I'm sorry this one just wasn't for me. I know there's are quite a few people who enjoyed this one, but I just didn't like it. It reminded me of Eleanor Oliphant, which I absolutely loved, but this one just didn't wow me. Unfortunately, not for me.

*Thank you partner @stmartinspress and @macmillan.audio for the #gifted e-galley and audiobook.*

"Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder" was not the Cozy-Mystery I thought it would be...

Still, I love Lenny Marks! I love how she is regimented, doing certain things a specific way, time after time. Making word anagrams calms her. Being surrounded by quiet soothes her. Order and routine are two of her favorite things.

Lenny loves teaching and her students, and is super good at her job. What she isn't good at is dealing with change.

When Lenny receives a letter in the mail and continuing to ignore it doesn't work, her peaceful, quiet existence begins to spin out of control...

"Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder" is a thoughtful and thought-provoking story with themes of grief and loss, abandonment and secrets, and friendship and acceptance. Horribly sad at times and incredibly heartwarming at others, it was a bittersweet read.

This was an immersion read; the audiobook is read by Annie Maynard, who recounts the story flawlessly in a lovely Australian accent and delivers the perfect voice for Lenny. Her gender voicing is distinguishable and brings life to each of the characters. The result is a pleasurable listening experience.

"Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder" is an enjoyable debut novel, and when I was finished reading and listening, I was sorry to see Lenny Marks go!

3.75⭐

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and Kerryn Mayne for a DRC and an ALC through NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Lenny Marks is unique and not. She presents the stereotype of an adult who cannot deal with adulthood. But this books shows a possibility why outside judgment can cause harm. Because it doesn't take under the account the persons story. And here Kerryn Mayne reminds us of that. The author pays attention to the minute personality traits that are result of trauma. At the same time, she doesn't excuse behavior but rather creates space of acceptance and healing. Simple story about a woman who went through so much as a child, having people in her life she takes for granted, and simply annoying personality reminds a reader how wholesome story like Lenny Marks' can be.

This book was wholesome. It gave us all elements the perfect heroine should have. And I loved it.
I highly recommend this book not as a cozy read but rather one to practice empathy muscle.
Big shout out for representation too. For that I felt being seen tho I am not Lenny Makrs. But I do I think we all have some parts of her inside.

Lenny Marks is a neurodiverse character who loves a routine, from daily bike rides to the school she works at as a 5th grade teacher, to rearranging her book collection.

Lenny is now faced with dealing with the trauma of her past, which really brings to emotion! I loved the themes of healing and self-acceptance. The audio narration was great!

*many thanks to Macmillan audio and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

This felt like a book I should have loved- it had all the components. But the tone just fell a bit flat, and I struggled to finish it.

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read an early copy of this book. Book was fine, really good if you like the genre! I would read more from this author. Lenny was a pretty fun character.

Lenny Marks lives a perfectly ordinary life and it suits her just fine. She thrives on her routine, which involves going to work, shopping at the same store, watching Friends reruns and even playing scrabble against her “roommate” Monica (🥴). She’s also great at not remembering what happened the day her mother and stepfather disappeared all those years ago. When she receives a letter from a parole board, she knows things are going to change, and her carefully crafted life begins to unravel. She ends up forced into new situations and they’re not all bad. But when she’s forced to confront her past, will her new relationships all fall apart?

I was not expecting to love this book as much as I did! It was a teeny bit slow in the beginning and I went in blind, so it took me a minute to find my rhythm with Lenny, but once I did I fell in love with her. She’s a great character and has a great story to tell. I was shocked to learn that this was a debut. It definitely reminded me of Sally Hepworth or Liane Moriarty with the quirky and somewhat unreliable narrator. If you like those authors I think you’ll enjoy this one!

I loved Lenny Marks. Her way of looking at the world was funny and touching. However, something terrible happened to Lenny when she was a child. The mystery is finding out what because Lenny’s mind is protecting her from the pain by lying about the events of her childhood.

If you can, get the audiobook. The book takes place in Australia, and having that accent in your head deepens your understanding of the characters.

I don’t know why I waited so long to read this one! I thought it would be a cozy mystery but it turned out to be much more than that.

This book navigated grief, loss, abuse, and having to live and carry on after a traumatic childhood.

I loved Lenny, she kind of reminded me of Nita Prose’s Molly the Maid. She was funny, strong, and I rooted for her the whole time.

Kerryn Mayne’s debut novel, Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder, is a brilliant and poignant exploration of trauma, memory, and the long-lasting impact of secrets. The story follows Lenny Marks, a woman whose life is defined by meticulous routines and a carefully structured existence, all of which she clings to in an effort to avoid confronting the haunting memories of her childhood. Lenny’s mother and stepfather vanished when she was young, and though the event has been buried deep in her mind, a mysterious voice whispers, You did this, leaving her tormented by guilt and uncertainty.

Lenny’s life is predictable: she bikes home from work at exactly 4pm, shops for the same groceries each week, and even plays Scrabble with an imaginary friend while watching reruns of Friends. Her life is quiet, uneventful—and safe. But when a letter from the parole board arrives, threatening to open the door to her long-forgotten past, Lenny’s carefully constructed world begins to unravel. As buried memories resurface, Lenny is forced to confront the truth, leading her to engage with the world and people around her in ways she never has before.

Mayne masterfully balances moments of heartache with bursts of warmth and humor, crafting a protagonist who is both relatable and deeply complex. Lenny’s journey of self-discovery and healing is at the core of the novel, and as she begins to form new, unexpected relationships, the story becomes as much about finding connection as it is about uncovering dark truths. The tension between Lenny’s past and her present creates a compelling narrative that keeps readers hooked until the very end.

What makes this novel particularly special is Lenny herself—her quirky, lovable nature, and her determination to keep moving forward despite her inner turmoil. Mayne’s writing is sharp and empathetic, capturing the complexity of memory, guilt, and redemption with grace and authenticity.

In short, Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder is a heartfelt, beautifully written story that blends mystery, humor, and emotional depth. Kerryn Mayne’s debut is a must-read for fans of character-driven stories about forgiveness, personal growth, and the search for truth. Lenny Marks is a heroine readers won’t soon forget.

Lenny Marks Gets Awaywith Murder by Kerryn Mayne was a wonderul family story with good character word and a well developed character.

Unlikeable MCs aren’t my thing (I’m looking it you, Every-Jonathan-Frazen-Character-Ever) I need characters for which I can root. They don’t have to be perfect, but they have to be redeemable.

Lenny is DEEPLY redeemable. While my own brand of neurospicy would likely drive her mad, I’d love to be her friend. If you’re a fan of the character-driven, you’ll enjoy this one.

While the title might give you Cozy Quirky Mystery vibes, that’s not what this book is. Lenny, while indeed quirky, has a scarring past that she’s no longer able to ignore, and the book does a great job exploring the complexity of trauma.

My only real complaint was the pacing. It picked up in the latter part of the book, but started off pretty slow.

Can’t wait for more from this author.

This was a good and twist read! The power of the denial is a thing to behold, until it breaks down and you must confront what you've been hiding from yourself! This was my 1st book by Kerryn Mayne but will not be my last, I am adding her books to my TBR!

Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder is a quirky and heartfelt story that reminded me a lot of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. Both books feature a socially awkward, complex protagonist dealing with trauma in their own unique way. I was drawn to Lenny’s resilience and her gradual journey of self-discovery. It’s a story that balances humor and emotional depth, making it a compelling read for fans of character-driven fiction. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy of this audiobook to listen to and review.

LENNY MARKS GETS AWAY WITH MURDER by Kerryn Mayne is my most recently loved read. Lenny Marks doesn’t have a social life. She bikes home from her teaching job every day to have a quiet night at home with her Scrabble game and rewatches FRIENDS episodes, pretending Monica Gellar is her friend. Lenny lives a quiet life until she receives a letter and starts getting phone calls about the upcoming release of her stepdad from prison. She can’t remember what happened in her childhood to cause her mother to leave with her stepdad and leave Lenny behind. Just as Lenny begins to develop friendships, her past comes creeping back and she begins to remember.

Why I loved this book:
~I loved the quirkiness and also the mysterious past of Lenny. Uncovering the memories bit by bit kept me coming back to the book and didn’t want to put it down.
~Lenny is one of the best characters ever. I adored her and haven’t cared about a character like this in a long while.
~FRIENDS is my favorite tv show and the references are so fun!
~Malcolm, the dog. Loved him as much as Lenny.

This was a lovely book, and I look forward to more from this author. Many thanks to @macmillan.audio for this listening copy in exchange for an honest review!

The very structured life of Lenny Marks suits her; she doesn’t deal well with change. So when she receives a shocking letter in the mail, she begins to flounder and is forced to step outside her routines. This begins a surprising journey of self-discovery which is heartbreaking but also heartwarming.

In her debut novel, Australian author Kerryn Mayne creates a wonderful character-driven story with an interesting plot involving neurodivergency, murder, found family, and a dog. I read this via audiobook and enjoyed Annie Maynard’s narration.

Readers who liked Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman, The Maid by Nita Prose, and/or All the Lonely People by Mike Gayle will appreciate Lenny Marks.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for review copies of this novel.

An absolutely lovely and enjoyable romp. I so enjoyed getting to know Lenny Marks and following her along her journey, both through her hometown and in growing as a person. I cannot wait to see what else Kerryn Mayne comes up with!

Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder by Kerryn Mayne is absolutely refreshing. Such a unique and unusual story. I found it to be heartwarming and absolute amazing.

I read this book as part of a Buddy Read and we both couldn’t stop talking about it afterward. It has several plot twists and surprises. But at every turn, Lenny comes out on top! She is always the bigger, more mature person.

Lenny is a creature of habit that prefers following a schedule and not getting thrown for a loop. She is 37 and lives by herself somewhat off grid. She prefers to mind her own business and be left alone.

Lenny has had a tough life with elements of abuse and loss that she has chosen to repress so that she doesn’t have to relive the trauma. One day she is given the opportunity to remember the holes in her memories from childhood and is able to heal in ways she never thought possible.

Not your traditional book about murder but easily as bingeable!

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.

I was thrilled to receive an advance copy of the audio through NetGalley. I've been listening to it on and off since July, but I just can't seem to get into it enough to finish.