I almost gave up after the first 1/4 but i am glad i stuck it out. It picked up and i was hooked. Such a great read.

Amazing book! I’ve read five other Sally Hepworth books and this one is my favorite. It had all the good mystery/crime/thriller stuff with deep characters as her books always have, but it also had Fredrick Backman like community. I am not sure I have ever read a book that blended these two genres together so beautifully. Such excellent writing, great setting, characters I loved, and the perfect storyline. A definite five star read. Put it on your TBR it will one of the most loved of 2026!

This book was so good and unexpected. I knew I was going to love Mabel the main character, after I read the first page. She is sarcastic, blunt, and unapologetic. Her relationships with her neighbors, especially Persephone were so entertaining to read.

I did guess the first plot twist of Daphne being imaginary, pretty early on in the story but that didn't take away from it and I loved how Hepworth tied that in at the end with Persephone.

Mabel is a misunderstood character and it was a fun read to figure out if she was a victim or the suspect in all the of the murders she was involved in.

Definitely one of my favorite reads this year although it is officially published in 2026. I would recommend this read and thank you to netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC of Mad Mabel from St. Martin's Press. I've read all of Sally Hepworth's books, and this one did not disappoint. This book was an unputdownable book for me. I didn't care much for the character of Elsa at first. But, I found myself rooting for her as I read further. The author did a great job of seeing events through her eyes. Lots of unexpected plot twists. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of Mad Mabel.

Who knew a book about murder could be so heartwarming?! I always enjoy Sally Hepworth's stories, but where she truly shines is her depth of character development and I think this might be her crowning jewel. I laughed at Mabel's grumpy old person antics and I shared in her heartbreak as her life was revealed. I think the alternating timelines between past and present was the perfect way to tell this story. I did guess the big twist quite early, but that didn't lessen the enjoyment for me. Overall, a quick, excellent read!

4.5 stars rounded up

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

5 stars

I loved this book! I got hooked from the get go and didn't want to put it down. I have read four or five of Sally Hepworth's books before and while I liked them, Mad Mabel blew me away. Well done Sally!

Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick is 81 years old and she's a hoot. She's lived quietly on Kenny Lane for 60 years but recently her past is brought to light. The book goes back in time as Elsie/Mabel finally opens up and talks about her past where people seem to die in her vicinity. Is she a mad killer and a danger to society?

Do yourself a favor and grab this book.

Funny coincidence is that I am reading two books at the same time (always one audiobook and one in book form) and in both there are single women who have befriended young neighbors.

I love Mabel so much. Or, Elsie, i guess. No, no, it's Elsa I love (in all her incarnations). I love her wit and her kindness and her snark and her courage and her huge huge huge heart.

Mad Mabel may be one of the best ARC’’s I have read in a very long time. Why is 81 year old Mabel mad? You must find out for yourself. Mabel has “A Man Called Ove” vibe to her personality but possess a deeper psychological darkness but also humorous aspect. The ending….what a twist.

Thank you NetGalley for ARC or Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth! I loved this book. It was unpredictable and kept me interested throughout. I loved the characters and it was a unique story line. The writing was excellent! I was definitely sad to finish it! It is for sure a book I will recommend!

I had to let this book settle for a few days before I could write a review. There were portions I found unsettling, which I felt was the authors intention. There were surprises that crept up and without me having and hint they were coming. And of course there were parts that tugged at my heart.

The story alternates between past and present and is exceptional in its ability to shoe cause and effect. The characters were multifaceted with blurring of personalities so that some antagonists became protagonists as the story developed.

This is definitely one of the most memorable books I'm have read and will stay with me for a very long time.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing the ARC.

Mad Mabel is an absolute delight! It’s a brilliant, quirky, and laugh-out-loud funny read that still manages to tug at your heart. The story follows Elsie, formerly known as “Mad Mabel,” an 81-year-old force of nature you can’t help but adore. Her friendship with her young neighbor Persephone is one of the sweetest, most charming relationships I’ve read in a while.

The book is a fast read, packed with twists and turns that kept me glued to the pages, and just when I thought it was over, the ending made me tear up. Sally Hepworth has created a story that’s both hilarious and deeply touching—this one is a must-read. #madmabel #netgalley

I am extremely grateful to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the privilege of reviewing an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.


Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick has lived on Kenny Lane for the better part of sixty years. She keeps her garden tidy and her neighbors at arm's length until the arrival of single mother Roxanne and her precocious seven-year-old daughter, Persephone. When nosy Persephone insists on befriending the crotchety eighty-one-year old Elsie, the senior citizen's sketchy past begins to come to light and a lifetime of secrets begin to be unraveled.

Told in alternating chapters of Elsie - otherwise known as "Mad Mabel" - from her childhood and present day perspective, this is a fast-paced novel that combines poignant personal drama with elements of a whodunnit mystery. The first few chapters really drew me in with the establishment of Elsie as a cranky, no filter octogenarian that reminded me a bit of Lottie Jones in Too Old For This. The similarities end there as the book took a turn into a rather complex exploration of relationships, childhood traumas and the redemptive power of true friendship.

I really enjoyed the way the murder mystery elements were integrated with drama that was at times heartbreaking but also warm and tender. Anne of Green Gables is mentioned several times throughout the book and there was a lot here that did remind me of Anne Shirley and her bosom friend Diana. I was expecting more of a darkly comedic, bloody thriller but I ended up enjoying the character study of Mabel and her journey of redemption.

There is a significant plot twist that happens fairly late in the book that had me rolling my eyes a bit. I think that may turn some readers off but if you hang in there with it, I think the resolution does make sense. I think this one falls around a 3.75 but I'm going to round up because I really enjoyed the character of Mabel and all of the characters from Kenny Lane. An enjoyable read and my favorite from this author so far. Fans of Anne of Green Gables and Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe will probably love this.

MAD MABEL ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. Release date 4/21/26. If Sally Hepworth writes it, I drop everything to read it. Mad Mabel is 81, and has an extensive history of people dying around her. When her 7 year old neighbor becomes involved more in her life, her life story becomes more open to public perception after decades of being hidden. In true Sally form, short addicting chapters that will keep the pages turning.

I finished it in less than 24 hours.

Suspense, comedy, heart, mystery. I really enjoyed it and bet it will be a hit next spring. Thank you NetGalley and St Martins Press for the ARC.

So good, I had to read it all at once. This is a story of a young woman who was mistreated by the world and cast as a villain from a young age. We get to know her as an elderly woman, finally finding community. Very heart-warming!

This is one of the best books I’ve read all year! Deserves every single ⭐️!!

I’ll be honest.. I was curious if this would hold my interest because I wasn’t sure if an “old lady” killer premise would hold my attention, but I have so many books on my TBR by Sally Hepworth and I requested and received this ARC (Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press!!) so I thought I’d give a go and I am SO GLAD I DID.

Mabel is by far one of my all time favorite book characters. How do you not love her? She’s witty, hilarious, sarcastic, loving (even though she’d never admit it) and an all-around great person. Oh, and killer. You’d have to read the book to understand…

This book made me tear up. it was surprisingly emotional and intense, which I wasn’t expecting. I loved 95% of the characters and felt like I was apart of Kenny Lane. Cess and Ness were also so wonderful and thank God Mabel had them, am I right?

I guessed one of the twists at the end.. but the other left me 😮. And the FINAL one left me 😢😱

10/10 recommend, go buy this book when it comes out. I read it in under 24 hours and I’m so excited to read all of Sally’s books now!

This was a wild ride! I would absolutely recommend this to someone who enjoys twisty thrillers that just keep unraveling. I feel like I didn’t know who Mabel really was until the end and that constant “who is she?” made me keep flipping the page. The dual timelines and the mini cliffhangers kept the story moving along at a quick pace. I throughly enjoyed this read!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's for the opportunity to read Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth. Not this author's usual sort of book, but still every bit as enjoyable - and then some. A complete delight.

This was so damn good! Her best yet. This story is about Mabel. Is she mad or misunderstood? I couldn’t put this book down. It was engaging and every chapter I fell more in love with Mabel. I would be her friend. Did I cry? Yes, yes I did. Bloody fantastic!

It took me just a minute to get into Mad Mabel, but once I got going I could not put it down. The mystery of how Elsie became "Mad Mabel," combined with the neighborhood dynamics came together and held my interest. One thing I need to say: When Mabel was at camp, which would have been in the 1950's, someone called her "Big Bird" (because she's so tall). Was there another Big Bird I don't know about? Because the Sesame Street character that comes to mind (who oddly was referenced later in the book as well) didn't debut until 1969. Just bugged me. But I loved the book. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

I’m wondering how many reviews of Sally Hepworth’s Mad Mabel will begin with ‘I’m just mad about Mabel—“ because mine does. Mabel, aka Elsie Fitzpatrick, is an 81-year-old Australian lady, and a bit of a curmudgeon. She has one friend, Daphne, from childhood. She lives on a small street with neighbors she mostly dislikes, with the exception of the man across the street, Peter. She most definitely dislikes a new neighbor, Joan, and Roxanne, a single mother with a precocious daughter named Persephone. When Elsie’s next door neighbor, older than she is, doesn’t appear for several days, Elsie scales the fence between their houses and finds him dead on his kitchen floor. When the police arrive, Joan outs Elsie as “Mad Mabel,” the youngest person ever convicted of murder in Australia. Through flashbacks, we discover what Mabel’s childhood was like: an extremely wealthy family, a somewhat affectionate but still distant mother, a monster of a father, and a loving and supportive aunt. The police question her about the neighbor’s death, and when news gets out about who she is, she gets threatened by outsiders. Very slowly, Mabel’s neighbors start to rally around her, and she forms a reluctant but heartfelt bond with Persephone. Pieces of the puzzle of her life come together in unexpected ways and resulted in my being mad about Mabel. This book is both funny and gut wrenching, and altogether wonderful. Highly recommended.