February Meeting: Mad Mabel; Anatomy of a Fall; Gina

We're kicking off the first meeting of 2026 with a focus on murder mysteries and billionaires! As always, no pressure to get through all of the material. You're welcome to come along and chat about what you've read/listened to/watched.

Book: Mad Mabel, Sally Hepworth
They called it murder. She called it justice. In 1959, at just fifteen years of age, Mabel Waller became the youngest Australian in history to be convicted of murder. In 2025, on a quiet Melbourne lane, an elderly man is found dead by his neighbour, 81-year-old Elsie Fitzpatrick. No one suspects any foul play. Until they discover Elsie's past. In the 1950s, her name was not Elsie. It was Mabel. She is known around the world as Mad Mabel. But is she mad? More importantly, is she guilty? When the police open a new investigation and the media descend upon her, the elderly Mabel decides it's time to set the record straight. In a world first, at the age of 81, Mabel Waller is speaking.

Movie: Anatomy of a Fall (2023), Dir: Justine Triet
A woman is suspected of murder after her husband's death; their half-blind son faces a moral dilemma as the main witness. Available on SBS on Demand.

Podcast: Gina - A Real Life Succession Story. The Guardian Investigates, ep 1 and 2, October 2025 (this is an 8-part series if you want to listen to them all)
Gina Rinehart tops Australia's rich list, worth almost $40bn. She's also a climate sceptic, a Trumpette and a litigant - even against her own kids. Her life reads like a script from the TV series Succession. This podcast tries to understand who Gina Rinehart really is.