Book Review: Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth

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Mad Mabel  by Sally Hepworth  is a domestic thriller about the youngest person convicted of murder in Australia, Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick. Now 81 years old, Elsie is living on Kenny Lane and has been for the past sixty years. When a mother named Roxanne moves into Mabel's neighborhood with her seven year old daughter, an unlikely friendship forms between Elsie and the seven year old child named Persephone. As Elsie's secrets come to light, her world comes crashing down.  Having read quite a few novels by Sally Hepworth, I requested an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of Mad Mabel  without reading the synopsis of the story. I was thrilled when NetGalley and St. Martin's Press approved my request. The expected publication date of the book is April 21, 2026. Not knowing anything about the storyline before I started reading Mad Mabel  made the story much more interesting to me as I had no preconceived ideas. The tale was told from Mabel's perspective in alternating timeli...
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Book Review: Killman Creek (Stillhouse Lake, #2) by Rachel Caine

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Book Cover of Killman Creek (Stillhouse Lake, #2) by Rachel Caine
Killman Creek (Stillhouse Lake, #2) by Rachel Caine raises the stakes even higher after the chilling events of the first book. After escaping from prison in Missouri, serial killer Melvin Royal is once again at large and playing a deadly cat-and-mouse game with his ex-wife, Gwen Proctor, and their children. With Lanny and Connor safely hidden under the protection of trusted friends, Gwen teams up with Sam Cade to hunt Melvin down and end his twisted game once and for all. The tension is relentless, and the sense of danger never lets up.

Rachel Caine proves once again that sequels don’t have to suffer in quality, because Killman Creek is just as gripping as Stillhouse Lake, if not more so. The story picks up almost immediately where the first book left off, which makes reading the series in order highly recommended if you want the full emotional impact and context. The momentum carries straight through, pulling readers back into Gwen’s nightmare without missing a beat.

One of the biggest changes in this installment is the use of multiple perspectives rather than focusing solely on Gwen. At first, I wasn’t sure I would enjoy that shift as much as the tight focus of the first book, but it ended up working extremely well. Seeing the story unfold through different characters added depth and gave me a clearer understanding of their motivations, fears, and inner conflicts. The only minor downside was that I was so eager to race through the book that I occasionally missed the moment when the point of view switched, leaving me briefly confused. I also kept waiting to see if Rachel Caine would include chapters from Melvin’s perspective, but she never does. With a third book in the series, I can’t help but wonder if that might change ... only time will tell.

Killman Creek (Stillhouse Lake, #2) by Rachel CaineKillman Creek is fast-paced, intense, and packed with action. It’s dark and unsettling, but incredibly compelling, so much so that, if the subject matter weren’t quite so grim, it could almost pass for a binge-worthy beach read. The book does a solid job of wrapping up major plot threads while still leaving room for the story to continue, and it has me eager to dive into Wolfhunter River (Stillhouse Lake, #3). My guess is that the next installment will revolve around yet another trial involving Melvin, and I’m curious to see how far the author will push the story.

Overall, I enjoyed Killman Creek quite a bit and would absolutely recommend the Stillhouse Lake series to readers who love dark mysteries, thrillers, and even touches of horror. This sequel delivers suspense, emotional depth, and nonstop tension. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

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