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Before & After: The Incredible Story of the Real-Life Mrs Wilson
Aged nineteen, Alison McKelvie was a self-confessed romantic, immersed in books and poetry, and dreaming of beauty, truth and love. In 1940, whilst working as a secretary at MI6, Alison met Alexander Wilson. Thirty years her senior, Alexander was worldly and charismatic. An intense affair quickly led to marriage and two children. But the Wilsons' lives then spiralled into the depths of poverty. Alexander was sacked, imprisoned twice, and then declared bankrupt. His lack of reliability was a hefty emotional burden for Alison to bear. Nevertheless, she loved her husband unreservedly and stuck by him through thick and thin.
In 1963, Alexander died suddenly of a heart attack. Alison's world imploded when she discovered that their life together had been built upon layer after layer of deception. Who was Alexander Wilson? How well had Alison really known him? Slowly the lies were unravelled: Alexander had been a novelist, spy and, devastatingly, a bigamist. Alison was the third of four wives, her children two of seven.
The inspiration for critically-acclaimed drama Mrs Wilson, Before & After is the powerful and poignant memoir of Alison Wilson. 'Before' peels back the complex layers of a marriage steeped in lies, and the shattering heartbreak which followed. 'After' tells of an intensely-felt redemption through religion. Before & After is, first and foremost, a love story, but it is also an account of one extraordinarily strong woman's deep, unwavering faith.
192 pages, Paperback
Published May 28, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
November 23, 2022
I absolutely loved this book, and it is going to end up on my 2022 non-fiction favourites. This is the memoir of Alison Wilson, whose life has recently been memorialized in the mini series Mrs Wilson (where she is portrayed by her grand daughter, actress Ruth Wilson). After her husband Alec's death, she discovered that all had not been as it had seemed and that there was a web of lies, bigamy, and spy stories behind her marriage. I have watched Mrs Wilson twice in the past year and find the whole story absolutely fascinating.
I saw a lot of the more negative reviews are related to the significant religious content, particularly in the second "After" portion of the book. This book is very much a Catholic conversion story. If you don't enjoy discussions of faith and Christian mysticism in your reading, I would suggest not reading this book and instead highly recommend watching the mini series which focuses more on the dramatic story of Alison and Alec's marriage and only very briefly touches on her later religious life.
If however, you enjoy reading about someone's spiritual journey and particularly if you are Catholic, this book is amazing. It is going to be up there with Into the Deep: An Unlikely Catholic Conversion for my favourite conversion stories. Alison went through so much to be a part of the Church and the mystical experiences she had after receiving the Eucharist for the first time were very powerful to read about.
I saw a lot of the more negative reviews are related to the significant religious content, particularly in the second "After" portion of the book. This book is very much a Catholic conversion story. If you don't enjoy discussions of faith and Christian mysticism in your reading, I would suggest not reading this book and instead highly recommend watching the mini series which focuses more on the dramatic story of Alison and Alec's marriage and only very briefly touches on her later religious life.
If however, you enjoy reading about someone's spiritual journey and particularly if you are Catholic, this book is amazing. It is going to be up there with Into the Deep: An Unlikely Catholic Conversion for my favourite conversion stories. Alison went through so much to be a part of the Church and the mystical experiences she had after receiving the Eucharist for the first time were very powerful to read about.
September 28, 2021
In the 1960’s Alison McKelvie Wilson was the first woman to be accepted into a degree program in Catholic Theology in Britain. While much should have been made of this groundbreaking accomplishment, it wasn’t. This book is her autobiography of how and why she tenaciously arrived at this point.
Allison McKelvie was born to conservative Protestants who loved to read and were very protective of her daughter. Allison followed her folks into literature preferring poetry and romance which she devoured. She came to believe in a most idealistic, forever, soulmate love. When she came of age during World War II, she began working at MI6 in London where she soon met a dashing older man named Alex Wilson. He was married, but in the middle of a divorce. After much time spent together in air raid shelters during the London bombings, she fell head over heels in the idealized love of her romance novels. Soon they married and had children, but life was changing and they were falling into poverty, Alex was disappearing for periods of time, and he became abusive. Red flags were flying everywhere, but her romantic idealism prevented her from seeing them. She loved him. Then he died and her world came apart as the lies revealed themselves.
Alex was Catholic so Alison became Catholic. When she took her first communion the spiritual experience she had with Jesus was so intense it commanded her to pursue her Catholic studies.
Her children write the prefaces and epilogues to this book, explaining how the book came t be published after her death.
Most of this book was so boring for me that I skimmed much of it. The most interesting part was her relationship with Alex, making me think how many of us refuse to see the red flags in a relationship because we are so desperate to be in love. How many divorces have occurred just because one of the partners ignored all the signs?
Allison McKelvie was born to conservative Protestants who loved to read and were very protective of her daughter. Allison followed her folks into literature preferring poetry and romance which she devoured. She came to believe in a most idealistic, forever, soulmate love. When she came of age during World War II, she began working at MI6 in London where she soon met a dashing older man named Alex Wilson. He was married, but in the middle of a divorce. After much time spent together in air raid shelters during the London bombings, she fell head over heels in the idealized love of her romance novels. Soon they married and had children, but life was changing and they were falling into poverty, Alex was disappearing for periods of time, and he became abusive. Red flags were flying everywhere, but her romantic idealism prevented her from seeing them. She loved him. Then he died and her world came apart as the lies revealed themselves.
Alex was Catholic so Alison became Catholic. When she took her first communion the spiritual experience she had with Jesus was so intense it commanded her to pursue her Catholic studies.
Her children write the prefaces and epilogues to this book, explaining how the book came t be published after her death.
Most of this book was so boring for me that I skimmed much of it. The most interesting part was her relationship with Alex, making me think how many of us refuse to see the red flags in a relationship because we are so desperate to be in love. How many divorces have occurred just because one of the partners ignored all the signs?
April 20, 2023
I bought this book as I was fascinated by the story of Alec and Alison portrayed in the film "Mrs Wilson" and wanted to find more information as to how the story developed.
The film is a favourable adaptation of the reality that Alexander Wilson deceived his four "wives" and this book gives the viewpoint of Alison, his third wife.
The book is divided into two parts, "Before" and "After", referring to before the death or Alec and afterward. I would suggest that the first part will be of most relevance to those, like me, interested in the "Mrs. Wilson" story.
The second section, half of the book, takes the reader through the spiritual life Mrs. Wilson lived following the death of Alec. This is largely the theological journey of Mrs. Wilson leading to a life in a Catholic sanctuary. This section is somewhat esoteric and probably accounts for the overall rating of this book of around 3.
Discounting the second half of the book, the story of Alec and Alison is well told, but leaves one with the questions; "Why did Alec act the way he did?"; and "Why did Alison believe, without question the stories that Alec spun?".
Ultimately, this is probably a story of its time: Alec got away with it because his womenfolk let him or they knew that he was likely to walk away.
The film is a favourable adaptation of the reality that Alexander Wilson deceived his four "wives" and this book gives the viewpoint of Alison, his third wife.
The book is divided into two parts, "Before" and "After", referring to before the death or Alec and afterward. I would suggest that the first part will be of most relevance to those, like me, interested in the "Mrs. Wilson" story.
The second section, half of the book, takes the reader through the spiritual life Mrs. Wilson lived following the death of Alec. This is largely the theological journey of Mrs. Wilson leading to a life in a Catholic sanctuary. This section is somewhat esoteric and probably accounts for the overall rating of this book of around 3.
Discounting the second half of the book, the story of Alec and Alison is well told, but leaves one with the questions; "Why did Alec act the way he did?"; and "Why did Alison believe, without question the stories that Alec spun?".
Ultimately, this is probably a story of its time: Alec got away with it because his womenfolk let him or they knew that he was likely to walk away.
January 5, 2021
How I discovered this book was through a reading program at my local library, whereby they include a "surprise" book in a brown bag along with the other books you check out when you pick up at a drive-thru window. I chose "biography" for my latest surprise and this was the book I received. I was quickly hooked after the first few pages, but then the book became increasingly dry and read a bit like one long, run-on sentence. It's not a terrible book by any means, but it didn't hold my interest. I think the story in and of itself is fascinating, and it's often best to get the first person account, but in this case I would have preferred that the story been organized differently.
March 13, 2020
An intriguing true story which is as fascinating in the "after" as in the "before" part. Probably because this is a true story, there are some details that are not revealed. For instance, the reader does not get to know what/how Alec wrote about Alison. There is a quick, bitter reference to writings found after Alec's death. But that is all. Neither is it fully clear why Alison converts to catholicism. She could have chosen another religion. The whole story is told rather quickly and, slightly strangely, from a far distance.
December 9, 2021
A Sad tale.
Having watched the BBC series, Mrs Wilson, I was keen to find out more of this extraordinary story. The book is in two parts, I enjoyed the first part reading about how Alec had deceived so many close to him, But there was just a bit too much about religion and faith in the second part to hold my interest.
Having watched the BBC series, Mrs Wilson, I was keen to find out more of this extraordinary story. The book is in two parts, I enjoyed the first part reading about how Alec had deceived so many close to him, But there was just a bit too much about religion and faith in the second part to hold my interest.
June 29, 2025
Sadly not at all what I expected. Should have read the other reviews first ! However the BBC series was fascinating.
I think the after part of the memoir was just too heavy going for me. It’s sad that she carried so much guilt. With all those other wives and families it should have been his guilt to carry not hers.
I think the after part of the memoir was just too heavy going for me. It’s sad that she carried so much guilt. With all those other wives and families it should have been his guilt to carry not hers.
June 2, 2021
I found parts interesting and the book was well written. I didn't care for it much and the only way I got through it was by skipping over "After." I had really hoped to get more of the history and less of Alison's coming to Jesus moments. Reads a lot like CS Lewis.
November 9, 2021
Nothing incredible here. Alison Wilson wrote a book about her own personal religious beliefs. She did nothing remarkable other than be a passive victim. Her treacherous husband left a far more interesting legacy. I recommend a hard pass on this one.
October 31, 2020
Just ok to me being that it is a very religious story. But I like real life stories.
January 10, 2021
Fascinating true story. Immersed from page one .
June 12, 2023
The first part was so interesting but felt the second part about her spiritual journey went on far too much. That what made me give two stars
September 10, 2024
First half was amazing. Skimmed the last half because it was largely about her conversion to religion.
September 2, 2020
After watching the BBC/PBS mini-series, "Mrs. Wilson", I was drawn to her written memoir. The "Before" section of the book was written to her sons as an explanation of the struggles of their early life with their mysterious father. I was surprised how many years went by before she shared this with them. The second part of the book, "After" (her husband's death,) accounts her deepening faith and finding her place as a female mystic theologian in the Catholic church of the 1970s. This little volume provides a valuable example of a classic mystical experience and would be a helpful modern example to spiritual directors. Notes from her sons are included, as is a helpful acknowledgement from her granddaughter, actress Ruth Wilson, about the TV production. I am thankful to the family for sharing the story of this remarkable woman who must have seemed a mystery in her own way.
May 18, 2021
My husband and I recently found ourselves captivated by "Mrs. Wilson," a three-part British drama on PBS. (This was actually a repeat showing -- it was originally shown on PBS a few years ago, but we didn't see it then.)
"Mrs. Wilson" is based on a true story. Actress Ruth Wilson plays the title role of her own grandmother, Alison, whose grief over the death of her husband, Alec, in 1963 becomes complicated when another woman claiming to be his wife shows up on her doorstep (!). And that's only the beginning of the web of lies and deception that she begins to unravel in trying to learn the truth about who her husband really was. The two met in London during the Second World War, when Alison was his secretary at the Foreign Office. Was he (still) an intelligence officer/MI6 agent of the British government? Was he a liar and con man? Or perhaps a bit of both? (The Wilson family is still trying to learn the truth: the British government refuses to release its files pertaining to Alec Wilson.)
Incredibly, Alison kept what she knew (and what she suspected) about her husband from her two sons until she handed them the manuscript of a memoir, years after his death. The TV series was based on this memoir, published in 2019 as "Before & After: The Incredible Story of the Real-life Mrs. Wilson." After watching the TV version, I found the book for a very reasonable price and bought it for my e-reader. (I also found a 662-page (!) biography of Alexander Wilson on Amazon, but decided to pass on that one.) The book includes a foreword by Alison's younger son, Nigel (the father of actress Ruth), and an afterword by Ruth herself, outlining what more the family has learned about her grandfather since Alison's death, how her story was brought to the screen, and where fiction departed from fact. It's not very long, and I read the entire thing in less than 24 hours.
You might expect "Before & After" to refer to Alison's life before and after Alec Wilson's death -- and it does -- but it is also about her life before and after her conversion to the Roman Catholic church -- a testimony of her spiritual awakening and her personal relationship with God. In 1967, she joined a secular religious community and took vows there; later, she became the first laywoman in England to study Catholic theology at a Jesuit college that had only recently opened to women students. After five years of study, she embarked on a new career, teaching Christian mysticism.
I generally prefer to read the book before seeing the film version. In this case, I'm actually rather glad that I saw the TV show first. It's a complex story, with many pieces still unclear or missing, and some of the details have obviously been embellished or smoothed over for the sake of better storytelling (some of the details revealed in the TV series actually did not come to light until after Alison Wilson's death) -- but overall, it was riveting viewing.
The book, while somewhat interesting and providing details not covered in the TV drama (while clarifying others), is less riveting. Alison's spiritual/faith journey, while touching and sincerely and earnestly told was, frankly, not quite as interesting to me, and I will admit that I found myself skimming over long passages of the "After" section.
2.5-3 stars (recorded as 3) on Goodreads. (TV series: 4 stars.)
"Mrs. Wilson" is based on a true story. Actress Ruth Wilson plays the title role of her own grandmother, Alison, whose grief over the death of her husband, Alec, in 1963 becomes complicated when another woman claiming to be his wife shows up on her doorstep (!). And that's only the beginning of the web of lies and deception that she begins to unravel in trying to learn the truth about who her husband really was. The two met in London during the Second World War, when Alison was his secretary at the Foreign Office. Was he (still) an intelligence officer/MI6 agent of the British government? Was he a liar and con man? Or perhaps a bit of both? (The Wilson family is still trying to learn the truth: the British government refuses to release its files pertaining to Alec Wilson.)
Incredibly, Alison kept what she knew (and what she suspected) about her husband from her two sons until she handed them the manuscript of a memoir, years after his death. The TV series was based on this memoir, published in 2019 as "Before & After: The Incredible Story of the Real-life Mrs. Wilson." After watching the TV version, I found the book for a very reasonable price and bought it for my e-reader. (I also found a 662-page (!) biography of Alexander Wilson on Amazon, but decided to pass on that one.) The book includes a foreword by Alison's younger son, Nigel (the father of actress Ruth), and an afterword by Ruth herself, outlining what more the family has learned about her grandfather since Alison's death, how her story was brought to the screen, and where fiction departed from fact. It's not very long, and I read the entire thing in less than 24 hours.
You might expect "Before & After" to refer to Alison's life before and after Alec Wilson's death -- and it does -- but it is also about her life before and after her conversion to the Roman Catholic church -- a testimony of her spiritual awakening and her personal relationship with God. In 1967, she joined a secular religious community and took vows there; later, she became the first laywoman in England to study Catholic theology at a Jesuit college that had only recently opened to women students. After five years of study, she embarked on a new career, teaching Christian mysticism.
I generally prefer to read the book before seeing the film version. In this case, I'm actually rather glad that I saw the TV show first. It's a complex story, with many pieces still unclear or missing, and some of the details have obviously been embellished or smoothed over for the sake of better storytelling (some of the details revealed in the TV series actually did not come to light until after Alison Wilson's death) -- but overall, it was riveting viewing.
The book, while somewhat interesting and providing details not covered in the TV drama (while clarifying others), is less riveting. Alison's spiritual/faith journey, while touching and sincerely and earnestly told was, frankly, not quite as interesting to me, and I will admit that I found myself skimming over long passages of the "After" section.
2.5-3 stars (recorded as 3) on Goodreads. (TV series: 4 stars.)
December 4, 2024
I read this after watching the BBC dramatisation Mrs Wilson, it is truly heartbreaking. I was at the beginning of a severe episode of depression at the time which probably coloured things but I was floored, it felt like a gut punch. But what is certainly true is the utter strength of Alison to continue on and raise a family in the face of one earth shattering revelation after another - she is an amazing woman and I’m glad she found comfort in her later years.
This is her story, unlike Tom Crooks book which is a serious attempt to uncover the truth of Alec Wilson’s life and it is incredibly personal and moving. Having read both, until MI6 release the full records we won’t know what is truth and what is fiction - his life was very strange indeed.
Did Alison know or suspect what he was up to, undoubtedly so - she certainly knew he was not telling the truth, his stories became ridiculously far fetched it was impossible not too and she was no fool.
But at the same time they met when they both worked at MI6, they were in the same department and she knew what he did and saw he was respected and in particular his language skills were held in high regard. She knew how MI6 operated, knew its culture and its secrets, she was part of that culture. So with this in mind you can see how doubts would play on her mind as the saying goes, a good lie is one that is as close to the truth as possible.
But my key take away was that Alison put her family first and ensured her two sons had everything they needed despite becoming almost destitute a number of times, she worked to support them all and was a loving mother and her strength of character is inspiring.
This is her story, unlike Tom Crooks book which is a serious attempt to uncover the truth of Alec Wilson’s life and it is incredibly personal and moving. Having read both, until MI6 release the full records we won’t know what is truth and what is fiction - his life was very strange indeed.
Did Alison know or suspect what he was up to, undoubtedly so - she certainly knew he was not telling the truth, his stories became ridiculously far fetched it was impossible not too and she was no fool.
But at the same time they met when they both worked at MI6, they were in the same department and she knew what he did and saw he was respected and in particular his language skills were held in high regard. She knew how MI6 operated, knew its culture and its secrets, she was part of that culture. So with this in mind you can see how doubts would play on her mind as the saying goes, a good lie is one that is as close to the truth as possible.
But my key take away was that Alison put her family first and ensured her two sons had everything they needed despite becoming almost destitute a number of times, she worked to support them all and was a loving mother and her strength of character is inspiring.
July 23, 2021
Movie better
The movie is an amazing tale of a war love story and the lies that we’re told. This book focuses on God’s hand in Alison’s life
The movie is an amazing tale of a war love story and the lies that we’re told. This book focuses on God’s hand in Alison’s life
March 24, 2024
I watched the movie MRS. WILSON during the Covid shutdown on Netflix and found it fascinating. The film heavily depicts the Before segment of the main characters life.
The book, however leaps way ahead of Before with the in-depth description of After and is truly spellbinding. Alison Wilson proves to be a remarkable, resilient woman and the source of that gift of resiliency is beautifully depicted in After. It is very much two books in one, with an enormous depth that is filling. I will come back to this book periodically to re- read it.
The book, however leaps way ahead of Before with the in-depth description of After and is truly spellbinding. Alison Wilson proves to be a remarkable, resilient woman and the source of that gift of resiliency is beautifully depicted in After. It is very much two books in one, with an enormous depth that is filling. I will come back to this book periodically to re- read it.
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