Mad Mabel

Mad Mabel was an instant New York Times bestseller and a number one bestseller in Australia. Discover why readers across the globe have fallen for this twisty, surprising and charming novel.

You can change your name. But you can't change your past . . .

Eighty-one-year-old Elsie Fitzpatrick lives a quiet life in the suburbs. Few would guess that Elsie, aside from being a curmudgeon who minds everyone else’s business, harbours a secret she’s worked hard to bury.

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 an elderly neighbour is found dead, no one suspects a thing – until they uncover Elsie’s true identity: Mad Mabel, the youngest Australian in history to be convicted of murder, more than sixty years ago.

The police are asking questions. The media is circling. Has the past finally caught up with Mad Mabel? Or is it time for her to set the record straight?

Author: Sally Hepworth

Modern & contemporary fiction (post c 1945), Crime & mystery, Thriller / suspense

Published on 9 Jul 2026 by Pan Macmillan.