Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder was not at all what I expected. I thought it would be a cozy mystery with similar vibes to The Maid with a FMC on the spectrum. This was not a mystery or a thriller in any way. It’s a heartwarming story of a woman who has lived through serious trauma in her life and how she comes to terms with it. The characters were well written and the story was interesting. I definitely recommend this book. Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you @netgalley and @StMartinsPress for this ARC. Lenny Marks is quirky and lovable school teacher. Some may say she is "on the spectrum" but in fact she is suffering from severe trauma. She jumps at loud noises, doesn't like bright lights and does not want to be touched. Through the book, the author weaves in information regarding her past and why she is the way she is. Though this book isn't a light beach read, I still really enjoyed the story. Not all books can be light and fluffy. #LennyMarksGetsAwayWithMurder #KerrynMayne #July2024 #StMartinsPress

It's a skill to be able to have a novel tackle serious subject matter without having the reader be devoid of hope. It's a skill to be able to write characters who are neurodivergent without them feeling quirky or cute.

And Kerryn Mayne has done both in this novel.

This is the story of Lenny who lives her day by her schedule. Who has endured more trauma and tragedy than anyone should ever have to and has found a way to pull her life together anyway. And as is often the case, one thread gets pulled and the whole things starts to unravel...

This was a tough novel to read but it left me with hope and I am so glad I read it.

with gratitude to netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

Oh how I absolutely adored Ms Lenny Marks! I think she’s one of my favorite characters I’ve seen in a long time, and I really enjoyed her story (even when I pained for her). I think the pacing was slightly off here, particularly with the Ned storyline and with her coworkers

Cute
This was a cute, feel-good book even though it dealt with physical abuse.

Lenny is just a child when she is found locked in a storage shed, cut and bruised at the hand of her step-father. Many years later, she believes her mother deserted her that day. After a brief time living at her grandmother’s, she winds up being in a loving adoptive home, but with a warped memory of her early years.

She is quirky at best, probably on the autism scale. She has very little social interaction other than stopping at a local grocery store for her weekly shopping and talking to Ned, the geeky shop worker.

I thoroughly enjoyed this. The abuse was a little tough to think about, but it wasn't gratuitous.

This was a really weird read at first, but once you get deeper into it you realize how emotional it truly is. There were parts I openly wept at and I had a deep sense of empathy for the main character, Lenny, by the end of the book. It truly was as if she had lived two different lives- one as Helena and one as Lenny. Even though she lived a life of unfortunate circumstances, she was lucky to end up surrounded by people who loved her and were trying to under and accept her for who she was. Heart achingly beautiful portrayal of coming to terms with your past and being true to yourself.

Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder hit the mark for me. The story starts off getting to know Lenny Marks - a quirky teacher who bikes to work, goes to the grocery store the same days weekly, eats the same foods every week, plays scrabble by herself (with imaginary friend Monica from the show Friends), owns multiple copies of The Hobbit and is socially a loner.

The story evolves into so much more with Lenny’s childhood traumas arising and takes you on an emotional and tense ride. This book had many elements that I enjoy - interesting and likable characters, drama, mystery. I was engaged as the story unfolds and you understand more of what makes up Lenny.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an early read of this e-book in exchange for my honest review. Publication date: July 9th 2024 #NetGalley #LennyMarksGetsAwayWithMurder

✨If you’re like me and thought from the cover that this would be a fun cozy mystery, then you should know that it is SO MUCH MORE. Yes, there is suspense, and yes, there are laughs. But this book is all heart, charm, emotion, heartbreak and healing.

✨It’s filled with characters you can’t help but root for. I have so much love for the quirky, clever, kind and so very witty Lenny Marks. We all need a Lenny in our lives. She’s unforgettable.

✨This book has lots of laughs and lots of tears. There are secrets and lies and heartbreak and grief and revenge and love and suspense in these pages. The author does a fantastic job at seamlessly weaving these elements together in this debut that has so much heart. I can’t wait to see what Kerryn Mayne does next.

🌿Read if you like:
✨ Neurodivergent rep
✨ Friends
✨The Hobbit
✨ELEANOR OLIPHANT IS COMPLETELY FINE
✨Molly Gray from THE MAID
✨Jolene from I HOPE THIS FINDS YOU WELL

This was a great debut. It took a totally different direction than I initially expected, but I loved it.

It took me a LONG time to open this book, but a very short time to finish it. This book is about loss, grief, friendship, and trust. Lenny is kind, eccentric, and a bit neurodivergent. She’s a definitely a character worthy meeting. The book is well paced, the tougher moments of trauma, mental illness, grief, and loss were given plenty of time to be digested.

I initially thought Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder by Kerryn Mayne was going to be a cozy read, but it quickly became apparent that there are some very triggering parts. So, a word of caution: check the trigger warnings if you have strong feelings towards certain themes.

The story revolves around Lenny Marks. She uses her school address as her home address, so when she receives a letter at work from the parole board, it triggers a flood of emotions and memories that disrupt her meticulously structured life.

Lenny's character is quirky but not overdone, which is a refreshing change from some of the other recent books I've read with similar characters. Her friend Kirra at school is the epitome of what a true friend should be, offering unwavering support and loyalty.

The audiobook's narrator was a perfect choice; her accent added a lovely touch to the listening experience. I also appreciated the slow build of the romantic relationship in the story, which felt natural. One of my favorite parts was when Lenny saves a dog, which then becomes her best friend, adding a heartwarming element to the narrative.

Overall, Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder is an engaging read with well-developed characters and a compelling plot. Just be prepared for some emotional moments along the way.

I absolutely love books like this. This story had so many different layers, but they all tied together so beautifully. Lenny was such a sweet and resilient character. I couldn’t help but root for her as her journey unfolded. This book takes you on a roller coaster of emotions, and I am so happy I read it.

LENNY MARKS GETS AWAY WITH MURDER
Kerryn Mayne

In my mind, we’ve already done this.

Lenny is not the first person you invite to a party or the first person you think of when you imagine having a good time. She spends more of her time at home going through her days according to one well-planned routine after another.

Lenny is a 5th-grade teacher and homebody who prefers the planned to the unexpected. She spends most of her days grading papers and playing scrabble against imaginary opponents.

One day a letter arrives that sets Lenny on a perilous path that has us questioning why Lenny is the way she is. What happened to her to make her become the woman she is living the existence she does?

There is a word association game that Lenny is plagued with playing and as readers, we are also subjected to this quirk. That was unfortunate. It was extremely distracting and took away from my enjoyment of the book.

I cannot imagine this on audiobook!

Outside of that, I thought the storyline was basic and had been passed around quite a bit. LENNY MARKS GETS AWAY WITH MURDER was relatively unoriginal and Lenny as a character has been done a few times over. There really wasn’t much left besides the story and the characters, as the writing wasn’t that impressive either.

It didn’t do anything wrong and didn’t do much right. I ended up rating it right at a three and I think you will too.

“There must be more to life than this!”
Queen

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy!

LENNY MARKS GETS AWAY WITH MURDER…⭐⭐⭐

good mystery and i loved the friends too. I really enjoyed the romance and how it solved . I also loved reading this author. Really enjoyed her friends. Great book.

Lenny Marks transports you with her through a journey of hilarity, empathy, neurodiversity, and joy, like “Eleanor Oliphant” and “the Maid” but 10x more enjoyable! You won’t want to to put this down.

This is a very slow read, and sadly, that didn't really improve as the story unfolded. It was nice to see Lenny build her confidence throughout the story, but I did struggle to connect with her. I also did not feel that there was a need to couple her up. It truly is okay to have stories without that angle, especially when it feels forced. You can have a fulfilling life without being couple. The majority of the book was just observing Lenny's everyday life, and it just didn't keep my attention. I was quite surprised to find the murder happening extremely late in the story, so there really isn't any suspense to the story, in general.

In her late thirties, Lenny Marks is living a life of routine, biking to her job as a teacher, shopping for groceries. Her attempts to make friends as well as finding a canine companion show how she is determined to lead a more “normal” life. However, a letter from the Parole Board triggers repressed memories of what happened to her and her family when she was eleven years old. Alternating between Lenny's present adult life and her childhood, Lenny Marks Gets Away With Murder tells how her past comes back to haunt her and how she responds. There are several unexpected twists in the narrative and the ending is a bit of a surprise, forcing you to suspend disbelief a bit. All-in-all, an engrossing story with an endearing main character.

Lenny Marks is a single teacher nearing 40 who prefers routines and her own company. She struggles making friends and understanding why others behave the way they do. The author slowly uncovers Lenny's past and everything starts to make sense why Lenny is the way she is.

I loved this book. Lenny is a great character who in many ways is very relatable, especially in regard to trying to become friends with other people. I loved her outlook and dry sense of humor. Definitely looking forward to more books by this author.

Such an interesting, deep, and captivating story. The heroine has suffered a traumatic childhood but as an adult, tears through the layers of long buried memories to find her true self. Parts are shocking and parts are gratifying which meld together for an awesome read.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Thank you netgalley for the advanced copy.

This is an impressive debut that felt both familiar and new at the same time. It's easy to compare this to other books about socially adverse women trying to get out there but this one has a darker layer to it. The ending twist is upsetting and heavy for this type (and I'm not talking about the murder getting away the title clearly spoils). The book however never loses it's lighthearted humor. It's not so much focused on the mystery as on Lenny's character growth. Lenny and her cast of side characters are charming. I was rooting for Lenny to figure it out the whole time while watching her make cringe inducing mistakes.

Charming story. Solid debut.
4 stars.