Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

Lenny Marks is a fifth-grade teacher in her late 30’s, who thrives on routine and consistency. Lenny receives an unexpected letter informing her that her former stepfather will soon be paroled from prison. This news disrupts her life and triggers a series of events that forces Lenny to confront a traumatic past she thought she had buried.

Fans of Liz Nugent’s Strange Sally Diamond and Gail Honeyman’s Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine will appreciate Lenny’s relatable character. She's a compelling protagonist, both flawed and endearing, making it easy to root for her journey of self-discovery.

While I initially anticipated a more suspenseful thriller, the novel takes a more introspective turn. It's a character-driven story that delves into themes of grief, guilt, and the complexities of human relationships.

I absolutely devoured this book and read it in one day. However, the ending felt somewhat disjointed from the rest of the book’s grounded tone. Despite this, it’s still a book I would highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this eARC for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Lenny has issues with her memory, and she has issues remembering what happened on the day that her mother left her when she was a child. She does remember the words her stepfather told her that she was at fault. She does have a connection with her foster mother that is unfailing, and her foster mother did go to the bat for her several times. Her foster mother also encourages her to make friends and to go out with other people.
Lenny does have a different thought process with her inner dialogue, although at times her thought process is rather strange. I believe she is on the spectrum, and that can cause her thought process to be different.
Throughout the story, Lenny has different flashbacks of her childhood which is a traumatic childhood, to say the least. My only complaint is that the beginning of the book moved along rather slowly, and her inner dialogue at times is a bit much and she takes over thinking to the max.
The second half of the book is more eventful and gets a faster pace and things really start connecting together so this is a stick-with-it kind of book and kinda trust the process. Thank you St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this one!

I would like to start by thanking netgalley for the arc of this book. There is something so comforting about the way Mayne writes, the heroine, Lenny Marks, is equal parts frustrating and love-able. She cannot remember what happened the night her mother and step father disappears, which causes an underlying tension throughout the first part of the book. You follow her life where she takes the same route home from work at exactly 4 o'clock, buys the same groceries for the same meals and even has the same book, the hobbit, arranged in size order on her bookshelf.

There is one problem though, she has this little voice in her head saying that she is the one that caused something to her mother and stepfather. When a letter from the parole board arrives at her door can the life she recently attained all fall apart?

If you love mysteries, crime, and a little bit of a thriller with chosen family and of course vengeance than this book is exactly what you should read.

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"Lenny Marks is excellent at not having a life.
She bikes home from work at exactly 4pm each day, buys the same groceries for the same meals every week, and owns thirty-six copies of The Hobbit (currently arranged by height). The closest thing she has to a friendship is playing Scrabble against an imaginary Monica Gellar while watching Friends reruns.
And Lenny Marks is very, very good at not remembering what happened the day her mother and stepfather disappeared when she was still a child. The day a voice in the back of her mind started whispering, You did this.
Until a letter from the parole board arrives in the mail—and when her desperate attempts to ignore it fail, Lenny starts to unravel. As long-buried memories come to the surface, Lenny’s careful routines fall apart. For the first time, she finds herself forced to connect with the community around her, and unexpected new relationships begin to bloom. Lenny Marks may finally get a life—but what if her past catches up to her first?" -Goodreads

This book is so full of heart. There is so much going on in this book, but it ties together so perfectly! At times heartbreaking, but also endearing. I absolutely loved this book! Highly recommend it! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I thought this was enjoyable and quite different from other books I've read. I felt like this was such a fun well written read. I've never read this author but would totally again. A fun premise that had interesting fun characters that I couldn't put down! Hands down an awesome book!

Honestly, I thought I was going to DNF this book. I put it down several times as the build is very slow. However, I am glad that I stuck with it as the story picked up and I genuinely cared about Lenny and her true friends. It was a thoughtful story with an unlikely heroine. I have read other books with characters who exhibit nonsocial personalities and had a hard time relating so often gave up. However, Lenny's back story intrigued me enough to want to learn more. There are some triggers in this book regarding abuse so be forewarned. Otherwise, give it time to build and you will be rewarded with a satisfying ending and good story arc.

Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder by Kerryn Mayne is a unique novel with a neurodivergent protagonist. I loved this part of the book, although it felt a bit slow and was hard to get into this book. I think the character’s introduction was carefully planned to show her neurodivergent nature, but this really slowed the book down. Still, it was a really solid read once you got into it. The backstory made so much sense. This is a great debut novel. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

Thank you net galley and author for this arc. Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder is a highly impressive debut novel that is both thoughtfully written and emotionally engaging. The narrative is captivating, with a compelling central character in Lenny, whose journey evokes deep empathy from the reader. The book expertly balances entertainment with thought-provoking themes, making it difficult to put down. Lenny’s character is particularly well-crafted, and readers will undoubtedly find themselves rooting for her throughout the story. An absorbing and memorable read.

I think this is such a great debut novel. it was a long time since i read debut novels with such a great developing plot and characters.

i found it difficult to get into the book, at the beginning. the plot was dragging and i was lost in settings and dialogues, however, by 100 pages, i was invested in the book. i really enjoyed main character, lenny, and her journey of healing and kind of reliving trauma.

some scenes were definitely unnecessary and i believe they kind of dragged the book down and therefore i was loosing interest throughout my read.

overall, great read if you want a book with mystery but also a great developed characters and plot

Quirky characters are always a big hit at our library and this book has a lot of potential for our patrons. I think the marketing, title, and cover are a bit misleading but the story was a mix of emotional and heartwarming. While the pacing of this book is a bit odd, it is still a decent story and will be well received in our library. It read more like a women's fiction than mystery/thriller. I think those who like stories like The Maid by Nita Prose might appreciate this one.

Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book and test it out before adding it to our library! The audiobook is very well done and made it feel more lighthearted than simply reading the book- I really liked the narrator.

This was such a unique and interesting read! Lenny Marks isn’t your usual heroine and I love that her quirks were highlighted as what made her such a special person. The dual timelines and flashbacks were perfect and made me question and wonder what in the world was going to happen. The supporting characters were amazing and added so much value to the story. The pacing was a little slow at times but overall I really enjoyed!

Four and a half stars for this brilliant tale of self realization and redemption. Lenny is a well organized mess. The horrors of her past are clamped down deep, too painful, too traumatic to remember. But with her step-father on parole, she might finally have to face what happened to her decades ago.

This book reveals her secrets so gently, and reveals her guardian angel protectors so beautifully, I fell in love with them over and over again. There are definite demons in this book, but the good drowns it out.

The title and cover are deceiving - this is definitely not a light romance, but something much more interesting. A little like Eleanor Oliphant, Lenny is socially awkward and has gone through a lot in her life, but is also lovely. The story definitely deals with some tough topics, but in a way that has you rooting for Lenny and the friends and dog who've taken her under their wing.

Amazing writing of an incredible character!

Lenny Marks is a primary school teacher. For the most part, she keeps to herself and follows her routines. She buys her groceries at the same market, spends her nights at home watching her favorite show Friends, and plays Scrabble with a fictional Monica Geller. She eats the same meals every week and collects copies of her favorite book, The Hobbit. Lenny doesn't drive; instead, she uses her bike to get around.

Lately, people have been suggesting that she make friends or go to therapy. So, she decides to try making some friends at work and step out of her comfort zone. She is also starting to recall events from her childhood. She grew up in foster care after her mother left when she was eleven, and most of her memories from that time are buried deep in her mind.

As a reader, you can't help but wonder what truly happened to Lenny.

Lenny reminds me of Eleanor Oliphant and Molly Gray. She doesn’t always pick up on social cues, and some people try to take advantage of her— or at least, they think they can.

Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder is a real attention-grabber from the start. The added element of a dog that needs saving makes it even more compelling. A truly entertaining novel. A great debut!

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by St. Martin's Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

She bikes home from work at exactly 4pm each day, buys the same groceries for the same meals every week, and owns thirty-six copies of The Hobbit (currently arranged by height). The closest thing she has to a friendship is playing Scrabble against an imaginary Monica Gellar while watching Friends reruns.

And Lenny Marks is very, very good at not remembering what happened the day her mother and stepfather disappeared when she was still a child. The day a voice in the back of her mind started whispering, You did this.

Until a letter from the parole board arrives in the mail—and when her desperate attempts to ignore it fail, Lenny starts to unravel. As long-buried memories come to the surface, Lenny’s careful routines fall apart. For the first time, she finds herself forced to connect with the community around her, and unexpected new relationships begin to bloom. Lenny Marks may finally get a life—but what if her past catches up to her first?

Equal parts heartbreaking and heartwarming, Kerryn Mayne’s stunning debut is an irresistible novel about truth, secrets, vengeance, and family lost and found, with a heroine who's simply unforgettable.

I thought it was well written and a fun read. Will recommend to others.

I haven't cared about a character as much as I cared about Lenny in a long time. Heartwarming, heavy at times, but an all around wonderful read. The ending will surprise you.
FYI to the reader - there are themes that need content warnings -
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abuse of a child
self harm, unaliving
trauma

I received an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Thanks Netgalley, author and St Martin's Press for the ARC.

Lenny Marks lives for routine: biking everywhere, buying the same groceries, and owning 36 copies of The Hobbit. A teacher with quirks, she’s content with her predictable world and even enjoys Scrabble games with Monica (her imaginary friend from FRIENDS). But when a letter from the parole board arrives, old memories resurface, unsettling her carefully structured life and forcing her to confront a deeply buried trauma.
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I went into Lenny Marks Gets Away With Murder expecting a quirky, lighthearted read—something akin to The Maid—but it took me by surprise, diving into much darker and more emotionally complex territory, even reminiscent of Strange Sally Diamond.

Lenny’s perspective, with her routines and endearing quirks, initially seems simple but soon reveals so much depth. Her dark humor and unique outlook add a layer of charm, yet her story is deeply moving and layered with trauma.

Through flashbacks, we glimpse Lenny’s turbulent childhood, living with her mom and stepfather and later with her Zanny (granny) and foster family. Each memory reveals the impact of her past and builds tension as we piece together her history. The way Lenny processes her pain while clinging to routine is both heartbreaking and relatable, and the mystery of what really happened feels raw and unsettling. It’s an emotional journey that’s as much about resilience and identity as it is about uncovering the past.

It's a 4/5 ⭐ read for me.

Lenny Marks Gets Away With Murder really dives into Lenny’s inner world, making her past and personality the heart of the story rather than focusing solely on the suspense elements.

That character-driven approach often gives stories a more personal, introspective feel, which can make the dark themes even more impactful. Its a unique blend of mystery and emotional depth!

Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder is an intriguingly appealing debut crime novel by Kerryn Mayne. Released 9th July 2024 by Macmillan on their St. Martin's Press imprint, it's 352 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats (paperback due out from the same publisher in late 2nd quarter 2025). It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links throughout.

This is very very much a character driven story featuring a neurodivergent main character, strongly suppresed trauma memories, and a quite surprisingly deeply moving story in places. There are trigger warnings aplenty, domestic violence, child abuse, PTSD, trauma, suppressed memories, and more; it's a comprehensive shopping list.

The author writes with unvarnished, sometimes clinical detachment on otherwise horrific actions and it is impressively effective, given the slightly wonky personality of main character Lenny.

The denouement and resolution are satisfying, if also slightly off kilter.

Four stars. All in all an effective and very well written debut. It would be a good choice for public or home library acquisition, buddy read or mystery book club selection.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

What a wonderful debut novel from this author. This book is not what you think from looking at the cover. It is an emotional and intricate story about a Neurodivergent woman who is very rigid and particular life Is shaken up when the past comes back to Hunter and she has to come out of her shell and find that there is more love around her than she ever knew. Thank you to NetGalley For this arc in exchange for my review.

Lenny Marks might be my new favorite character. I absolutely adored her character. She had been through so much in life and all I wanted to do was talk to her and tell her everything would be ok. The author portrayed Lenny in such a real way, which made the story much more interesting to me. The beginning felt a little slow, but this really picked up steam in the second half, with more action and more details about what happened to Lenny. I almost passed on this one, but I'm so glad I read it! Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book to review!