Book Summary and Reviews of Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth

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Elizabeth

Elizabeth@Silver's Reviews - so good - don't miss it!!
Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick also named Mad Mabel in her childhood definitely had a rough upbringing, and was blamed for many things.

Her sister died of polio that they say Elsie gave to her on purpose, her mother fell off a balcony and they said Elsie pushed her, she also was blamed for an accident a classmate had, and a few other murders. All of this stayed with her for her entire life, and she was called Mad Mabel because of it.

Then at 81 she found her grumpy neighbor dead in the apartment next to her and was blamed for his death simply because of her history. Why would they blame an old lady?

MAD MABEL is heartwarming and heartbreaking as you see how Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick was ignored as a child and still had only one true friend as an adult.

Well...she made friends with a seven-year-old who you will love.

Sally Hepworth brings us another brilliant, emotional, difficult-to-put-down read featuring characters that will pull you right in and with a twist you won’t see coming. 5/5

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

labmom55

More mystery than thriller
Sally Hepworth is one of my go to authors. I’ve never read anything of hers I haven’t enjoyed. And she keeps the streak alive with Mad Mabel. Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick is just trying to live a quiet life, in the house she’s inhabited for 60 of her 81 years. She’s a bit of a curmudgeon. But that doesn’t stop her 7 year old neighbor from being hellbent on befriending her.

Told from two perspectives - old and young Elsie, we learn what made Elsie into the woman she is today. The one big twist was obvious from the beginning chapters. In fact, I have to say that most of the twists could be seen coming. But that didn’t stop me from enjoying the book. My heart just went out to Elsie, the way too many adults who should have protected her didn’t. And it’s a reminder of the horrors of bullying people of all ages. But it’s also a story about love, about the family you make, about folks coming together.

The book is listed as a mystery and a thriller. I think anyone expecting a thriller will be disappointed. It’s much more of an in-depth character study. In part, I listened to this and the audiobook wisely uses two narrators. Both did fabulous jobs.

My thanks to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for advance copies of the book and audiobook.

jillg

The Woman Behind “Mad Mabel”
MAD MABEL
By Sally Hepworth
Narrated by Hannah Fredericksen and Jennifer Seedman

A character-driven, psychological, and darkly funny suspense story told in dual timelines of then and now.

We meet Elsie, a prickly eighty-one-year-old who has lived on her quiet street in Melbourne for sixty years. When an elderly neighbor passes away suddenly, Elsie is forced to reflect back on a difficult time in her life when she was known as “Mad Mabel.” From there begins a fast and entertaining read.

Even though some elements are predictable, they don’t take away from the story. I especially loved the friendship between Elsie and Persephone, a precocious seven-year-old neighbor girl. I found myself curious about Mad Mabel and wanting to see her humanity rather than fearing her.

Themes of misjudgment, isolation, gossip, empathy, and mental health stigma run throughout the story. The tone is suspenseful, compassionate, and reflective. The writing is clear and straightforward, and I appreciated the gradual unfolding of the story, which built intrigue and kept me wanting to read more.

The narration was executed well and fit the story beautifully—capturing the voices of the characters perfectly and elevating the overall experience.

Sally Hepworth has become a go-to author for me, and this is another enjoyable read that I highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC, and Macmillan Audio for the ALC.
Soon to be published on April 21, 2026.

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