Lenny Marks is an unusual heroine. At thirty-seven years old, Lenny hates to be touched, abhors noise and disorder, is socially inept, and is something of a genius when it comes to anagrams (which, along with watching old episodes of Friends, is her go-to self-soothing behavior). One could imagine Lenny perhaps on the spectrum, but as gradually becomes clear, Lenny is actually a trauma survivor, doing her best to manage a world horribly fractured since the terrible events which took place in her life around the age of eleven.

A girl who was “good at forgetting”, Lenny faced her childhood armed with Errol, her teddy, who has “seen a lot and is good at keeping secrets”, as well as Malcolm, her imaginary friend, along with a chilling propensity for hiding in the “safety” of wardrobes.

As we come to understand Lenny, now a fifth-grade teacher based in a town outside Melbourne, Australia, the reader must (as is the case with Lenny herself) come to understand, and reconcile her childhood and what came to pass. Lenny tells her story alternating between these two timeframes, revealing secrets as she raises new questions, confronting memories too terrible to be faced head-on. Throughout it all, it would be impossible not to be drawn into Lenny’s world - her grief, social awkwardness, and longing for normality, all recognized by the reader as aching vulnerabilities. But most of all, Lenny is defined by her forthrightness and her clarity, guided by an innocence of heart, which in many ways is still that of the child she was.

An engaging story, with a wonderful heroine, Lenny’s journey to reconciliation is both heartwarming and sad - laden with mystery, murder (no spoilers here), twists, humor and even romance (not to mention a gorgeously bulky Rottweiler, also named Malcom).

A great big thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an ARC of this book, all thoughts provided are my own.

*** four and a half stars

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Lenny will break your heart and rebuild it. I love her. I love the people who love her and are patient with the time and space in which she needs to heal.

As far as the murder is concerned, I didn't see it as committing murder so much as committing a public service.

Lenny isn’t great with social cues, so it’s safer sticking to her routines and, instead of having friends in real life, she plays Scrabble with Monica Geller while watching episodes of Friends for company. When she receives a letter, she tries very hard to ignore it, just as she has been pushing the truth of what happened one awful day when she was 11 out of her mind for the last sixteen years. She ultimately found a great foster mom who she still keeps in contact with, so things are mostly just fine. Until they aren’t.

Portions of this novel are a little heartbreaking, but I really enjoyed it.

NetGalley provided an advance copy of this book, which RELEASES JULY 9, 2024.

It ended up being a great book! I was concerned about it at first and thought it might be a DNF but I stuck with it and I’m glad I did. Although a bit slow in some places this excellent debut novel follows an adult woman who is a teacher and suffered much abuse as a child at the hands of her stepfather. He’s now in prison but she has limited her life to school and home and does not have anyone she can call a friend. This was heartbreaking at times and at other times I wanted to reach through the pages and insist she stop being so secluded. This is a book you should not miss. I received an arc of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

This book follows Lenny Marks during her adult years, with a few flashbacks to her childhood. Lenny had a rough childhood and naturally, it has affected her adult life. She is very guarded, she likes routine and she likes to be alone. Yet, she is a loved grade school teacher and is passionate about her job. Aside from her co-workers, Lenny pretty much only interacts with Ned, the handsome grocery store worker; and her foster mom. Lenny grows throughout the book and starts coming out of her shell. Once that happens, she starts to accumulate some secrets.
Although this had a little bit of a slow start for me, I really enjoyed this book! Lenny definitely grew on me and I was rooting for her through all the ups and downs in the book. I related on so many levels with Lenny regarding her introverted-ness. I loved watching her character grow throughout the book and seeing her adapt to different situations was really fun. I enjoyed the little twists in the story, they definitely kept it interesting and kept me wanting to know more. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and hope to see Lenny Marks in a sequel!

This book was phenomenal! I really wish I hadn’t left it on my NetGalley shelf for so long! I really loved how the author wrote this book—very intentional and layer after layer, learning more about Lenny and what happened when she was younger. This book completely encapsulated me! It’s a hard book to write about because I just want to hand it to someone and say, “read this.” Easily 5 stars!

What a wonderful and surprising book. Lenny Marks is a rigid, controlled women with a difficult past even she doesn’t fully remember. She now lives an extremely regimented life as a school teacher. The reason for her rigidity is slowly revealed to the reader.

I very much enjoyed the author’s approach to this book. Layers were peeled back slowly throughout the story, until the truth was revealed. Lenny Marks was a complicated woman, whilst remaining very relatable and compelling.

I very much enjoyed Lenny Marks Gets Away With Murder by Kerryn Mayne, and I highly recommend it.

I started reading and soon I was enthralled, I couldn't put the book down anymore. Literally unputdownable.
I recommend this gem of a story, 5 stars.

Lenny Marks is resilient, strong, brave, powerful, unique and so incredibly wonderful. This book was a rollercoaster of joy, compassion, heartbreak and mystery. I was drawn in immediately and wanted to stay in her world. I loved learning about Lenny and the way she goes through life. She is neurodiverse but that’s just a tiny fragment of her story. She has been through more than I ever imagined when I picked up this book. Seeing the army of people she had in her corner was heartwarming and special. Parts of this book were almost too heartbreaking to handle but it was all done so beautifully and through Lenny’s eyes. Lenny is a special human & so are each of the wonderful people she has in her life. Grateful to have read this book & absolutely recommend it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts & opinions are mine alone.

Lenny is a survivor. She has created strict rules for rherself as a result of a difficult childhood. But things change when the rules start getting broken?
Overall a great story. I did feel parts moved a little slow, but loved the character of Lenny.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Fans of Lessons in Chemistry will love the quirky Lenny Marks and her many adventures. I loved this character and the plot of the story. When I finished the book I added it my list of books I’ll pick for book club this year. You’ll find yourself cheering Lenny on and maybe even shedding a few tears…I know I did!
Lenny Marks loves her job as a fifth year teacher and her very ordinary life. With no family and no friends she spends her days at work and her nights watching her favorite show Friends. When a letter arrives from the parole board Lenny is transported back to a time and place she has chose to not think about. The very existence of this letter will start a chain of events that will change Lenny’s life forever.

Lenny Marks retelling of the truth is extreme. Her brain is a wonder, to have blocked memories so thoroughly. It means her life is ordered, structured but dull. Until a letter addressed to Helena Winters arrives at her work place. That one letter starts Lenny down a path of heartache, adventure, bravery and joy. Just like her beloved Bilbao Baggins.
There have been lots of characters with neurodivergence in the last few years and Lenny is another heroine to add. She is mostly truthful, mostly kind but always wants to protect those in need. She just needs to start trusting.
This was a brilliant mystery with a few twists and lots of humor.
Thanks Netgalley for the ARC.

Thirty-seven year old teacher Lenny Marks….has a routine. She bikes home from work each day, buys the exact same food for precisely the same meals on the same days of the week each week and owns thirty-six copies of THE HOBBIT. She also gets lays Scrabble with Monica Geller from “Friends” as her imaginary opponent. Routine is safe. And routine make it much easier for her to forget the day her mother and stepfather disappeared when she was a child.

Then she gets a letter from the parole board. She tries to ignore it, but to no avail, and her routine starts to fall apart. She interacts with others. Will Lenny be forced out of her shell? Or will her past catch up with her first?

This was a nice little book, reminded me a bit of the superior ELEANOR OLIPHANT IS JUST FINE, but it had its win charms and a sweet dog. A lot happens, some of it you’ll see coming, some not, and it all makes for an enjoyable, dare I say light, read, although some of the subject matter really isn’t light at all. The author made it seem light. I’m not sure how that worked, but it happened.

I loved this book. Lenny had a heartbreaking a childhood and it explains why she is the way she is and why she has rules she needs to follow, but once she starts breaking her own rules, the mystery starts and stays like that until the end.

Lenny Marks is such an eccentric, wounded, hilarious, multi layered character, I loved her from the first page! Discover the truth of her past childhood trauma that she blocked from memory and witness her life change dramatically! Must read!

This book was extremely well done. It held my interest and kept me guessing. It was a lot more intense than I thought it was going to be. It was heartbreaking at times. If I knew what the backstory was, I honestly would not have read it.
This book should come with a lot of trigger warnings. Keep that in mind. However if you are someone that usually likes true crime and police stories, you will likely enjoy this piece of fiction.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an e-arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Lenny had a very traumatic childhood, and she has created a safe quiet life for herself. She does not like to draw attention to herself and prefers to lead a solitary life. She is very organized, precise and detail oriented. She leaves for work each day on her bike at the same time, dressed very conservatively taking the same route to her job. When she arrives at the school where she works, she has a routine that she follows before beginning work. She shops that the same grocery store, eats the same things and watches the same tv shows. Lenny has no friends and likes it that way. Lenny is happy as she is and does not like change. But change does come when she gets a letter about the parole of her stepfather. Then the world that Lenny loves begins to come apart.
This storyline of this book was not what I was expecting but it was a very good one. It was a little slow at first but then it picked up as more and more surprises occurred.

Thank you Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Lenny Marks is single and leads a very controlled life daily repeating her routine. She bikes to and from her beloved teaching job, buys the same groceries on the way home and has few friends except in her imagination. Thankfully she does have her foster mother Fay who prods her to be more social. The disappearance of her mother and stepfather at a young age has stunted her adult life however. When a letter arrives from the Parole Board Lenny tries to ignore it as long as possible. Eventually the letter shakes up Lenny's life.

Readers will experience a range of emotions while reading about this quirky protagonist. Kerryn Mayne's debut is great. I look forward to reading what she writes next.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the chance to read the e-galley prior to publication.

Lenny is an unforgettable character even if she would prefer you forget her. She suffered a terrible childhood trauma and has managed this by keeping her world small and controlled. Things change when she learns that the person responsible for the trauma will soon be released from prison. The side characters are important and memorable and interesting....her unusual but loving next door neighbor, the people she teaches with who she thinks could be her friends and the neighborhood grocer who she possibly has feelings for. We see Lenny work through small things that to her are really big and when it appears it could all change, she finds ways to survive and she is brilliant! A five star debut for me!

What a knockout debut! Lenny loves order. Order is good. Routines are good; they are comforting. But when Lenny starts opening herself up to breaking her own rules, the real story begins. You will love Lenny and all of her quirks and the colorful characters in her life. This book was unexpected in the best way and if you loved Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, prepare to devour your new favorite read: Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the ARC