I enjoyed this so freaking much! Elsie was easily one of my favorite characters I’ve read about this year. I’m 2 for 2 now on giving Sally Hepworth books 5 stars. I feel like they’re mis-marketed by being deemed thrillers and I think some people are disappointed by what they get from them after going in expecting a traditional thriller. They’re not that at all, but whatever sort of literary take on the mystery/thriller genre these are, it works for me! Absolutely gobbled this book up.

This was such a fun book. I loved the character development. I enjoyed every single character. I thought that they were really interesting. This book made me laugh. It made me tear up. It surprised me. It shocked me, and I felt all the feelings. I don’t particularly read cozy mysteries as I like more intense thrillers, but this was the perfect read.

Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth is a brilliantly crafted, darkly witty, and compulsively readable novel that cements Hepworth’s talent for weaving suspense with heart. With her trademark sharp prose and knack for layered characters, Hepworth brings Mabel to life as a figure both unsettling and surprisingly sympathetic, blurring the lines between madness and misunderstood brilliance. The story unfolds with perfectly timed twists, keeping readers hooked while also exploring deeper themes of family, trust, and the masks people wear to survive. Equal parts chilling and emotionally resonant, Mad Mabel is a five-star triumph that will leave readers thinking about it long after the final page.

I loved the blend of character development, plot pacing, and intrigue in this book.

The author drew out Elsie’s personality and journey through her relationship with characters in the present which helped to explore the past.

This was both a fun read and a cozy read with redemption, humor, and fun.

I have read one short story by Sally Hepworth, and liked it, but wasn't so sure what to expect from this book.
At first, it seems to be more of an adult fiction book. Parts of it are funny, parts cause the reader to draw their own conclusion, and parts are just incredibly sad. Towards the end though, there were two very big, very unexpected twist, and the big reveal of the murder that Mabel was imprisoned for.
"Mad Mabel" seemed to be a child with no friends. Her parents threw lavish parties and Mabel was banished to her room. Mabel broke some bones and was confined to the hospital. After a conversation with her mother in the hospital, the mother walked out onto the balcony and jumped off, killing herself. Mabel also finds out that her father blames her for her younger sister's death when Mabel was 3 years old and her little sister was 1. She starts to wonder if she is just doomed to cause death and destruction around her.
As much as a murder mystery type thriller, there were funny parts, and this book was a lot about a woman learning if she had the capability of being loved and loving.

What an amazing book! Mad Mabel is the story of an 81 (not 82!) year old woman who has a mysterious past. She was accused of murdering someone and now lives with the rumors of her murderous past even to this day. This is her story - told both in the past and present day. The twists in this book were outstanding and I loved absolutely every page of it. It reminded me in the best way of "A Man Called Ove". I could definitely see this being made into a movie. 5 big stars!

Sally Hepworth does it again with her latest offbeat character driven mystery. Mad Mabel is a nickname for the neglected, only child of a wealthy couple living is a big house in a small gossipy community. Death and destruction seems to follow Mad Mable wherever she goes. The book goes back and forth told from both a child and an elderly woman’s perspective. You will not want to put this book down!

Sally Hepworth continues to impress with her nuanced character development, and Mabel is no exception. Sharp-tongued, enigmatic, and steeped in a haunting past, Mabel emerges as a compelling figure whose complexity keeps readers engaged throughout.

The narrative unfolds across multiple threads, centering on present-day Elsie, who unexpectedly finds herself entangled in a mystery involving a deceased neighbor, an unruly dog, and the unwanted company of a precocious seven-year-old. This unsettling death becomes the catalyst for unraveling the tragic and twisted history of the girl the town once dubbed “Mad Mabel.”

his is a witty, captivating read that takes its time to unfurl.. The novel offers a lot of good material for discussion, making it an excellent choice for book clubs—full of layered themes and intriguing theories to explore.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eArc in exchange for my honest review.

✨Wow! I was expecting a domestic thriller and got a decades old mystery to solve, an entire cast of characters to fall in love with, a story filled with raw emotion, depth and heart – and plenty of laughter through tears.

✨At its heart, this is a story about the lasting damage caused by maliciously spread false narratives, profound injustice, unhealed wounds and how one woman molded her life to cope. But it’s also a story of
the many faces of love and a reminder that new relationships can flourish at any stage of life.

✨The cast of formidable, resilient and steadfast females in this book have left their mark on me forever. Absolutely exquisitely written women (and one adorable little girl)!

✨I absolutely adored everything about this book right up until the ending – which I’m still wrestling with. I haven’t been able to decide if it’s brilliant or I hate it. And maybe that’s the point since I’m sure to be pondering this for some time to come. A book that lingers is a book that is masterfully written.

🌿Read if you like:
✨Spunky octogenarian female main characters
✨Past and present timelines
✨Australian settings
✨Toxic family dynamics
✨Found family
✨Community support narratives
✨Precocious children characters
✨Intergenerational friendships
✨Anne of Green Gables

4.5 stars

Australian writer Sally Hepworth is a must-read author for me. Her books don’t disappoint and often have controversial endings and memorable characters.

This time, her main character is Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick, known to those who knew her as a child as Mad Mabel. Now, at 81, she's finally telling her story.

The prologue sets up by saying that no one ever expects a killer to be a little girl or an old lady. We then get chapters from a before-and-now timeline. Elsie thinks that she has no friends, but we can tell otherwise. There’s an adorable 7-year-old neighbor, Persephone, who is constantly “harassing” Elsie by playing Uno and other games with her.

The rumors swirl around that Mad Mabel has murdered people, but Elsie has concealed her identity for the 60 years that she’s lived on this street. After a neighbor’s death, the truth is forced out, and Elsie finally decides to tell her side of things.

The back and forth give us snippets of the past and a challenging childhood. As a reader, I was convinced of Elsie’s innocence. Her dysfunctional family certainly wasn’t supportive. This one definitely brings out the feelings. It isn’t until the very end that we have the big reveal. I was surprised!

Elsie Fitzpatrick is a quirky, endearing character and I liked how the reader gets to know her with the dual timelines when she was a child and also currently at 81 years old. I had expected more from the mystery aspect of this book. The first half felt like a slow build with not much suspense, but when the end finally picked up I was hooked and I loved the interesting twist!

4.5 Stars - Rounded up to 5

Mad Mabel is the story of Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick, a curmudgeony old woman with a salacious past. She prefers to keep to herself, but when her young neighbor decides that Elsie is her new best friend, Elsie’s past catches up to her and she finally decides maybe it’s time to reclaim her story.

I absolutely adored this book. I loved reading Elsie’s story - it’s told in dual timelines, which in my experience as a reader can sometimes make the story feel repetitive, but I thought it was done really well here and that the overall story was paced nicely.

At its core, this is a story about loneliness and friendship. I think most of us can relate to a time we felt so crushingly alone, especially as a child. Reading Elsie’s story was heartbreaking but she’s such an incredible, funny character and I loved reading her take back her power. I can’t recommend this book enough!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the advance reader copy, all opinions are my own. “Mad Mabel” comes out on April 21, 2026.

Thank you NetGalley for the free ARC! I thought Sally Hepworth did a great job with this novel… It was very engaging, quirky, and entertaining. I would definitely recommend for a satisfying read.

Sally Hepworth is one of my favorite authors and I’ve read all her previous novels. This story is like no other. Elsie, aka Mad Mabel, has a reputation that has followed her throughout her life. She is the youngest person in Australia to be convicted of murder. Now 81, Elsie is trying to live a quiet life which soon proves to be impossible. Her life story is told through flashback chapters that are both humorous and heartbreaking. The secondary characters are a great addition to the story especially Persephone, the little girl next door who has declared Elsie her best friend. Both time periods, now and then, kept me engaged throughout. Absolutely loved this book and should not be missed!
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an honest review. All opinions expressed are truly my own.
#MadMabel #SallyHepworth #NetGalley #StMartinsPress

This book alternated between two timeline, from when Mabel was a child to her being an 81 year old woman. She is called “mad Mabel” and the story slowly unravels to tell the reader why.

I really struggled to get through the first half of this book, but then read the second half in one sitting. It just felt so slow to me at the start. The second half of the book really shocked me.

This book wasn’t bad, I just think it wasn’t the best book for me. Worth the read if you’re a fan of mysteries!

Mad Mabel is a fun read that will keep you laughing, guessing, and wondering. Mabel is a quirky older woman with a past that is told throughout the storyline along with how it relates to her current day situations and antics. This was. a great read!

Great women’s fiction book.love the writing style and characters, beautifully written and very interesting

On the surface, it’s about Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick, an 81-year-old woman with a murky past and a not-so-great reputation on her street. But what unfolds is so much more than a thriller. Hepworth gives us a story that’s twisty and suspenseful, yes, but also deeply human—full of wit, warmth, and heartbreak.

I loved how the dual timelines worked together—young Mabel navigating her darkest moments and older Mabel trying to reclaim her story. It’s about secrets, shame, and how the world labels women… but also about unexpected friendship, redemption, and love in all its messy forms.

This wasn’t the serial-killer romp I thought I was picking up—it was better. Quirky, emotional, clever, and surprisingly hopeful. Mabel isn’t a character you’ll forget anytime soon

Thank you so much to #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for the advanced copy of this book! It published in April 2026.

Four stars

What to expect in this book:

-Unlikely friendships
-Neighborhood thriller
-Friendship
-Family drama
-Alternating timelines

Thoughts

Sally Hepworth has quickly become one of my favorite thriller authors. Her wit and charm ooze through the pages and make a darker storyline feel more fun with her whimsical and sometimes unlikely characters. Mad Mabel otherwise known as Elsie Fitzpatrick has lived on her idyllic streets for over sixty years. Despite her usual quarreling with her neighbors, most would suspect Elsie to be just an old grumpy lady. However, her neighbors do not know that Elsie has a past. When a precocious child moves into the neighborhood and begins to try to befriend Elsie, her perfectly curated life begins to crash and people begin to discover that Elsie is none other than "Mad Mabel" the youngest person convicted of murder in their area. This story weaves together the stories that are told about us and the stories that we write for ourselves.

I found this book to be equally charming and intriguing. We recently had a long road trip and I read the whole book in the duration of that day. Fast-paced and short chapters, it is so easy to lose track of time getting lost in these pages. I love a book where we have a flawed main character and Elsie/Mabel definitely is that. Her checkered past and simple present allow readers insight into the narratives that can live on in people's lives much beyond the decisions that they make. I loved the alternating timeline and learning about Mabel's past. I also loved Persephone and Elsie's relationship so much. This made for some comedic relief and I felt like it gave Mabel/Elsie more empathy for others.

If you love a bingeable book with great characters and gasp-worthy moments, be sure to pick this one up in April of 2026!

Hepworth never disappoints and this latest is no exception. Old ladies, precocious little girl, murder, and found family - excellent storytelling. Intriguing right up to the last page.