and understanding.
The way the author brings you into Lenny's world, from her viewpoint, letting you discover the story of her life as SHE discovers it, is so well done. This book broke my heart and put it back together again more than once.

This book read as if Sally Hepworth wrote Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. Seriously -- total love child of the two! It was good, if predictable and the title is a bit misleading. But I loved the ending and how it got there. Definitely add to your TBR!

Lenny Marks Gets Away With Murder comes out next week on July 9, 2024, and you can purchase HERE!
Pretending there were people in her life seemed to quell the concerns of others. She'd noticed many times that being alone was akin to having a medical condition, especially once she was over thirty. Well-meaning people wanted to offer solutions or anecdotes on a regular basis.

Have you tried internet dating?

My sister thought she'd be alone forever and now she's married with three kids. You just never know when it will happen.

You just haven't met the right person yet.

You're still young, don't worry.

She wasn't worrying, not in the least. She was actually happy being alone. Not to mention, people put too much stock in being happy. Happiness was immeasurable and moveable. That sort of instability was fraught with hazard. Lenny was a functioning, contributing member of the community who abided by the rules with a recent exception-and was not a burden on anyone. That, in her books, was a definite marker of success. And she only answered to herself-well, and Fay, if she was completely honest so if she wanted to sleep on the couch in her clothes with a stolen dog she could do just that.

4.5 stars

Lenny Marks is such an interesting main character. She has her preferred way of doing things and living her day to day life with her routines, and she is not interested in straying from them. However, she doesn’t have any memory of what happened when her mom and stepdad disappeared when she was a little kid, and to this day she blames herself.

One day, a letter from the parole board is delivered and she tries to ignore it, however she’s forced to face it one day and everything she has always known is turned upside down. Nothing is going to be the same, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it will be bad as long as she is able to adjust. Lenny meets new people, needs to change her routines, and overall go out of her comfort zones. It’s a remarkable story and shows a lot of character growth.

If you liked Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Neugent then I think you would like this one! Check trigger warnings though because it does have darker elements and themes than it would seem!

Thank you St. Martins Press for my copy of this!

Lenny Marks is one of the most uniquely fascinating characters I’ve read in a very long time. The author brings you into the world of Lenny slowly, awakening your understanding of her awkwardness as she at first ignores and then ultimately faces head on the roots of her personality quirks. At times funny and heartwarming and at others a solid emotional punch, the author creates for Lenny seemingly inescapable social gaffs as her internal war between needing to be a loner conflicts with a deep, mostly unconscious desire to belong. Lenny’s strict routines, complicated moral code, and connection to fictional characters start to give way as she is forced to face what happened in her past. Perfect pacing. Perfect supporting characters. Perfect character evolution. It is cliche to say I couldn’t put this book down, but I could NOT put this book down. I read into the wee hours of the night, until I could no longer hold my kindle, and then finished as soon as I woke up after a few zzz’s. This is a substantive and powerful genre-bending story that is a must-read.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Netgalley, and the author for early access to this outstanding book.

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the ARC of "Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder" in exchange for an honest review.
While the title might promise a thriller, I'd consider this book more of a heartfelt journey out of terrible darkness for its title character. By the time neurodivergant schoolteacher Lenny Marks reaches a reckoning with the horrors of her past, readers will have already fallen for her and be cheering her on.
Lenny (who prefers that name to her given one, Helena), survived a childhood so traumatic, it's warped her memories of it. In addition to her viewing the world from a distance in a methodical, precise way, her horrific past has rendered her even more cut off from people and human contact. But yet she's willing to struggle to establish friendships with her school associates and the manager of her favorite grocery store, a painfully awkward process for her. And then her world upends with a single, piece of news related to the nightmarish childhood she'd mostly suppressed up to this point, with only three words staying with her...."you did this'. The past is coming back for her, daring her to survive it again.
The story becomes sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes harrowing and yes even humorous in the ways Lenny copes with the world at large. But I found myself riveted as she overcomes her fears, wrestles with her demons, and deals with stunning surprises as the reality of what she endured finally comes into sharp focus. Lenny Marks proves a force to be reckoned with and takes readers right along with her., which is why found myself racing to reach the final chapters.
Not a thrill ride, by any means, but you'll want to experience the emotional impact of a main character who's determined to end up as the hero of her own story........which, by the way is a 5 star read.

I love everything about this book and am so thankful for Netgalley for allowing me to read this advanced copy. This book is so heartwarming and well written I didn’t want it to end. The story of Lennie Marks is about a woman who thinks she’s perfectly content to work, go grocery shopping for the same exact meals, and stay home and play Scrabble with her imaginary friend, Monica. When a letter arrives from the parole board Lenny’s world starts to unravel and she realizes maybe what she thought was enough wasn’t living at all.

I love the characters in this book from Lenny, to Maureen and Ned. I loved how Kira knew not to push Lenny but still wanted to be her friend enough to keep trying to help her. This is one of the stories that’s going to stay with me for a long time.

Thank you Netgalley and to the publishers for allowing f me to read this advanced copy.

I guess I didn't pay much attention to the synopsis for this one because going in I thought this was going to be a cozy murder mystery. It's definitely not, so don't pick this one up if that's what you're in the mood for. But keep it on your list because I ended up loving it so much. I feel like a bad book reviewer for not describing much of the plot but I really enjoyed how the story unfolded for me without having prior knowledge.

Lenny is very set in her ways and has trouble fitting in with her fellow teachers at school. She's a bit socially awkward and at first I thought that was just how she was, kind of like Molly from The Maid. But we slowly find out that much of what makes up Lenny's behaviors and personality stems from childhood trauma. She has repressed many memories so at the beginning we know as little as she does since the story is her perspective. But as Lenny starts to remember her past, we can also put the pieces together of happened and why she behaves as she does in present day.

While Lenny's past was heartbreaking, I was left feeling hopeful instead of sad because it's also a story of found family, friendship, love, and self-discovery.

This is a good drama that is told in dual timelines from the main characters perspective. Lenny Marks has a lot of solitary tendencies. The plot of the story is interesting and has many surprises. It moves at a decent pace and keeps the reader intrigued. The characters do not use a lot of dialogue as the main character mainly internalizes her thoughts. This still makes for a good reading of the story.

Reading challenge category - 2023 Booklist Queen: Red cover

Thanks to #NetGalley for the ARC ebook.

"Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder" is a solid debut that shows Kerryn Mayne’s potential as a storyteller. It offers a compelling protagonist and tackles important themes such as mental health, trauma, and resilience. However, issues with pacing and predictability prevent it from being a standout in the mystery genre. Readers looking for a character-driven story with a focus on personal growth might appreciate this novel more than those seeking a tightly woven, unpredictable mystery. I personally appreciated all of the references to "Friends," Scrabble/words, and other pop culture (Buffy, literature, etc).

The title is misleading, so this book was something I wasn't expecting. I was pleasantly surprised by the story. The author seemed to handle the subject matter in a delicate way, but also conveying Lenny's upbringing. We slowly start to see the story unfold and piece everything together. The characters throughout the story were well written. Lenny comes to have several characters who love and protect her.

Check TW. Death of a child, abusive step parent/husband, and child abuse.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I really enjoyed this book more so than I expected. It was quirky, funny and interesting all in one. It was definitely good for a palate cleanser in between some more dense reads.

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC of this novel. I honestly wasn't sure whether to request this one. The synopsis sounded like Eleanor Oliphant or Strange Sally Diamond. I loved both of those books but was afraid this would be derivative. However, like those two books, Lenny Marks Gets Away With Murder took the genre in a new direction. I love how Lenny gets to show her agency, and I love how she becomes so unapologetically herself. Her home and her friends and family are wonderfully described, and she gets many points from me for stealing a guard dog. Well-played Lenny. Well-played all around.

There is nothing remarkable about Lenny Marks, AKA Helena Winters. Her life is set by routines, what she eats, what time she leaves work and rides her bike home, watching Friends, playing Scrabble with her “roommate” Monica, and let’s not forget her 36 copies of The Hobbit arranged on her bookshelf by height. Lenny is quirky, not in a bad way, she doesn’t go out, doesn’t have friends, and when she’s feeling uncomfortable, she plays a game in her head picking a word and trying to make as many words as she can from that word as a calming mechanism, she is a neurodivergent character. But Lenny is also a survivor. Her childhood was awful, her mother and stepfather left her, at eleven she went to live with her grandmother, then she’s pulled from there and sent to live with a foster family, who really turn out to be the only stable people in her life. Also with her, her imaginary friend, Malcolm. The problem is, Lenny’s childhood wasn’t exactly how she remembers, honestly, she doesn’t remember any of it at all.

When Lenny receives a letter at work from the parole board asking her for a victim statement in advance of the release after 25 years of her stepfather, she does what she does best, forget about it. As far as Lenny is concerned, she’s not the victim, so out of sight, out of mind, but that’s not going to work now. When her past catches up with her, she is faced with the truth of what really happened two decades before, and it is not what she’s believed all this time.

The first half of this book is slow, it seems to drag out and could possibly be shortened. But the second half definitely picks up speed. We start to understand just how terrible of a childhood Lenny had. This novel has a hint of everything, it’s heartbreaking, romantic, a thriller, twisty, revengeful and heroic. Lenny is a really great character that I would love to give a big hug to.

I would like to thank Netgalley, St Martin’s Press, and Kerry’s Mayne for an advanced reader copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Lenny reminded me of Gail Honeywell's Eleanor Oliphant. This novel is equal parts heartbreaking and heartwarming. Lenny Marks is a teacher and she's quite good at not really living her life. She has a strict routine and doesn't deviate from it; until the day a letter arrives from the Parole Board. This throws Lenny off her game and forces her to comet o terms with things that happened to her as a child. It forces her to remember how she was left behind by her mother and stepfather. She even winds up "rescuing" (liberating) a rottweiler from his terrible home and naming him after her imaginary friend. It looks like Lenny is about to get a life if her past doesn't catch up with her first.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this e-arc.*