Karen's Reviews > Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder

“You don’t have to do this alone, you know.”
“Do what?”
“Life.”

The title of the book says that Lenny Marks gets away with murder. But as I kept reading the book, I kept wondering…what really is the murder that she is getting away with here?

First, let us try and understand who Lenny Marks is.

She is a teacher of elementary school kids. She is deeply flawed. And troubled. She has a past that is not clear. To readers. And, probably to herself. Is she neurodivergent, or damaged because of this past that isn’t clear to her or readers?

Keep reading, I would tell myself. Be patient. There is more to Lenny Marks.

She is deeply sensitive. She has been bullied in her past. And, she doesn’t like to see people hurting others or dogs. Thus, it is no surprise that she now has Malcolm, the dog. And, she really likes the show Friends, yet she doesn’t “appear” to have any. Or does she?

So, with all this being said, is there anything about Lenny Marks that is likable? Do we as readers root for her? Do we care enough about her that we want to know what really happened in her past? Or care enough to find out who this Fergus is, when a letter arrives at her work that she doesn’t seem to read, but readers want to know about it? And him?

And, most importantly, why, oh why, did the author decide to title this book, ‘Lenny Marks gets away with murder?’

And, just when it seemed like we would be close to knowing, the author had Lenny Marks running from that truth. But there was something else the author would give readers.

Short chapters. So, that we would keep reading to find out more. Small clues forward for readers to savor.

What really happened to Lenny Marks? Or, what did Lenny Marks do? How many pages will it take for readers to read before they find out the truth? And whether, Lenny Marks does indeed commit murder, or not?

“She hoped they knew.”

And when readers do…find this “truth,” how will we feel? Will we breathe again and understand Lenny Marks a little more? And, will we care?

My answer…yes. I believe so.

Lenny Marks is complicated. But fascinating, too. And, in this page-turning, very different type of mystery debut novel, readers will want to be protective of her. And patient.

And, aware of Malcolm, too. He has quite the story, as well. (To say more…well, you know me and spoilers…I don’t give them.)