Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth is an engaging read.

Elsie (aka Mad Mabel) is an elderly woman living a quiet life in her small neighborhood. This is until she discovers her neighbor dead. This pulls up her sordid past in which she was convicted of murder at the age of fifteen. She was blamed for other deaths or injuries before this event as well, including her younger sister, one of her teachers and a couple boys from her class.

She becomes the target of people who blame her for these deaths now that her location and new name is known. Luckily, a pair of YouTubers hope to share her side of the story.

The book is her retelling of her childhood and all the events that led to her reputation as “Mad Mabel.” Meanwhile, current events include her relationships with her neighbors, specifically the young nuisance Persephone, Peter and others. Her best friend Daphne is along for the ride too.

Through her retelling of the past and current events, readers discover that Elsie was extremely misunderstood and lonely. She is actually a caring, funny person who was unable to form true loving relationships with those around her (for various reasons).

This story hooked me from its first lines and kept my interest throughout.