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: Masquerade Party Murder (Juniper Holiday, #4) by Leighann Dobbs

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Masquerade Party Murder (Juniper Holiday, #4) opens with Juniper Holiday setting up for her New Years Eve party, but the party goes horribly awry during the fireworks when the mayor is found dead . . . killed by a gunshot.  Juniper must find out who the murderer is and clear her dear friend's name.

I have absolutely fallen in love with the Juniper Holiday book series by Leighann Dobbs.  The books in this series are the perfect beach read and super fun.  And, if I get in a funk while reading, these books definitely pull me out of that funk.  Masquerade Party Murder definitely pulled me out of a reading funk.

What's great about this series is that you don't have to read them in order, although it definitely helps, and Masquerade Party Murder can be read as a stand alone book like the rest in the series.  Even though this is a cozy mystery, there are some fantasy elements in the story lines . . . witches and werewolves play a part, and of course, ghosts do as well.  If you're not a fan of fantasy, you don't have to worry as the witches and werewolves aren't in the forefront of the story.
 
I love the characters, especially Juniper and Victoria and even Detective Mallard.  In fact, I keep waiting for Victoria and the detective start dating and fall in love.  If that happens, and I think it will, it will probably not happen for several books . . . just a guess.

There were a few red herrings in the story, which I definitely fell for in my guessing of who did it.  However, when a certain piece of evidence is introduced, it confirmed my original guess of who the killer was, and I was mad at myself for being led astray.  

Five out of five stars is what I gave Masquerade Party Murder (Juniper Holiday, #4) by Leighann Dobbs.  I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the books in the series, and I hope there are many more.  If you enjoyed this book, I recommend reading the Lucy Stone book series by Leslie Meier.

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