Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read Lenny Gets Away with Murder. It took me a few to get into the book as I wasn't sure really what direction the story was going. That being said that once the well orchestrated pieces started to fall into place I really did like the book a lot. Lenny's story is one of everyone leaving her. Lenny knows she is different and thinks that it is because of that she looses all the people she cares about in life. However, when she gets a letter at school from a mysterious place the story of Lenny truly begins. Its a book that is filled with trauma and resiliency. I really enjoyed this book.

Lenny is a teacher who loves her routine and her bike and her own way of doing things. We learn of Lenny’s past trauma and we learn why routine is so important to her. The book was good but a bit slow. But I did find myself pulling for this loveable character.

Perfect for fans of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder delivers a story of neurodivergent Lenny who struggles connecting with her peers even at the encouragement of her foster-mum, spending evenings watching Friends re-runs while pretending to play Scrabble with Monica Gellar and sticking to the same weekly meal routine, and most notably, she has a hard time remembering exactly what happened when her mom and stepdad disappeared when she was just a child apart from a voice that tells her “You did this.”

As we embark on Lenny’s day-to-day journey navigating her life as a 5th grade teacher trying to fit in with her colleagues and making small talk with the local grocer, things start to unravel with letters and calls from the parole board, a kidnapped dog, and an unexpected neighbor/family friend, Lenny’s history starts falling into place as she faces the demons of her past and springs forward into getting her own life.

At first, I felt that Lenny’s story was venturing a little too close to what had been done in Eleanor Oliphant and thought it might be another knock-off of the anxious woman with a traumatic past trope. Granted it’s been a hot minute since I’ve read Eleanor Oliphant, I felt like this was where Lenny was headed but was pleasantly surprised with the dark humor and the way everything all tied up in the end, even if the “twists” felt a little predictable, I still enjoyed the heart that came through the plot.

Thank you, NetGalley for the opportunity to read this title early! I will definitely be recommending this to my friends.

Meet Lenny Marks, a character who's bound to capture your heart and linger in your thoughts long after you've turned the last page. With her humor and tears, Lenny's big-hearted yet widely misunderstood nature is something truly special. At 37, she's a primary school teacher with a love for "The Hobbit" and "Friends," and a past shadowed by an unhappy childhood she's largely repressed. It was only in foster care that she found happiness. Now, urged by her foster mother to "get a life" and forge connections, Lenny makes earnest, albeit awkward, attempts to socialize. But just as she's navigating these choppy waters, a letter from the parole board sends her life into a tailspin.

Following Lenny's journey is a deeply moving experience. Her blunt honesty and contentment in solitude, set against the backdrop of her struggles and resilience, paint a portrait of a uniquely endearing character. This book invites you into Lenny's world—one of sorrow, survival, and the subtle joys of life. Dive in to fully grasp the essence of her story.

What a great mystery! It sort of reminds me of the Molly Maid series on the characters are completely different and she's not a maid! It did however make me smile! I highly recommend it!

Lenny Marks Gets Away With Murder is not what I was expecting based on the title. The first half seemed to just drag on as Lenny struggles with her personal demons. The last half gets more interesting and kept me engaged in reading it. Overall book seemed too long. Lenny is an interesting character but is she real or faking her way through life? I really wanted to cheer for her and see her succeed but she made so many poor decisions that it was difficult for me to relate.
I received an advance copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Much like Eleanor Oliphant, Lenny Marks is much more damaged and tragic and much less “quirky” than the cover would lead you to believe. Mayne sets the stage slowly, as befitting her protagonist, but the story really opens up as Lenny’s mind does. While I was committed enough at that point to finish, I do wish there had more warning than “equal parts heartbreaking” in the description when it came to the past trauma in Lenny’s life.

Altogether, this was a fairly satistlfying read, if hard to describe. I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions my own.

I loved this book and gave it 5 stars! This story just grabs you and you just become very invested in discovering what are the driving forces for Lenny. I wanted to know what happened to her when she was a child and how those events impact as an adult. This is just a truly gripping story I will never forget.

Thank you NetGalley for opportunity to read and review this book. All options are my own.

Wow. Just wow. This book was one that I just could not put down after about 20-30 pages in. The odd thing is that I almost put this book into ,my DNF category. I am so glad that I hung in. The main character, Lenny, has suffered a tragedy early in her life and we find her in her late 30s working as an elementary school teacher, extremely awkward and wishing to socially isolate as much as possible. Throughout the book, we root for Lenny while trying to figure out what exactly happened to her all those years before. I do not want to give away a bit of the ending. It is a marvelous novel and I think many will enjoy it. The reason I almost did not finish it was because in her socially discomfort, Lenny does a word exercise whenever she is uncomfortable. I found that extremely annoying and did not think that I would be able to get through the book. Thankfully it lessened significantly and I was able to dive in.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for my honest review. I highly recommend this book. It is an excellent book club book because it makes you want to run out and discuss it with others.

Lenny Marks Gets Away With Murder is a wildly charming book. Lenny is a teacher whose traumatic history has left her with quirky ways of dealing with the world. Readers will find themselves rooting for Lenny. I loved her character and the people around her who love and support her, even when she struggles to recognize them. While the title implies that Lenny must be a devious person, instead readers will empathize and understand the choices she makes. This book was a feel-good read, leaving me with the sense that justice will be served and kindness is rewarded.

This is a tough one. I want to like it and know I’m the person this book is intended for. My problem is that it is far too similar to Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. I stopped reading because it wasn’t new enough for me. Haven’t read Eleanor Oliphant? I bet you love this book.

This was an interesting book. Very different characters, yet good character development. A bit of a mystery that kept you unsure till the end. Would recommend as an easy, fun read. This was an interesting book. Very different characters, yet good character development. A bit of a mystery that kept you unsure till the end. Would recommend as an easy, fun read. That you NetGalley for letting me read this prerelease book for an honest review.

I really liked this book. The main character was a delight. I liked the way the story was built. Some things were predictable but not everything and it was really great to watch Lenny grow in confidence as she recalled her past and dealt with it. So great to see someone who may not be like everyone else still be able to have such a great support network around them.

I loved this book! This is a perfectly paced book that made us understand and sympathize with Lenny.

Don’t let the title fool you, this is not your average murder mystery. Nor is this a lighthearted thriller. Instead, the story of Lenny Marks, born Helena Winters, is in fact fairly heavy stuff. We meet Lenny as a reclusive schoolteacher in her mid-30s trying to navigate the social dynamics of work colleagues and regular acquaintances. Her odd behavior, refusing to let anyone into her home, binge watching the television show Friends (with a tendancy to refer to the fictional character of Monica as her roommate), and having all her mail sent to the school so that no one knows where she lives, paint the picture of a social misfit with debilitating anxieties. We learn early on that she most likely suffers from trauma, when a letter is delivered to her at school letting her know that her stepfather is due to be released from prison and the parole board would like a victim statement from her.

Lenny refuses to make a statement, but the letter, nonetheless, sets her on her own adventure of sorts toward moving out of her self-imposed isolation and ultimately healing from the trauma which is revealed slowly until a shocking crisis forces Lenny to face her past and determine her future.

Mayne’s Lenny is well-developed and interesting for a person suffering from trauma. Lenny is fun and quirky, in her way. The story is engaging and the pace kept me reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read an advance review copy.

I felt like the title/cover made it seem like this was going to be a different type of book.
This was a slow start and at the end, it picked up the pace and was a page-turner.

Lenny Marks has had a lot of trauma in her life that she has suppressed. She started to remember things that happened in the past when her stepfather was up for parole.

Lenny likes structure in her life and then things start to spiral out of control.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This story was much darker than I expected from the cover and the description! There was no humor outside of Lenny's quirks, and as the mystery of her past unfolds, it gets pretty disturbing. I did love Lenny's character and the few good people she had in her life though.

I think we all need to agree to protect Lenny Marks at all costs. I love a thriller, so any book with murder in the title is one I'm likely to grab, but this story was different in a bunch of really great ways. I loved Lenny and the way she interacts with the world, and while her choices and behavior were a little frustrating at times, Mayne builds her character in a way that you accept that, and welcome her small steps out of her comfort zone. This is such a smart, well-written story, that I keep needing to go back to read more of because I needed to know that Lenny would be ok. That's a sign of a fantastic book for me!

I loved everything about Lenny Marks! I worried for her, cheered for her and grieved for her. She thinks she has her life together, but as her emotions and memories begin to unravel, it’s obvious that she does not.

Well done, Kerryn Mayne—the Hobbit books, Scrabble games and TV episodes of Friends were clever, and woven into the story perfectly as Lenny’s personality and insecurities were revealed.

Great supporting cast, too—Fay, Ned, Maureen and Malcom were wonderful.

Advanced reader copy courtesy of the publishers at NetGalley for review.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy to read and review. Overall I enjoyed this book. It was a slow start but once I got engaged in the story it picked up. I really felt for the main character Lenny who faces challenges in life and with interpersonal relationships largely due to trauma from her childhood. I was routing for her to overcome obstacles and live a happy life. I especially liked Ned, Kyria and Maureen. It was interesting how she named her dog after her deceased brother Malcolm. The book weaves young Helena’s life with Lenny’s current life. The author’s police background is clearly evident in her storytelling. The story gradually unfolds and the pieces come together and it makes sense. I wanted to keep reading to fully understand everything that Lenny had experienced and why she is the way she is. No one should have suffered like her. The book is even more pertinent today with the greater focus on mental health. I strongly recommend this book.