This book has been generating a lot of buzz and it’s completely deserved. While it’s marketed as a thriller, it’s really a character-driven, dual-timeline work of suspenseful literary fiction with so much heart. Themes of redemption, childhood trauma, community, love, aging, and karmic justice are woven together into an original and deeply moving narrative. And for longtime Sally Hepworth fans, it feels refreshingly different from anything she’s written before!

The story follows Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick, an 81-year-old who has spent decades living quietly on a Melbourne street (Kenny Lane), carefully distancing herself from a past she’s never fully escaped. As a teenager, she was known as “Mad Mabel” Waller—the youngest person in Australian history to be convicted of murder. When a neighbor is found dead and police begin circling, the media quickly revive that infamous nickname. Instead of hiding from it, Elsie decides it’s time to tell the truth about what happened all those years ago.

The story shifts between two timelines—present day on Kenny Lane and Mabel’s childhood in the 1950s—giving readers the full picture of who she was and how she became the sharp, sarcastic woman we meet at 81. Be sure to have some tissues handy, especially as you read the past chapters, as young Mabel’s life is marked by loss, isolation, and cruelty—especially from her father—and how the love of her aunt becomes her lifeline. She’s a big fan of Anne of Green Gables, and there are several references through the story—and like Anne, Mabel aches to belong, longs for her own “bosom friend,” and finds comfort in fictional worlds.

So many of the characters in this book are unforgettable. Firstly, Mabel’s inner monologues are often comical and will make you laugh out loud! Her lifelong friendship with Daphne feels like a sisterhood, and their back-and-forth is one of the real joys of the story. Then there’s Persephone, the seven-year-old who Mabel initially wants nothing to do with, but Persephone’s determination slowly chips away at her, and what develops is a funny, tender intergenerational bond that will pull at your heartstrings! The other residents of Kenny Lane, mostly older neighbors—from prickly Joanne to kindhearted Peter—create a sense of found family. The past timeline unfolds slowly, so you’ll need to be patient to uncover why Mabel became a convicted killer—but it’s a compelling story that you’ll remain engaged in the entire time!

The pacing is much more aligned with literary fiction than a typical thriller. Short chapters and shifting POVs keep you turning pages, and the dual timelines give the narrative momentum even during slower chapters. By the second half, you’ll likely sense that the story is building toward something significant—and you’d be right! The ending delivers some surprises that are just as emotionally resonant as they are shocking, and the final scenes will stay with you!

Overall, Mad Mabel is a highly original, funny, and deeply moving literary novel with just enough mystery to satisfy suspense readers. It’s one of those rare stories that truly feels like it has everything—love, loss, tension, dual timelines, and a cast of unforgettable characters both young and old! Add this one to your TBR ASAP!