Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth on September 30, 2025
Genres: Fiction / Crime, Fiction / Friendship, Fiction / General, Fiction / Mystery & Detective / General
Pages: 300
Format: ARC
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There are two kinds of people no one ever expects to be murderers: little girls and old ladies—and Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick has been both.
At eighty-one years old, Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick has spent her entire life living under the shadow of a childhood crime that earned her the nickname “Mad Mabel.” After decades of whispers and suspicion, she moves to a quiet residential street under a slightly changed name, hoping to finally live a peaceful, anonymous life.
But peace doesn’t last long.
When Elsie’s neighborhood nemesis turns up dead—and Elsie is the one who discovers the body—the whispers begin again. Suddenly the past she tried so hard to leave behind comes rushing back, and everyone seems to be wondering the same thing: could Mad Mabel still be capable of murder?
Amid the growing suspicion, Elsie unexpectedly forms a reluctant friendship with Persephone, a persistent neighborhood child who simply refuses to leave her alone. Persephone was such a delight—funny, bold, and exactly the kind of presence Elsie needed, even if she didn’t want to admit it.
This felt a little different from Sally Hepworth’s previous books. It’s less of a fast-paced thriller and more of an emotional, domestic mystery. I went into it expecting a typical thriller, but what I got was something deeper. The twists are still there, but the real strength of the story lies in the emotional journey.
I found myself feeling so much empathy for Elsie while also constantly questioning what was true and what wasn’t. That tension between sympathy and suspicion made the story incredibly compelling.
In the end, this was a book I absolutely loved. The emotional depth, the mystery, and the unique main character made it stand out, and I truly think this is one of Hepworth’s best books yet. I highly recommend it.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this compelling emotional, domestic mystery.