Sally Hepworth has long been one of my favorite authors. I look forward to each new book and the intricate stories she makes her reader feel a part of. Mad Mabel did not disappoint! Hepworth has written a character I am "mad" for! The story of mad Mabel unfold in a back and forth between the past and the present with the reader piecing together the tortured past of the main character Elsa who is beyond endearing, despite labeling herself as a crotchety old lady.
The discoveries that come to light in the final pages bring this intricately woven story together. I am so grateful for the advance copy of this book and for Hepworth bringing mad
Mabel to life.

This was my favorite Sally Hepworth book yet! It had it all: dual timeline, multiple deaths, mystery, humor, found family. It even tugged at the heartstrings! This is just scratching the surface and it's hard to categorize it: domestic fiction, women's fiction, mystery, suspense...you get the idea. This book is definitely book club worthy and while you might figure it out, Hepworth will no doubt keep you guessing just how mad was Mabel? We are only 2/3 into this year as I write this, but Mad Mabel is definitely going to be in my top 5 books for the year. Sally Hepworth is going to have many happy fans both devout and newfound.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow!! This book gave me all the feels and had me hooked from the first page. I kept turning the page waiting to see what would happen next. I loved everything about it. Sally sure knows how to write a book, haven’t found one by her I didn’t love!

This book was so much more than I expected. It was so well written, poignant, clever and a great story! There were surprises and unexpected things I didn’t see coming. I highly recommend this book to anyone. Sally Hemsworth wrote another good story.

I'm clearly in the minority, but I'm not a fan. The marketing needs to do a much better job to ensure readers know this is NOT a thriller so others won't be so disappointed like me.

Beyond that, nothing really.. happened? Idk things happened, but nothing memorable. I will forget this book by tomorrow. :-/

I think I've read all of Sally Hepworth's books, but this one is not like the others. It's more a cozy mystery with an old lady and a little girl thrown in than a suspense thriller. Despite that, I still enjoyed it quite a bit. It was easy to read, and even though I figured a couple of things out ahead of time, it was still fun. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

5 stars for Sally Hepworth's newest novel. This one did not disappoint. It will keep you guessing until the end!

“Friends are like oxygen. If you’ve been blessed enough to have always been surrounded by friends, you might think I’m overplaying this. Friends are like oxygen. And the only reason I'm still alive, is Daphne.”

Everything I love about a Sally Hepworth book is contained between the pages of this fantastic story! I love that the FMC is a spunky octogenarian and I appreciate that the voice Sally has given her is consistent throughout the narrative. Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick from Kenny Lane, Melbourne, kept me invested in the story; I ran the gamut of emotions as I got to know Mabel/Elsie and helped her with her mystery. The dual timeline POV was necessary in the development of this story and Hepworth nailed the smooth transitions.

It was wonderful to have an intergenerational friendship spotlighted as well as the idea that it’s never too late to become who you’ve always wanted to be.

This is a smorgasbord of emotions. Be prepared.

I was gifted this copy and was under no obligation to provide a review.

Wow, I loved this!

Heart-warming, funny, thrilling, sad - it really ran the gamut. It kept me guessing the whole time and while the beginning started a little slow for me, the second half had me racing through to see what would happen.

I would highly recommend for fans of Jesse Q Sutanto’s Vera Wong series or anyone who loved the aunt and niece relationship in Taylor Jenkins Reid’s ‘Atmosphere.’

Thank you to NetGalley, St Martin’s Press, and the author for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Mabel is 81 years old, and she has worked hard to keep her past a secret, but when a little girl moves into the neighborhood, determined to befriend Mabel., Mabels past starts coming to light.

Mad Mabel has it all. It was twisty, quirky, heartwarming and hilarious all wrapped up into one.

The characters (all of them, and there were a lot if you factor in all the minors) were all so well-written that they felt real. Elsie as a narrator was so memorable that it made the book that much more enjoyable. I loved the multiple timelines, it really helped shape the story as a whole.

I laughed, I cried, I picked my jaw up off the floor. HIGHLY recommend that everyone pick this book up once it’s released in April!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I absolutely loved this book and read it in one sitting on the beach. I did figure out one of the twists at the 50% point in the book and I’m not sure if the writer wanted us to figure it out that early. Either way it didn’t affect my enjoyment. This book will be a bestseller and will no doubt be made into a miniseries for Netflix or HBO.

Sally Hepworth is an auto-read author for me. If her name is on the cover, I’m reading it—no synopsis, no reviews, no questions asked. So, I dove into this one basically blind, armed only with my trust in her storytelling!

True to form, Hepworth delivers an unforgettable main character—equal parts sass, sarcasm, heart, and chaos. I adored her and all her quirky neighbors.

The story itself? A wild ride. Full of emotional landmines and gasp-worthy twists, it had me laughing one minute and blinking back tears the next. It’s like the book couldn’t decide what genre it wanted to be—and I mean that in the best way. Domestic drama? Check. Mystery/suspense? Check. Women’s fiction? Also check. It shapeshifts in the most delightful way, and I was so here for it!

If you love a story that’s smart, twisty, emotionally layered, and just a little bit offbeat (in the best possible sense), this one’s for you. Another Hepworth gem—unsurprisingly!

title: Mad Mabel

author: Sally Hepworth

publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

publication date: January 27, 2026

pages: 352

peppers: 1 (on this scale)

warnings: death, murder

summary: After the death of her elderly neighbor and another neighbor's figuring out her former name and identity, Mad Mabel, who now goes by Elsie, decides to tell her story to a pair of YouTube podcasters. Her life includes lots of twists and turns and murders...or does it?

tropes:

secret past
cute kid

what I liked: 

voice
humor
shenanigans with neighbors/kids
elderly representation
clever use of multiple timelines

what I didn’t like: 

 n/a

overall rating: 5 (of 5 stars)

Mad Mabel is one of my favorite reads so far in 2025. On a Youtube content creators channel, 81 year old Mabel tries to set the story straight of her infamous life. While you can feel the direction in which the story will go, it is still an interesting and heartwarming journey well worth the read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I've read five other Sally Hepworth titles and I have to say this one fell a little flat for me. It was easy enough to read and a good length, but I struggled to really connect with any of the characters. I also didn't find it to be overly thrilling or suspenseful, more of a mystery vibe. I don't have anything terribly bad to say about it but I don't have anything good to say either?

4.5 Stars
This book really took me by surprise. I'm not sure what I expected as I've never read a Sally Hepworth book before, but I was immediately sucked into Mabel's story. Mabel is a unique protaganist who is easy to root for once you understand who she is. This book is funny, heartbreaking, and heartwarming while being full of twists, turns and surprises. I couldn't put it down. Mabel is a character that sticks with you and all the secondary characters are well developed, interested and loveable. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this book that I fully expect to be the "must read" book of 2026.

Very entertaining and interesting story of an older woman who is recounting her life story for a podcast. Meanwhile, a young girl befriends the older woman.

I love Sally and this was amazing I loved it, I was hooked from the start as Sally peppers the story with little hints, thought it was really witty in parts too! Highly recommend to thriller fans

I have been reading books by Sally Hepworth for quite a few years. I honestly think this is her best book yet. The story is sensational, the characters are such that you will not forget them soon...the surprises are exceptional. The story is written in dual time line "Now" and "Then" Easy to follow and hard to put down. Elsa (Mad Mabel) is 81 years old when her story comes to life for us.... Her life has been a series of hard knocks and tough breaks.
The way the story unfolds is truly well done ...I found myself thinking about the characters and Elsa and wanting to know more. Pick this one up as soon as it is available (April 2026) Just remember you may not get anything else done until you finish this awesome book...