Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder
Finished: May 2024
Book Source: NetGalley
Book Publication Date: February 2023
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.
Trigger Warnings:
Murder, domestic abuse, child death
My Review
I initially thought Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder by Kerryn Mayne was going to be a cozy read, but it quickly became apparent that there are some very triggering parts. So, a word of caution: check the trigger warnings if you have strong feelings towards certain themes.
The story revolves around Lenny Marks. She uses her school address as her home address, so when she receives a letter at work from the parole board, it triggers a flood of emotions and memories that disrupt her meticulously structured life.
Lenny’s character is quirky but not overdone, which is a refreshing change from some of the other recent books I’ve read with similar characters. Her friend Kirra at school is the epitome of what a true friend should be, offering unwavering support and loyalty.
The audiobook’s narrator was a perfect choice; her accent added a lovely touch to the listening experience. I also appreciated the slow build of the romantic relationship in the story, which felt natural. One of my favorite parts was when Lenny saves a dog, which then becomes her best friend, adding a heartwarming element to the narrative.
Overall, Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder is an engaging read with well-developed characters and a compelling plot. Just be prepared for some emotional moments along the way.
Characters
- Lenny Marks, aka Helena Winters
- Mrs. Finlay – the principal at the school
- Fergus Sullivan – Lenny’s step dad who has been in prison
- Kirra – Lenny’s friend at school
- Ned – works at the grocery store, talks to
- Amy and Ashleigh – the ‘mean girls’ teachers at the school
- Maureen – Lenny’s neighbor at the treehouse
- Faye – Lenny’s foster mom
Spoilers/Summary
SPOILERS BELOW. Stop here if you do not want to read spoilers.
Lenny tried to kill her stepfather by giving him peanuts and hiding his epi pen but then called for an ambulance. When her mom and stepdad got home from the hospital, he saw that Lenny had packed their bags or them to leave and he attacked Lenny. Lenny had a knife and he grabs it and swung it at her but accidentally killed her brother, Malcom. He then threw her in the shed and when he went back to the house, Lenny’s mom was calling for help and he killed her as well.
Maureen is Missy – who was living with Lenny’s grandma. Missy and her grandma had been a couple, which was frowned upon back then. It also turns out that Fergus is Missy’s son, and she feels guilty that he introduced Fergus to Lenny’s mom when she realized what had been going on. Lenny’s mom had also had a plan to leave Fergus, but hadn’t acted on it yet..
Lenny had an imaginary friend named Malcolm as her way of handling that Malcolm, her little brother, had been murdered..
Lenny’s grandma attempted to kill herself, but Lenny saved her. Lenny had to be placed elsewhere after that but was convinced that it was all because no one wanted Lenny.
When Fergus gets out, he comes to Maureen’s house and he hasn’t changed… Lenny ends up hitting him over the head with a shovel and kills him. She puts his body into his car and drives it into the water where he ends up drowning (he wasn’t actually dead when she brought him to the lake so she had to decide what to do).
Ned had been asking her out and she didn’t realize it. They go on a date at the end, he has sold his game!
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