Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-ARC of Mad Mabel.

I really enjoy Sally Hepworth's thrillers. They're always quick and engaging, and I was really looking forward to Mad Mabel. I went in blind, but quickly figured out that this wasn't the same kind of book Hepworth usually writes. It was so much more. This might be the first of Hepworth's book that brought me to tears (twice, actually), and I loved it from start to finish. I don't want to say too much because this book is so much better experienced.

Like usual, this author wrote a funny, witty, and intriguing novel. I loved Elsie’s character and her sass. The book does a great job discoloring Elsie’s past which is wildly entertaining. Too bad she can’t keep it a secret anymore. Regardless, learning about Elsie then and now was great and I feel like I really know her. Love books like this!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Review will be posted on Instagram and Amazon on pub day and links added to NetGalley.

I don’t even know where to start with this one. I think this is quite possibly my favorite Sally Hepworth novel. I loved Elsie’s story (hated how she was treated, obviously) but Sally did such an amazing job conveying the heartbreak and confusion Elsie felt as a child to be treated so poorly by her parents. Sally did a truly remarkable job writing such a complex character. I would definitely recommend this to others. Thank you for the ARC.

Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick is eighty-one years old and she has a strange history of having people in her life die. She has lived in the same house on the same street for 60 years. I loved the duel timelines of past and present and getting to know Elise. There was some good twists throughout I loved all the characters in this story. This book had some funny moments as well as drama, suspense, and mystery. You will want to read this book because it is fun and thrilling and Sally Hepworth writes amazing books!

Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth, published by St. Martin's Press finds the author at her best.
Heartwarming, witty and fun, the book hits all the right spots.
Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick is a 81 year old woman who's lived 60 years on the same street in the same house. She has a strange history of having people in her life dying that aggrevate her somehow. And then a little girl wants to befriend the grumpy lady next door to her.
The story jumps between past and present, not my fav trope, but fitting for the story. Kept me in suspense from start til the last chapter, had me laughing and a bit sentimental at times too. A great read, 5 stars.

I want to be Mad Mabel when I grow up. Maybe minus all of the drama and trauma. Mabel is a force to be reckoned with and I greatly admire her spirit. You just need to read it! Sally Hepworth’s best book to date!

P.S. I’m probably going to start saying “corset” when the opportunity arises in a conversation.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this gem!

Definitely my favorite read of the year to date. A complex and humane look at families and the power family members have on earth other. The power of a family to force someone into a false narrative and a look at how people are happy to persecute the outsider. So many levels in this story yet done in a way that includes humor and empathy.

Mad Mabel is notorious for being the youngest ever person convicted of murder in Australia. No one has heard her story until now.

81 years old, Mad Mabel has been comfortably living as Elsie Fitzpatrick. She’s a bit crotchety, but also hilarious. When Elsie finds her elderly neighbor dead in his home, it blows open an investigation into whether she could have been involved. And we learn all about Elsie’s history as Mad Mabel.

I have read all of Sally Hepworth’s books and enjoy them all. They are the right mix of funny, thrilling and twists. I absolutely adored Elsie/Mabel’s character, as well as her neighbors. For example, Pete, who is always buying stuff he doesn’t need because it’s on sale at Aldi’s. Or the hyperactive 8-year-old, Persephone, who is determined to make a friend out of Elsie. They’re all a delight.

The story had surprises all the way to the very end. The transitions between current and past time weren’t always clear, but I hope that will be resolved in the final printing. Overall, definitely recommend! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Some fun quotes:
“…one of the many glorious things about old age is that while aspirations of beauty may linger, they sit well below aspirations of health, comfort, and absence of pain.”

“‘That marriage is for men. They get a free housekeeper, a whore, someone to provide them with children and to rant to about their troubles of an evening. And women get . . . what? Room and board?’”

“‘The story goes that Mabel Williams singed off her eyelashes in 1915 and then used the ashes and some Vaseline to make mascara. Her older brother Tom started the brand and he named it in her honor. Mabel and Vaseline, get it? Maybelline. Cool story, hey?’”

“‘I’m no genius, and I like the smart girls too. I think it’s an evolutionary thing, for our survival. If we’re not smart, we have to bag a smart girl.’”

“Punctuality, it seems, has joined common sense and properly made furniture on the growing list of things that no longer exist.”

“‘That stabbing pain is the greatest gift you’ve given us.’
I didn’t understand. ‘But . . . how is pain a gift?’
‘I’m not sure either of us can properly explain it, Mabel,’ Ness said. ‘Other than to say it’s the pain of loving and being loved. One day you’ll understand.’
Cess nodded. ‘All I can say is that once you’ve felt it, you’ll realize that the only thing worse than the stabbing pain is the absence of it.’”

Nobody expects grannies or little girls of murder…

“Mad Mabel” was the youngest convicted murderer in Australian history. But was she really the person everyone believed her to be? Or was she just a victim herself.

Sally Hepworth, I would read your grocery list. I LOVED this book. It was so well written and held my attention the entire time. The banter between characters was great and it had the perfect amount of plot twists. Some of them I called, some of them I didn’t.

This book was such a breath of fresh air from other thrillers I’ve been reading recently, I felt like it was something no one else has written and I really enjoyed the story.

A huge thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for allowing me early access to this book.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my opinion.

I love this author! Mad Mabel, labeled as such as a child, is now in her eighties, and after a neighbor passes away, her dark past is brought to light by some nosy neighbors. Although I saw a few of the main twists coming a mile away, there were still a few turns I didn’t expect, and I had a great time reading it in one sitting!

This book goes beyond a story of murder. Sally Hepworth always knows how to get me emotionally. This goes beyond a “mad” child/woman. It delves in deep to the idea of found family and how important those people can be to you. The friendships span a wide variety of ages, and they really struck my heart. That being said, the murder was fun too! I never miss a book by Sally!

This is by far one of the most enjoyable books I have read in months. The characters were so likeable and it felt like I lived in their neighborhood.
Mabel had a troubled life and found ways to cope. I couldn't put it down, in fact found myself reading in the middle of the night when I should have been sleeping and then after I finished it I dreamt about it. The ending was terrific.

I loved this book so much! I was so sad when it ended. Sally Hepworth, as usual, wrote a consuming book that you just didn't want to put down. I had such admiration for the main character, Elsie or Mad Mabel. Secondary characters were also well developed and well liked. Was the story a little far fetched? Yes, but did it capture your attention and make you want to keep reading? Absolutely. I will recommend this story to everyone I know that reads. Thank you NetGalley for a chance to read Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth.

Dark. Twisty. A little funny at times and also sad. This was quite different from my last few Sally reads, but I enjoyed the way the story was told and how everything unfolds. There were a few big surprises for me however I’m rating this one four stars because what I believe was meant to be a major plot twist, was something that I figured out early on so wasn’t surprised. I still enjoyed this one and think that many other will too. I love Sally’s ability to write super dark and creepy stories.

I LOVED this book so much. I read it in one sitting, I couldn't put it down.

81 year-old Mad Mable has had a hard and lonely life. One filled with false accusations, loss, and a life long search for companionship. When shes accused of killing her elderly neighbour, information about her past comes to light.

She finds solace in a 7 year old neighbour girl, and finally finds what it means to love someone. The novel is written in a dual timeline, flashing back between Mable's tumultuous childhood and the present day.

This book has it all. Tearful moments, laughout loud moments, moments of mystery and intrigue. This is a MUST READ!

Completely unlike anything Hepworth has done before, and completely charming in every way.
I found myself so attached to the neighbors on Kenny Lane, and laughing out loud at Mabel’s sense of humor. Truly a joy from start to finish.
I adore Mad Mabel and you will too.

ARC Review: Sally Hepworth making me cry? What is this! But seriously, a fantastic read with the thrills you love and an added layer of emotion that was beautifully written. Found family, a black sheep looking for direction, and a dark past that comes back to haunt. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this masterpiece! Mad Mabel is the literary equivalent of your town’s weirdest rumor coming true, and then some. Sally Hepworth serves up family drama, small-town whispers, and a woman so chaotic she makes your aunt’s Facebook posts look tame. It’s a slow burn at first, but once it picks up, you’re in for a wild, wine-worthy ride. Suspenseful, messy, and just the right amount of 'what did I just read? To sum it up, another absolute chef's kiss!

Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth starts out as a quirky novel about a cantankerous old lady named Elsie. She is “forcefully” befriended by her very young neighbor, Persephone. Some neighborhood events throw the story back in time to Elsie’s childhood, and the book swerves into a bit of a mystery delving into why Elsie was known as Mad Mabel. It’s not often that I equally enjoy the character storyline as well as the mystery storyline, but Mad Mabel was perfect in regard to both. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

Mad Mabel is a wickedly clever mystery with
heart, humor, and just the right dose of
darkness. Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick-grumpy,
sharp, unforgettable-proves that the most
dangerous people are often hiding in plain
sight. When a curious little Girl moves in next
door, long-buried secrets threaten to surface,
and the suspense builds with every page. Sally
Hepworth masterfully weaves past and
present into a gripping, emotional ale full of
unexpected twists. Equal parts charming and
chilling, this book is impossible to Put down.
An absolute must-read for fans of
character-driven thrillers!