Title: Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder
Author: Kerryn Mayne
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Release Date: July 9, 2024
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?
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.
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.
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