Meet Mad Mabel.

Mabel is  a 6 foot tall  81 year old with a straight back,  an attitude and a past.  She prefers hot tea and being left alone. For 60 years she has lived on a quiet street with neighbors who, for the most part, mind their own business. Her only friend is Daphne, whom she has known since childhood.  When Persephone,  a 7 year old little girl who talks incessantly, asks nosy questions, and has no sense of boundaries or time moves in across the street, Mabel unwillingly becomes her best friend. After a neighbor is found dead in his home, Mabel’s notorious past becomes common knowledge. But how much of it is true? 


What I liked about Mad Mabel. 

“It’s interesting to note that there are two groups of people who are rarely, if ever, suspected of murder. These groups are elderly women and little girls.”

That first sentence of Mad Mabel immediately pulled me in. How could you not like a book that starts out like that? Mabel was the youngest person to be convicted of murder, earning her the nickname of Mad Mabel.  Mabel at 81 is such a likeable character.  She is spunky,independent, funny, and grouchy. She likes her reputation as the neighborhood recluse.  Her childhood friend Daphne is her confidant and secret keeper. Their friendship is special and heartwarming.  As the story of her life unfolds, you learn why Mabel is so wary of others and trusts only Daphne.  Mabel has a very soft side that she keeps hidden to protect her heart.  I loved the resilience Mabel had to have to make it through her life. Her determination and perseverance made her the survivor she was.   I think she may have seen herself in Persephone’s story, which is why no matter how irritated she was by Persephone’s early arrivals and non-stop questions, she became Persephone’s most fierce protector. These characters are so well written. You will feel all the emotions…sadness, shock, anger, love. You will laugh out loud, but also cry.  When Mabel, who now goes by the name Elsie,  is once again suspected of murder, two you-tubers convince her to tell them the complete story.  I loved watching her relationship with them blossom.  It was very entertaining and sweet.  As the catalyst to Elsie telling her story, they also added to it and developed a real affection for her.  The ending is sad, satisfying, and ties up all the loose ends of the story lines.  The story is told in alternating time lines between young and old Mabel.  I highly recommend listening to the book. There are two readers of appropriate ages that read each time line which makes it easy to follow.  Both readers are exceptionally good.  

What I didn’t like…

There wasn’t a lot about this book that I didn’t care for.  It was not necessarily an uplifting story, but was written with sensitivity.  Mabel had a sense of humor and that lightened the mood.  The story could be slow at times, but I still found it hard to put down.  Just to warn you, there are some trigger warnings.  Mabel’s story was not an easy one to read. There was neglect and suicide in her past. It is not explicit, but is mentioned.   Mabel’s life included  pain, guilt, and loneliness,  but she made a difference in the lives of others, despite their preconceived notions. 

Sally Hepworth is the New York Times bestselling author of ten novels, most recently Mad Mabel. Sally’s novels have been called “darkly charming” and praised by authors Emily Giffin and Liane Moriarty as “totally absorbing” and “fiction at its finest.”

Sally’s novels have sold millions of copies worldwide and been translated into over 30 languages.

Sally lives in Melbourne, Australia with her family.