Reading in the Mountains

Mad Mabel follows an 81-year-old woman with a suspicious past… and a very unfortunate pattern of people around her dying. When a nosy little girl befriends her and starts digging into old secrets, it slowly becomes clear that “Mad Mabel” might not just be a cruel nickname after all.

I loved the approach to this thriller. It felt fresh, weirdly cozy, emotional, and dark at the same time. Normally, I’m really not into stories about 80+ year-old murderers, but Sally Hepworth has this terrifying talent for making morally questionable people feel ridiculously lovable.

And God, this book made me sad.

I loved Mabel to the core. I genuinely wasn’t expecting to get emotionally wrecked by a thriller, but here we are, folks.

The story is told through dual timelines: one in the present, where Mabel lives a quiet little life surrounded by neighbours, friendship, crime, and two YouTubers determined to prove she’s more than just a murderer — because she is so much more. Then there’s the second timeline: Mabel’s past.

That timeline destroyed me more than I expected.

This book felt strangely warm while casually stabbing me in the chest emotionally every few chapters. Strongly recommend. It was delicious.