Mad Mabel | Mood Reader Sydney book club

Join us for a cosy and intimate book club where we’ll chat about Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth. Hosts Kireth and Leeza will facilitate a fun, thoughtful discussion with some pre-prepared questions to keep the conversation flowing.

Keep an eye out on the Mood Reader Instagram – we’ll post some of the questions a few days ahead of our meet up to get you thinking.

Tickets are $20 which includes a beer, wine, soft drink, lemon lime bitters or other drink from the bar (anything excluding cocktails to keep things within budget!)

What to expect

1. Arrive from 12pm to grab a drink and catch up or introduce yourself to the other book clubbers. We'll be upstairs, in the booths section.

2. We’ll run the book club discussion from 12.30pm–1.30pm. We're a small book club, with two tables of up to 8 people, so that everyone has a chance to share their thoughts. This is everyone’s time to rave about what they loved abour the book and what they disliked. This is a safe space and all opinions on the book are respected and welcome.

3. Our event will end at 1.30pm, but you’re welcome to stick around and grab more drinks or food.

Who is this for?

Anyone who loves reading and wants to meet others in a calm, casual environment. Readers of all genders, cultures, different identities and backgrounds are welcome. We’re a book club that brings curious readers in Sydney together. Book clubbers discover compelling books, share meaningful conversations and build lasting friendships.

Book synopsis

Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick is eighty-one years old. She's lived on her idyllic street, Kenny Lane, for sixty years--longer than anyone else. Aside from being a curmudgeon who minds everyone else's business, few would suspect that Elsie has a past that she has worked exceedingly hard at concealing. Because when it comes to murder, no one ever suspects little girls or old ladies. And Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick, once a little girl and now an old lady, has a strange history of people in her life coming to a foul end.

When a new little girl (talkative, curious, nosy) moves into the neighrhood and stops at nothing to befriend Elsie, her carefully-constructed life threatens to come crashing down as the secrets in Elsie's past start coming to light. Who was "Mad Mabel" fifty years ago? Who is Elsie Fitzpatrick today? And if the past has a habit of repeating itself, who has the most to lose?

Told with Sally Hepworth's twists, humor, charm, and heart, MAD MABEL is novel that weaves past and present together--through the power of justice and redemption, and all the way to its stunning conclusion.

Getting there

Newtown Hotel is an 8-minute walk from Newtown Train Station. There is a bus stop just 60 metres away on King Street.

Please be aware that we will be taking photos/videos for marketing activity during the event. Further permission will be sought for any imagery where you would be identifiable.