Mad Mabel

 

Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth
4/21/26; 352 pages
St. Martin's Press 

Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth is an un-put-downable, clever, very highly recommended domestic thriller.  This is leagues above and has much more depth than many of the other popular books about grumpy but lovable senior citizens.  

Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick is eighty-one years old, and has been living on Kenny Lane in Melbourne for sixty years. She knows all her neighbors and can be querulous, but minds her own business, along with her life-long best friend Daphne. Seven-year-old Persephone, a talkative and excitable child, lives across the street and adores Elsie, calling her Elsa. However, when Persephone needs to interview someone old for school, Elsie decides her ninety-three year old neighbor, Ishaan, is a better choice; besides, his dog Nugget, has been relentlessly barking all day. She investigates and finds him deceased. The authorities are called and it is revealed in the investigation that Elsie used to be called Mad Mabel Waller, Australia’s youngest convicted murderer.

As the word spreads and the interest in her by both the police and the public increases, Elsie agrees to doing the “AdLib” true crime podcast with Libby Conquest and Adeem Anand. For the first time she will tell her side of the story to the public. The narrative has Then chapters telling the story of Mabel's past and Now chapters following current events in Elsie's (Mabel) life. What is revealed is heartbreaking. Mabel had a dysfunctional family and childhood full of abuse, neglect, and bullying which sifts between highlights from characters who displayed genuine affection and caring about her well-being. 

The writing is exceptional, and well-plotted, with heartbreaking scenes sharply contrasting with humorous moments and surprises. The pace is fast and her story from both the present and the past is compelling and complex. This is an emotional, character-driven mystery where the past is as important as the present. Her case and life's story are not as simple and straightforward as the public opinion proclaims. What unfolds is a woman's tragic story of her past which, in the end, also becomes a redemption story.

All the characters are portrayed as fully realized, unique individuals who have strengths and weaknesses. They also all experience growth along the way, especially Joan, who starts out as a typical, annoying, self-important "karen." All the neighbors on Kenny Lane are introduced at the beginning so you understand this is a small, close-knit neighborhood where everyone knows each other. Characters from the past also come to life, good and bad. 

Mad Mabel is an excellent choice for those who enjoy character-driven domestic dramas telling the story of a life, contrasting a childhood with the present day. Thanks to St. Martin's Press for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.