Mabel Waller grew up an outsider, tagged with the nickname "Mad Mabel" from an early age. Death seemed to follow Mabel. Indeed, she was Australia's youngest convicted murderer. Now, eighty-one years old, Mabel has lived quietly, using the name Elsie Fitzpatrick, to try to outrun her past. All is well until Mabel discovers a dead neighbor, whose death isn't clear-cut. As the police begin investigating, Mabel's past comes to light, reviving interest in her. If that isn't enough, Mabel must also contend with the precocious seven-year-old Persephone, who is determined to befriend the cranky older woman. Fiercely independent, Mabel thinks her only friend is Daphne, a friend since kindergarten. Little does she know that her neighbors have her back when the press and police come calling.
Told between Mabel's past and Elsie's present, the story reveals secrets in both. The reader is left wondering until the end who Mabel murdered, with various candidates proposed and discarded. Mabel is a sympathetic character who was treated cruelly as a child and has difficulty accepting kindness as an adult. An unrelenting Persephone cracks her grumpy veneer, finally allowing Mabel to accept others' help. It was fun watching this closed-off woman begin to blossom, even at the age of eighty-one.
4.5/5 stars.
Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is April 21, 2026.
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