Thank you #Netgalley for the advanced copy!

I am a fan of Sally Hepworth's work and was excited to get an advanced read! In this particular mystery thriller, Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick is the elderly women on a tight knit street. She has lived there forever and seen peop[e come and go. When a neighbor is found dead, by Elsie, she begins to be questioned by detectives. This seemed odd at first, why would a woman in her 80's kill her neighbor? This theory quickly expands as flashbacks are shared of Elsie's past and how she became known as "Mad Mabel".

One of my favorite 2025 reads!

I've had several of Sally Hepworth's books in my TBR pile, and I honestly don't know why I haven't yet read them. So when I was given an ARC of Mad Mabel, I thought it was a good time to delve into her works. Oh my goodness, am I glad I did.

81 year old Elsie Fitzpatrick lives on a quiet street in Australia, keeping to herself, and hiding a secret history. She is Mad Mabel, convicted of murder when she was 15, the youngest person to ever be convicted, making her a legend. When her neighbor dies unexpectedly and foul play is suspected, Elsie's past comes to light, forcing her to finally tell the world what really happened. Along the way, Elsie realizes that despite her attempts to isolate herself, she finds that she is surrounded by the love of friends.

I loved Elsie. She was not your typical lovable character; she was crotchety, opinionated, and could be downright mean. But along the way, we realize that this was her way of protecting herself from more pain that she has experienced throughout her life.. Once she lets her guard down, the reader sees that she is a flawed, but endearing character. And the others - Persephone, Cess and Ness, Daphne, Roxanne, Peter, and even Joan - create a cast of characters that are so memorable.

This book was so funny! Many times I found myself laughing out loud at the antics of Elsie. But on the next page, I found myself tearing up because of the things she went through. This book brought out the full range of emotions.

And no spoilers, but there's a big twist at the end that I absolutely did not see coming. I literally had to reread back a few pages to make sure I didn't miss something. It takes a lot to shock me, but I was shooketh!

I am so, so glad that I read this book. I feel like I will be in a book slump for a while because it's going to be hard to top this one. 5 ⭐s. I can't wait to read more Sally Hepworth!

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced. copy of this really amazing book. It's scheduled to be published on April 21, 2026. Preorder your copy now! You will not be disappointed!

The best selling author and amazing cover played no role in my decision to request this book....it was solely based on the title because my first name happens to be Mabel.
I was a little unsure in the very beginning because I figured out one of the twists in the first couple chapters but stuck with it and was quickly sucked in. I really enjoyed this one and with the exception of one extremely insignificant banner in the sky that I felt was overkill 😉, I loved everything about it. I loved the character development, the dual timelines and the truth that should have been heard decaded before. Thank You NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this ARC!

Sometimes I read something that makes me reflect for a bit after finishing. This is one of those books, in a great way. Mad Mabel caught me off guard and tugged at my heart in a way I wasn't expecting.

Elsie is 81, and has lived on her street for decades. Outside of being a bit of a curmudgeon, she has lived (mostly) peacefully among her neighbors, quietly living out her days without any note of her past haunting her. That is, until a neighbor is found unresponsive in their house next door. Suddenly, Elsie's past has come back to haunt her, and a rare opportunity comes to set the story straight, once and for all.

I went into this thinking it sounded fun and intriguing - and while it is both those things, it is also emotional, thought provoking, and heart warming - things I didnt expect in a mystery type book. I had inklings to some of the twists - the signs were all laid out for me - but some of the twist were unexpected, in the best way. Elsie's story is so captivating, I had a hard time putting this down. I loved the neighbors, each adding a leg element to Elsie and Elsie's story. Her Aunts were also wonderful, and countered some of the awfulness that haunted Elsie's childhood.

Overall, this was a heck of a ride. I laughed, a gasped, I was angry - I felt this tug at my heart and bandage the wounds it created. It had twists and turns and heartaches, all the things that make a great and entertaining story. I highly recommend!

**Thank you to NetGalley, who provided me an ARC in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.**

A quirky, mysterious, and endearing novel with a unique and eccentric main character and a well paced plot. I always look forward to new Sally Hepworth novels.

Mad Mabel was a page turner. I read It in 24 hours and was hooked by the story. I enjoyed how it went back and forth between time periods so I had to keep reading to know what happened in Mabel’s past and present. Was a suspenseful story that also tugged at your heartstrings at times! Found myself rooting for Mabel!

This book was a delight! The side characters were a lot of fun and Mabel took us on a ride from childhood to elder hood. I wish we could have a sequel about this fun neighborhood.

The flashbacks to her childhood were well/developed and gave me a peek into a time in Australia I had not seen before. Of course, evil men and horrible boys were around then too. You couldn’t help but feel for Mabel who did her best but never could quite fit in.

Darkly clever, suspenseful, and surprisingly tender. Mad Mabel is the kind of story that keeps you turning pages late into the night, wondering what’s true, what’s buried, and how much of the past can ever really stay hidden. I loved the mix of mystery, humor, and heart—it’s twisty in all the right ways but still manages to feel deeply human. A perfect pick if you enjoy character-driven thrillers with a sharp edge.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this eARC. All opinions are my own.

Publication Date: April 21, 2026

As a super fan of Sally Hepworth, I was so excited to get an ARC. Her books are always so suspenseful and filled with domestic drama. Although this book has a different feel that her most recent books, I still devoured it and loved the characters.

Mabel as a child, Elsie as an old lady, accused of murder. Children and old ladies don’t kill people, or do they? I loved the story telling and character development in this book.

4 stars and I highly recommend it!

This stellar masterpiece deserves to be read by all! If I wasn't crying with my heart torn to shreds, then I was laughing and smiling. Mabel is such an extraordinarily charming yet misunderstood character, and her story touched my heart in every possible way. The mystery of her past was both haunting and captivating. I loved that the author used a combination of past and present POVs, blending them together seamlessly to create what felt like one timeline. I didn't expect to feel surprised, but there were a few shockers thrown into the mix that knocked my socks off. Simply put, this book was pure perfection! I loved every minute of it! Mabel is my new hero, and I feel honored to have been able to read her story. 100% recommend!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for granting me a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!

Mad Mabel is a book about Mabel—past and present. People die around her, and people accuse her of being the cause, thus giving her her nickname.

I had read more than half of this without realizing it. It’s the kind of book you want to know the twists of. And I really wanted to get to know Mabel. I wanted her story. And I got her story. It was an amazing ride.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.

This is a book about an older woman Elsa who lives on a black with some interesting neighbors. You see Elsa is not her real name and she has quite the past with several musters before throughout her life. The question is did she have anything to do with the murders? One part is a look back o her upbringing and one part is her being interviewed for a you tube channel by two reporters. Elsa had tragedies from her birth family , the family that took her in, and then when she was older. She tells the story in a funny but redemptive way. All is revealed in the end and I really found myself pulling for Elsa. She was such a likable character even if she was a potential murderer. A life well lived in the end and I loved how it all wrapped up in the end.

Sigh. What a book! I'm now a firm believer that if you only pick up a book or two a year, this needs to be one of them. It has everything- humor; twists; a well-developed plot line; horrible parents; friends we all could be so lucky to have; characters you'll love; characters you'll despise; a curious, sweet little girl who desperately wants to be friends with her octogenarian neighbor; an ending that breaks your heart and heals it at the same time. . . . It's been a long time since a book made me both laugh AND cry, but here we are, one that did both and so much more. So much has already been said about this book, and I have to agree with all the good things. (I havent seen much negative, but if i were to do so, I'd automatically disagree wholeheartedly). This will, without a doubt, be THE book I lovingly place in the hands of literally EVERYONE looking for a recommendation of any sort. Yes, it's that good. Well done, Sally Hepworth. I cannot WAIT to share this gem with other readers.

Thanks to NetGalley for the free advance copy of Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth in exchange for an honest review. This book will be published in April 2026 so put it on your TBR list now!

Darker than Hepworth’s typical domestic thriller, Mad Mabel follows the story of Elsie Fitzpatrick, an 81-year-old living in a quiet street in Melbourne, Australia. In her youth, though, Elsie was dubbed “Mad Mabel,” the youngest person convicted of murder (at age 15) in the country’s history. Now there’s a chance for Elsie to tell her own story - but will people believe her?

This novel was in equal parts captivating, disturbing, emotional and tragic. Trigger warning for bullying and abuse. It kept me guessing until not quite the end, and for that, along with Hepworth’s always terrific character development, I give it four stars.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

I have been a Sally Hepworth fan ever since I read her book, Mother-in-Law. I have enjoyed her thrillers as she grasped my attention and had me sympathize with the main characters in her books despite their flaws. Mad Mabel is no exception.

This new thriller is about Elsie Fitzpatrick, an 81 year old living in a quiet neighborhood in Australia. On the surface, she seemed to be getting along with her neighbors. However, many decades prior, she was known as "Mad Madel," as she was convicted of murder as a teen. This is a dual-timeline novel switching between the current storyline and what happened to Elsie as a little girl and a teen. Throughout the novel, we find out about Elsie's not ideal childhood filled with neglect and the loss of a loved one that shaped her. I found myself rooting for her all the way until the end. While this was a mystery/thriller, I was touched by Elsie's friendships with her neighbors, including with a little girl that touched my heart. As with Sally Hepworth's other novels, I'd recommend this one!

This is the 11th book I’ve read by Sally Hepworth and it did not disappoint! At first I was a little skeptical about reading about a 81 year old woman, but the main story took place when she was younger. The author wove together the past and the present with lots of twists and turns that kept me so invested and intrigued.

There was great characterization. I really hated one of the characters (as I should), which really shows her ability to bring characters to life!

A Mad Mabel fan to the end!

Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

I was thrilled to get an advanced reader copy of Mad Mabel, by one of my favourite authors. I LOVED this book and know many of you will as well. This follows the story of 81 year old Mabel who becomes a suspect after her neighbour dies. This takes us on a story through her life and into her quite heartbreaking past. Mabel is witty, hilarious and sarcastic and I loved Persephone.

I laughed, cried and smiled my way through this book. Thank you Net Galley!

4.25 stars

A fabulous book!!!! Wonderful, beautiful, emotional, suuupppper funny, a page turner for sure.

This book needs to be explored, experienced, enjoyed.

I am not going to resume it to a few words, it would be utterly unfair to you, reader, to Sally Hepworth and to all the characters in it.

I'll say this: it is a beautiful book that takes you on a roller coaster of emotions.

What I really, really loved is the way the book was written and how the story was told through the eyes of the main character, the eighty-one years old Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick. She's insanely funny and smart and witty and quick. And despite having the life she did, she does NOT wallow in negativity and victim mode and mentality (even though she has a million reasons to chose that path), on the contrary.

Sally Hepworth did an extraordinary job with this book. There aren't a lot of characters, but each and every single one of them are amazing. They sip into one's heart and warm it to no end. Including the kid and the dog.

I have no doubt this is going to be one of the best books of 2026 and one of Sallly Hepworth's best creations.

Wonderful!! Highly recommend it!!

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read this beautiful book!

A clever and somewhat dark, yet heartwarming story with layered, complex and interesting characters. The then and now timelines were well done, and the young girl steals your heart The ending although sad, was still satisfying with a nice surprise.

WTF did I just read? The ending has blown my poor, pitiful pea-picking mind. I'm going to have to re-read now with an adjusted viewpoint. I've been dicked by the dangling dong of destiny as Mad Mabel states. Which, by the way, has become the tagline for my life.

So, is Mabel mad? Did she kill three family members and a neighbor? Attack a class mate? The story unfolds along two alternating time lines - then and now. As we learn about 81-year old present day Mabel we also discover her past. And in her past she was the youngest person at 15 to be convicted of murder. And in the present, her next door nemesis has been found dead. Is the past repeating itself?

I loved the character of Mabel because she's a kindred spirit. On the periphery of life, waiting to become a part of it - it's like watching a snow globe and wanting to be inside. Her caustic observations and witticisms had me rolling. Mabel is the old lady we all want to become - she says what she thinks and consequences be damned.

A great read, very entertaining. The mystery isn't the story here. The characters are.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.