Choosing among books becomes tricky when the choices are different titles as well as different editions. The practical question is whether to prioritize the author you planned to read, a story or subject direction, a new copy, or a hardcover. These four books span a Jodi Picoult novel, Sally Hepworth's *Mad Mabel*, Robert Greene's *The 48 Laws of Power*, and Rebecca Yarros's *Onyx Storm*. Use listed price as one factor, but let your reading goal and preferred edition do the real sorting.
Quick take
The prices cover a wide range, but these are not like-for-like choices. Start by deciding whether you are shopping for a particular author, a plot or subject cue, or the physical edition itself. The table makes each listed-price position easy to scan, while the decision matrix separates the titles by their clearest differences. That approach keeps a lower listed price from outweighing the kind of book and edition you actually want.
Listed-price comparison
| Book | Listed price | Relative listed-price position |
|---|---|---|
| *Mad Mabel: A Novel* | USD 13.50 | |
| *By Any Other Name: A Novel* | USD 4.98 | |
| *THE 48 LAWS OF POWER* | USD 10.00 | |
| *Onyx Storm* | USD 11.72 |
Decision matrix
- Hardcover first: *By Any Other Name* is the sole hardcover. It is the choice when binding style matters more than having a Brand New copy.
- New-copy first: *Mad Mabel*, *THE 48 LAWS OF POWER*, and *Onyx Storm* are marked Brand New. *Mad Mabel* is trade paperback, while the Greene and Yarros titles are paperback.
- Fiction premise first: *Mad Mabel* centers on Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick, whose past as Mad Mabel Waller resurfaces after a neighbor dies.
- Subject label first: *THE 48 LAWS OF POWER* is categorized as Law, separating it from the fiction-labeled titles.
- Adventure and intrigue first: *Onyx Storm* is the title to prioritize when that described direction matches your next read.
Product notes
Mad Mabel: A Novel
Sally Hepworth's *Mad Mabel* is the most plot-defined choice in this group. The story follows 81-year-old Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick after a neighbor's death brings renewed attention to her past as Mad Mabel Waller, Australia's youngest convicted murderer. Choose it for a fiction novel that foregrounds justice, redemption, and a character who refuses to follow rules. The trade-off is physical format: it is a Brand New English trade paperback rather than the hardcover edition represented by *By Any Other Name*. Its USD 13.50 listed price is the highest in the comparison.
By Any Other Name: A Novel
Jodi Picoult's *By Any Other Name* pairs a fiction classification with the lowest listed price, USD 4.98. Pick it if the Picoult title is your reason for shopping and a Good-condition copy fits the brief. That condition is its main limitation: the other three entries are marked Brand New. It is also the only hardcover in the group, making it the format-led alternative to the paperbacks and trade paperback. ISBN 9780593497210 identifies this edition, which is useful for readers seeking this specific Picoult novel.
THE 48 LAWS OF POWER
Robert Greene's *THE 48 LAWS OF POWER* is the fit for readers seeking the title categorized as Law rather than a fiction selection. Choose it when that author-and-title combination is your priority and a Brand New English paperback works for your collection; the publication year is listed as 2000. Its limitation is format: a paperback will not meet a hardcover-only preference. The USD 10.00 listed price places it between the lowest and highest entries. This is the most distinct subject-label choice among the four titles.
Onyx Storm
Rebecca Yarros's *Onyx Storm* is the clear match when the description's adventure-and-intrigue direction is what you want next. Choose it for that reading mood and for an English, Brand New edition by Yarros. The limitation is physical format: it is listed as a paperback rather than hardcover. At USD 11.72, it is priced above *THE 48 LAWS OF POWER* and below *Mad Mabel* in this comparison. It is a focused pick for readers drawn specifically to Yarros and the title's adventure-oriented description.
Final recommendation by use case
Choose *Mad Mabel* if the Sally Hepworth novel is the title you came to find. Select *By Any Other Name* for the Jodi Picoult entry, make *THE 48 LAWS OF POWER* your Robert Greene choice, and choose *Onyx Storm* when Rebecca Yarros is the author you want. If author is not the deciding factor, use format, condition, and reading direction-not price alone-to make the final call.
