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: Finlay Donovan is Killing It (Finlay Donovan, #1) by Elle Cosimano

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Book Club Book Review of Finlay Donovan is Killing It (Finlay Donovan, #1) by Elle Cosimano
Finlay Donovan Is Killing It (Finlay Donovan #1) by Elle Cosimano opens with a stressed-out single mother of two, Finlay Donovan, whose babysitter suddenly doesn’t show up. Already overwhelmed, Finlay heads to a meeting with her book editor, where their discussion of a fictional plot is overheard. Due to a misunderstanding, Finlay is mistaken for a contract killer and inadvertently accepts an offer to kill someone’s husband.

This novel was chosen as the August pick for the book club I belong to. I knew it was a popular book, but it’s not one I would have picked up on my own, even though it falls within my favorite genre. I struggled through the first 125–150 pages because the premise felt so far-fetched. It almost became a “Did Not Finish” for me, but I didn’t want to show up to book club without finishing the book.

That said, I was glad I stuck with it. There were parts I genuinely enjoyed, though I’m still not sure why so many readers found this book funny. To me, it felt extremely dark, and it reminded me a bit of the TV show Good Girls. Despite the dark subject matter, it’s a fast-paced novel that I finished quickly over a weekend, and I would still consider it a beach read.

Book Review Finlay Donovan is Killing It Finlay Donovan #1 by Elle Cosimano
One aspect I found particularly interesting was the contrast between Finlay and her babysitter, Vero. At twenty-two, Vero seemed far more put together than Finlay, who is thirty-one. I also found it strange that Finlay’s wardrobe consisted almost entirely of t-shirts, jeans, and sweats. How do you reach your thirties without owning any business-casual outfits or dresses?

There were several elements I really liked about Finlay Donovan Is Killing It. The relationship between Finlay and Vero stood out the most. I loved that Finlay had someone she could implicitly trust. The romantic subplot added an entertaining layer to the mystery, especially as I tried to figure out whether Finlay would end up with one of the men she was “dating.” I also appreciated the underlying theme of women supporting other women, although not in the context of murder.

Despite the far-fetched storyline and the main character’s questionable decisions, I ultimately gave Finlay Donovan Is Killing It (Finlay Donovan #1) by Elle Cosimano four out of five stars.

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