Lenny Marks gets away with murder

Although Lenny Marks gets away with murder by Kerryn Mayne is a crime novel it primarily deals with the conflicts faced by a school teacher, now in her thirties, as she attempts to deal with the mental and physical damage she encountered as a child so she can learn to better relate to the people and situations that make up her life today.

At the age of eleven Lenny was separated from her mother to live first with her grandmother and then with foster carers. Lenny's last memory of her stepfather were the words this is all your fault. During the novel the real events are revealed as Lenny gradually remembers pieces of the story of her childhood and discovers the truth.

Although the novel deals with family violence and the effects of such violence, it is also a study of learning to understand and come to terms with past events in order to live a 'normal' life. It is also about learning who are your real friends and accepting their help.