Book Review: Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth

-
Image
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...
Post a Comment

Book Review: Wolfhunter River (Stillhouse Lake, #3) by Rachel Caine

-
Serial Killer Book Review of Wolfhunter River (Stillhouse Lake, #3) by Rachel Caine
Wolfhunter River (Stillhouse Lake, #3) by Rachel Caine opens with Gwen Proctor, also known as Gina Royal, reluctantly traveling to the remote and mysterious town of Wolfhunter after receiving a phone call from a woman named Marlene Crockett. Gwen is immediately wary, fearing that helping Marlene and her daughter could be some kind of trap. Despite her concerns, Gwen will go to extraordinary lengths to protect her family while uncovering the dark secrets lurking within this seemingly quiet town.

What can I say about Wolfhunter River other than … WOW! This latest installment of the Stillhouse Lake series completely captivated me. I found myself staying up well past my bedtime multiple nights in a row, unable to put the book down. The story is fast-paced, action-packed, and relentlessly gripping, with page-turning suspense that kept me on edge from start to finish. There were no slow moments, and I have to admit, this might be my favorite book in the series yet.

The characters truly come into their own in this third installment, and we even gain more insight into their backstories, which I honestly didn’t think would be possible at this stage in the series. At one point, the story even reminded me eerily of the movie The People Under The Stairs, which made my heart race. If you’ve seen that film, you’ll understand exactly the moment I’m referring to in Wolfhunter River. I also appreciated how Caine captured the complexities of small-town life. While many assume that residents of the South, especially in small towns, are always welcoming, Caine paints a more realistic picture ... one that highlights both charm and suspicion, without ever going over the top.
Stillhouse Lake Trilogy

I am thoroughly enchanted by this trilogy, and especially by this third book. I’m thrilled that Caine left the ending open for a potential continuation, and I sincerely hope she decides to expand this series further.
For readers who love suspense, thrillers, mystery, and horror, the Stillhouse Lake series is a must-read. It’s essential to read the books in order, as Caine doesn’t dwell on recapping the events from the previous novels. I gave Wolfhunter River (Stillhouse Lake, #3) a full five out of five stars.
If you’d like to read my thoughts on the earlier books in the series, check out my reviews for Stillhouse Lake (Stillhouse Lake, #1) and Killman Creek (Stillhouse Lake, #2).

Follow The Running Bibliophile On Social Media

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Book Review: The Dare by Natasha Preston

-
Image
The Dare by Natasha Preston is a young adult horror novel centered on Marley and her friends Atlas, Lucia, and Jesse, all seniors in high school. What begins as harmless, lighthearted senior pranks quickly takes a dark turn when Rhett starts assigning dares that are far more serious and dangerous. As the stakes rise, the question becomes whether Marley and her friends will survive the consequences of playing along. A huge thank you to NetGalley for providing an advanced readers copy of The Dare by Natasha Preston. The last book I read by this author was well written and engaging, so I was excited to dive into her latest young adult horror story. From the start, the novel feels reminiscent of R.L. Stine’s Fear Street series, which instantly brought back a wave of childhood nostalgia. Unfortunately, that initial excitement didn’t last. Before long, the plot shifts into territory that felt eerily similar to the movie I Know What You Did Last Summer . At that point, my interest started ...
Read more

Book Review: The Writer by James Patterson and J.D. Barker

-
Image
The Writer by James Patterson and J.D. Barker  was published on March 17, 2025. It opens with Detective Declan Shaw at a closed subway station trying to work up the nerve to commit suicide when he receives a call from his partner about a break in and homicide at the home of a true crime author. Shaw makes his way to the crime scene to work the case, and in a turn of events, Declan comes under scrutiny in another case loosely connected to this new case. I received an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of The Writer  from NetGalley and Little , Brown, and Company for free in exchange for my honest review. I'm appreciative that my request for this book was approved. With this story opening with the main character trying to commit suicide, I almost didn't go any further with the book. However, I am glad I stuck with it as it took me on a fantastic ride and had my emotions all over the place. There were so many twists and turns that just when I thought I had it all figured out, there was ...
Read more

Book Review: Dirty Thirty (Stephanie Plum, #30) by Janet Evanovich

-
Image
Book Review: Dirty Thirty (Stephanie Plum, #30) by Janet Evanovich Dirty Thirty (Stephanie Plum, #30) by Janet Evanovich is the latest installment in the long-running and beloved Stephanie Plum series, and it opens with Joe Morelli asking Stephanie to dog-sit his famously quirky dog, Bob, while he’s out of town testifying at a trial. As expected, things quickly spiral into chaos when Stephanie has to bring Bob along while attempting to apprehend her usual lineup of FTAs. Between chasing fugitives, dodging danger, and juggling her complicated personal life, Stephanie also finds herself seriously questioning whether marriage is something she truly wants. Each book in the Stephanie Plum series tends to follow a familiar and comforting formula, with everything wrapped up in a neat, tidy bow by the end. That predictability is actually one of the main reasons I keep coming back to these books. I always know Stephanie will get herself into trouble, Ranger or Morelli will step in to help,...
Read more