Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth
Fiction
Narrated by Hannah Fredericksen and Jenny Seedsman
2025
Finished on June 15, 2026
Rating: 4.5/5 (Excellent)
Publisher's Blurb:
From Sally Hepworth, the New York Times bestselling author of The Soulmate and The Good Sister, comes a twist-filled, darkly funny mystery about the two kinds of people no one ever expects to be murderers: little girls and old ladies.
Meet Mad Mabel.
Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick is eighty-one years old. She's lived on her idyllic street, Kenny Lane, for sixty years--longer than anyone else. Aside from being a curmudgeon who minds everyone else's business, few would suspect that Elsie has a past that she has worked exceedingly hard at concealing. Because when it comes to murder, no one ever suspects little girls or old ladies. And Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick, once a little girl and now an old lady, has a strange history of people in her life coming to a foul end.
When a new little girl (talkative, curious, nosy) moves into the neighborhood and stops at nothing to befriend Elsie, her carefully-constructed life threatens to come crashing down as the secrets in Elsie's past start coming to light. Who was "Mad Mabel" fifty years ago? Who is Elsie Fitzpatrick today? And if the past has a habit of repeating itself, who has the most to lose?
Told with Sally Hepworth's twists, humor, charm, and heart, Mad Mabel is a novel that weaves past and present together--through the power of justice and redemption, and all the way to its stunning conclusion.
Oh, how I loved this audiobook with its outstanding performances by both narrators. I could easily keep track of the alternating timelines and various characters, eager to drag out my daily walks in order to continue listening. Haughty and cantankerous, Elsie reminded me of Maggie Smith in Downton Abbey, although underneath it all, she is tender and loving. This book had me laughing one moment and was tugging at my heartstrings in the next. The power of female friendships, young and old, shines throughout this rich developed story.
I spotted one twist early on, but there is quite a surprise toward the end that had me gasping out loud, followed by tears welling in my eyes. Mad Mabel is my second Hepsworth novel and I'm now eager to read more.
Highly recommend!
Yes!! I knew you would enjoy these characters. It was a sweet read.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the recommendation, Ti. I probably wouldn't have read it had I not read your wonderful review!
DeleteYay! I am so glad you loved this book, too. I just passed it on to a friend and so want her to like it.
ReplyDeleteHelen, it's one that I feel I want everyone to read and enjoy!
DeleteI'm glad to see how much you enjoyed this one. I'm not much of a thriller/mystery reader and, especially now in this awful at-war-without-actually-shooing-people political climate, I am reading mostly comforting stories, so I'm not sure I will pick this up.
ReplyDeleteDeb, it's really not much of a thriller/mystery. The connection between older Mabel/Elsie and the young neighbor, Persephone, reminds me of the main characters in The Elegance of the Hedgehog. It's definitely a feel-good book as it comes together at the end.
DeletePeople seem to be loving this novel and it sounds fun on audio. I might squeeze it in towards the end of the summer. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I have read one Hepworth but I should try another.
ReplyDeleteSusan, definintely try to make room for this one. I think you'd enjoy it! Now I want to read The Mother-in-Law, which I know a lot of readers loved.
DeleteThere were a couple of people at our mystery group discussion who recommended this one. Will keep your thoughts in mind too - audio, right? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteKay, it's not a heavy mystery (and definitely not a thriller), but there are some questions that are answered in the final chapters. I loved it. Almost gave it 5 stars, but I reserve that rating for exceptional writing/prose. This one wasn't poorly written, but I didn't mark any passages.
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