2026 Indie Book Award for Fiction (shortlist)
The No. 1 Australian Bestseller and Instant New York Times Bestseller
An unforgettable main character. Twists you won't see coming.
Discover why readers across the globe have fallen for Mad Mabel.
'Believe all the hype' – Fabulous Magazine, The Sun
'Funny, twisty and suspenseful' – Harlan Coben
'A twisty page-turning triumph, packed with wit, warmth, nuance and mystery' – Jane Harper
They called it murder. She called it justice.
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?
Perfect for fans of My Friends by Fredrik Backman, The Wedding People by Alison Espach and The Correspondent by Virginia Evans.
'Part comedy, part thriller and entirely engaging' – Spectator
'Brilliantly original' – Phaedra Patrick
'I love everything she's ever written' – Adele Parks
'She is one of my favourite Australian writers' – Liane Moriarty
Genre: Mystery
An unforgettable main character. Twists you won't see coming.
Discover why readers across the globe have fallen for Mad Mabel.
'Believe all the hype' – Fabulous Magazine, The Sun
'Funny, twisty and suspenseful' – Harlan Coben
'A twisty page-turning triumph, packed with wit, warmth, nuance and mystery' – Jane Harper
They called it murder. She called it justice.
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?
Perfect for fans of My Friends by Fredrik Backman, The Wedding People by Alison Espach and The Correspondent by Virginia Evans.
'Part comedy, part thriller and entirely engaging' – Spectator
'Brilliantly original' – Phaedra Patrick
'I love everything she's ever written' – Adele Parks
'She is one of my favourite Australian writers' – Liane Moriarty
Genre: Mystery
Visitors also looked at these books
Used availability for Sally Hepworth's Mad Mabel