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Mad Mabel

by Hepworth, Sally

EAN: 9781250284549

$29.00

Condition: New

Category: Fiction | Women

Format: Hardback

Language: English

Publication date: Apr 21, 2026

On Our Shelves - Qty 4

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INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

From New York Times bestselling author Sally Hepworth comes a twisty tale of justice, redemption, and one irrepressible woman who's not done breaking the rules just yet.

Meet Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick: eighty-one years old, gloriously grumpy, fiercely independent, and never without a hot cup of tea--or a cutting remark. She minds her own business in her quiet Melbourne suburb, until a neighbor turns up dead and the whispers start flying.

Because Elsie hasn't always been Elsie. Once upon a headline, she was Mad Mabel Waller--Australia's youngest convicted murderer. But was she really mad, or just misunderstood? Either way, she's kept her secret buried for decades.

Enter seven-year-old Persephone, a relentless little chatterbox who has just moved in across the road (armed with stickers, questions, and no sense of personal boundaries); Joan, who appears to have it in for Elsie; and a healthy dose of public interest--the cops are sniffing around, and the media is circling like seagulls at a picnic.

So Mabel does what she's always done best--she takes matters into her own hands.

Is she a cantankerous old lady with a shady past? A cold-blooded killer with arthritis? Or just someone who's finally ready to tell her side of the story?

Sharp, surprising, and wickedly funny, this is the unforgettable story of a woman who's spent a lifetime being underestimated--and is about to prove everyone wrong. Again.

Reader Reviews

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😍 Loved it: 2 πŸ™‚ Liked it: 0 😐 It was okay: 0 πŸ˜• Didn't like it: 0 😑 Hated it: 0

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Staff Pick
Book Lady Megan
😍 Loved it
Audiobook
Narration Performance: 😍 Loved it Writing Style: 😍 Loved it Plot: 😍 Loved it Characters: 😍 Loved it Pacing: 😍 Loved it Emotional Impact: 😍 Loved it

A wildly fun and twisty ride, Mad Mabel is packed with sharp humor, shocking turns, and messy, unforgettable characters.

TheLitMaven
😍 Loved it
Writing Style: 😍 Loved it Plot: 😍 Loved it Characters: 😍 Loved it Pacing: 😍 Loved it Emotional Impact: 😍 Loved it

Have you ever bought a book because the title and cover design were so striking it had to be yours? Well, this is how I found Mad Mabel.

After the first chapter, I knew I had made the right decision. The characters are as bright and dynamic as the cover depicts but the depth and layers to the story were impeccable. I hid in the shadows cast by the characters, experiencing everything they did, completely in step with their every move.

The issues were complex and heavy, the banter and whit, sharp just like I like it. They draw you in and keep you glued to your seat right to the last chapter of their tale.

This is not a lite read or something you can skim, this is a story that grips your shoulders and urges you to stop, stay, and look closely to see everything Mad Mable was and is. I was left to wonder if I would be like Mabel if it were my story.

I am so grateful she caught my eye, she was worth every second and I will remember her for a very long time.