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Silkstone Comedic Mysteries #2
The Secret Diary of Alice in Wonderland, Age 42 and Three-Quarters
Miami real estate broker and terminal anglophile, Alice Harte, falls for the wrong White Rabbit. Nigel Channing is an international conman with a gift for crafting Byronesque emails. He sweeps Alice off her feet and down a rabbit hole laden with mugs, thugs, and be-headers. Will Alice be able to keep her head when all about her are losing theirs? Are the cards stacked against her or will she find true love? Is there a Joker in the deck?
Books in the Criminally Funny Romantic Suspense series:
The Secret Diary of Alice in Wonderland, Age 42 and Three-Quarters
Wendy and the Lost Boys
Zo White and the Seven Morphs
Books in the Criminally Funny Romantic Suspense series:
The Secret Diary of Alice in Wonderland, Age 42 and Three-Quarters
Wendy and the Lost Boys
Zo White and the Seven Morphs
259 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2010
25 people are currently reading
554 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Silkstone
63 books313 followersBarbara Silkstone is the best-selling author of the Wendy Darlin Tomb Raider series that includes: Wendy and the Lost Boys, London Broil, Cairo Caper, Miami Mummies, Vulgarian Vamp, Wendy Darlin Tomb Raider Boxed Set. Her Criminally Funny Fables Romantic Suspense series includes: The Secret Diary of Alice in Wonderland, Age 42 and Three-Quarters; Wendy and the Lost Boys; Zo White and the Seven Morphs. For a squirt of paranormal comedy try: Cold Case Morphs. True fiction fan? Try: The Adventures of a Love Investigator.
New: Mister Darcy Series
Book One: Mister Darcy's Dogs
Book Two: Mister Darcy's Christmas
Book Three: Mister Darcy's Secret
Silkstone’s writing has been described as “perfectly paced and pitched – shades of Janet Evanovich and Carl Hiaasen – without seeming remotely derivative. Fast moving action that shoots from the hip with bullet-proof characterization.”
New: Mister Darcy Series
Book One: Mister Darcy's Dogs
Book Two: Mister Darcy's Christmas
Book Three: Mister Darcy's Secret
Silkstone’s writing has been described as “perfectly paced and pitched – shades of Janet Evanovich and Carl Hiaasen – without seeming remotely derivative. Fast moving action that shoots from the hip with bullet-proof characterization.”
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
July 5, 2024
I couldn't get my head around this book. I was expecting something fun, bouncy and adventurous but for me it didn't feel that way, it felt cringing and awkward.
The story line felt weak and there was no depth to that characters.
The links to Alice in Wonderland felt a bit misplaced, this book definitely wasn't for me unfortunately.
Two stars.
The story line felt weak and there was no depth to that characters.
The links to Alice in Wonderland felt a bit misplaced, this book definitely wasn't for me unfortunately.
Two stars.
February 27, 2015
It was a crazy story but I was very entertained. I listened to this from Audible with Karen Krause narrating. She pushed the star rating over to four. If I had read the book, it would have gotten three. The humor and the ditzy plot were a little too much at times but the narration carried me over the bumps.
AWIS! Hilarious! And wait until you find out about Lizzard Links!
AWIS! Hilarious! And wait until you find out about Lizzard Links!
December 19, 2010
It's been a long time since I read Alice in Wonderland but it didn't affect my appreciation of this book one bit. The main character, Alice, is a neurotic, germophobic, anglophile whose life has gone seriously off the rails. Her strange world is full of characters resembling those in Lewis Carroll's book and she's started seeing the Cheshire Cat. She works for a killer who litigates for a hobby, and is being leant on by the shady family of one of his victims to secure a confession from him and testify against him at trial. To try and escape her life in Miami she goes online where she finds Nigel. He seems to be her perfect man, English, witty, eccentric, with an air of John Cleese about him. Unfortunately despite some glaring clues that he is not what he seems Alice is blind to it. He takes her on a jaunt around Europe, where he is attacked by a phantom fish flinger and she is convinced they are being followed. Alice had been hoping to escape the drama in Miami and settle down with Nigel, ideally in the Cotswolds, but things don't look like they are going to go her way.
The book is (unsurprisingly) written in the form of a diary, which has quotes from Carroll's book at the start of each section. I thought the way the quotes were weaved in was clever. The story whips along at quite a pace and is a combination of romance and whodunnit. Despite the fact Alice is a xanax popping mess who needs a good shake to see Nigel for what he really is I still liked her. She isn't a simpering victim, she's got guts and a sense of humour. This is a quirky tale with the sort of humour I associate with comedies like A Fish Called Wanda, perhaps why Alice is so keen to find a John Cleese-alike. Normally a Chick Lit label would put me right off but this was so different to other books in that genre I have previously read. All in all a fun modern fairytale, read it and see if Alice gets her happy ending.
The book is (unsurprisingly) written in the form of a diary, which has quotes from Carroll's book at the start of each section. I thought the way the quotes were weaved in was clever. The story whips along at quite a pace and is a combination of romance and whodunnit. Despite the fact Alice is a xanax popping mess who needs a good shake to see Nigel for what he really is I still liked her. She isn't a simpering victim, she's got guts and a sense of humour. This is a quirky tale with the sort of humour I associate with comedies like A Fish Called Wanda, perhaps why Alice is so keen to find a John Cleese-alike. Normally a Chick Lit label would put me right off but this was so different to other books in that genre I have previously read. All in all a fun modern fairytale, read it and see if Alice gets her happy ending.
January 2, 2011
It's been a while since I read the original Alice in Wonderland so I'm sure I missed some references, but I still very much enjoyed this book. Alice, a real estate broker, seeks to escape the clutches of her evil boss. She meets Nigel, an Englishman, online and runs off to be with him. As it turns out, his world seems just as chaotic as hers and she returns to the states to resolve her own problems. Filled with hilarious twists and turns as well as Alice in Wonderland references, The Secret Diary of Alice in Wonderland, Age 42 and Three-Quarters is a fun and funny novel.
August 18, 2013
I started this book and thought it would be a fairytale gone wrong. Its not. It turned out to be a very good mystery with greed, humor and romance thrown in. I have to say that I stayed as confused as the characters did in who was working with whom and who was the bad guy and the good guy. Usually you can tell who "dunnit" soon after all the pieces fall into place, but this one was totally different. You know who did it, you just had to figure out how they were gonna get him. Great read.
June 15, 2011
Stephanie Plums fans will love this entertainingly mad thriller-romance-comedy!
Written very much in the style of Janet Evanovitch, but with a strong dash of the surreal, The Secret Diary is an entertaining jaunt through a mad world of Miami real estate, pill-popping neuroses, TC's "Phantom fish-flingers" and would-be English Lotharios. Alice, the heroine, is a very engaging character; a tough, sassy woman whose efforts to sort her life out go strangely wrong and yet who manages to sort herself out with none of the eyelash-fluttering, hanky-dropping ineptitude that is my main reason for avoiding romance.
She tries very hard to persuade herself that Nigel Channing is her Mr Right - and although it is very funny to read, she is written with enough humanity and truth that you might be laughing but it is with her rather than at her, and you don't think "Stupid woman!" so much as recognise the times you've done the same...
Of the other characters, Maris is entertainingly nuts; Leslie chews the furniture with great elan; Ron is pitched just nicely, supportive and low-key; and actually I rather liked the over-the-top rantings of Elizabeth, which might have been a bit too much in a different book but in the context of the whole "Alice-in-Wonderland" theme were fairly apt. The Lewis Carroll quotes were nicely placed and flavoured the text without giving too much away at the beginning of each chapter!
If I had to criticise, I would say that the ending is a little on the abrupt side and I would have liked it to go just a little slower so I could savour the downfall of - the person who ends badly (no spoilers here!), but other than that, a couple of places where the (UK) English doesn't quite flow and the odd set of stray speechmarks in places, not much I didn't like about it.
JAC.
Written very much in the style of Janet Evanovitch, but with a strong dash of the surreal, The Secret Diary is an entertaining jaunt through a mad world of Miami real estate, pill-popping neuroses, TC's "Phantom fish-flingers" and would-be English Lotharios. Alice, the heroine, is a very engaging character; a tough, sassy woman whose efforts to sort her life out go strangely wrong and yet who manages to sort herself out with none of the eyelash-fluttering, hanky-dropping ineptitude that is my main reason for avoiding romance.
She tries very hard to persuade herself that Nigel Channing is her Mr Right - and although it is very funny to read, she is written with enough humanity and truth that you might be laughing but it is with her rather than at her, and you don't think "Stupid woman!" so much as recognise the times you've done the same...
Of the other characters, Maris is entertainingly nuts; Leslie chews the furniture with great elan; Ron is pitched just nicely, supportive and low-key; and actually I rather liked the over-the-top rantings of Elizabeth, which might have been a bit too much in a different book but in the context of the whole "Alice-in-Wonderland" theme were fairly apt. The Lewis Carroll quotes were nicely placed and flavoured the text without giving too much away at the beginning of each chapter!
If I had to criticise, I would say that the ending is a little on the abrupt side and I would have liked it to go just a little slower so I could savour the downfall of - the person who ends badly (no spoilers here!), but other than that, a couple of places where the (UK) English doesn't quite flow and the odd set of stray speechmarks in places, not much I didn't like about it.
JAC.
December 5, 2010
Heroine Alice Harte is a neurotic mess. She's germaphobic and hooked on Xanax. But who can blame her for her addiction? After a messy divorce, she ends up working for a psychopath who sues people to death when he can't get away with killing them. Alice is also an anglophile and when she meets Nigel online, he exactly fulfills her fantasy of a having a John Cleese type for a lover. Anxious to get away from her troubles at home, she flies to England to meet Nigel. She's in such a muddle from her pills and her troubles and her neuroses, that Nigel can do no wrong in her eyes. She ignores all the warning signs and falls for Nigel's explanations, no matter how outlandish they are. And they are outlandish. When Alice discovers that Nigel has a wife, she believes his story that he's actually divorced, even when the ex turns up to stalk Alice.
Meanwhile, back at home the conflict with her boss heats up. Alice enlists the help of a friend to get herself out of the mess without ending up dead. They go on to solve the mystery of her boss's big scheme. Throughout the book there are some hysterical scenes mixed in with the seemingly normal. Alice's total faith in Nigel lead her to calmly accept situations that would have sent other women screaming for the door--fish are thrown in Nigel's face by people he claims are strangers, their hotel reservations are lost" so they drive around Paris half the night until they end up in a seedy place, etc. Alice's blind faith and cluelessness add to the hilarity.
The characters and situations were wacky. The story drew me in from page one and didn't let go. Best of all, was author Barbara Silkstone's subtle wit. I recommend this book.
Meanwhile, back at home the conflict with her boss heats up. Alice enlists the help of a friend to get herself out of the mess without ending up dead. They go on to solve the mystery of her boss's big scheme. Throughout the book there are some hysterical scenes mixed in with the seemingly normal. Alice's total faith in Nigel lead her to calmly accept situations that would have sent other women screaming for the door--fish are thrown in Nigel's face by people he claims are strangers, their hotel reservations are lost" so they drive around Paris half the night until they end up in a seedy place, etc. Alice's blind faith and cluelessness add to the hilarity.
The characters and situations were wacky. The story drew me in from page one and didn't let go. Best of all, was author Barbara Silkstone's subtle wit. I recommend this book.
February 14, 2016
She's a real-estate broker and is running through a parking lot at a mall, trying to get away from a car, when she spots a cat with a human-like grin. Some guys grab her and throw her into the car and take off. One guy says he is an attorney and represents somebody named Marc Hare. He tells her she has to testify against her boss and for Hare, or she will be killed. He's also trying to find out about a company called Red Queen, Ltd.
She sees people as related to characters in Alice Wonderland, such as two of the thugs looking like the Tweedles and one guy looking like the walrus.
She gets a diary and starts keeping entries, planning to flee to England to escape the thugs. She makes an Internet connection with a guy from England. She gets kidnapped again. Again she's freed. Her new friend Nigel from England meets her and they tour Europe, but it seems he is hiding something. He also is married but in the process of getting a divorce with an extremely angry soon-to-be ex-wife.
Things go on from there, later involving cannibalistic rabbits, more of the Cheshire Cat, beheadings and a whole boatload of crooked lawyers and one very crooked lawyer.
If you strip all of the Alice in Wonderland references out of the book, then the book is actually fairly good and makes sense. It's actually hard to see why the author used the references to Alice in Wonderland at all; they are totally unnecessary and, to some degree, weaken the quality of the book.
She sees people as related to characters in Alice Wonderland, such as two of the thugs looking like the Tweedles and one guy looking like the walrus.
She gets a diary and starts keeping entries, planning to flee to England to escape the thugs. She makes an Internet connection with a guy from England. She gets kidnapped again. Again she's freed. Her new friend Nigel from England meets her and they tour Europe, but it seems he is hiding something. He also is married but in the process of getting a divorce with an extremely angry soon-to-be ex-wife.
Things go on from there, later involving cannibalistic rabbits, more of the Cheshire Cat, beheadings and a whole boatload of crooked lawyers and one very crooked lawyer.
If you strip all of the Alice in Wonderland references out of the book, then the book is actually fairly good and makes sense. It's actually hard to see why the author used the references to Alice in Wonderland at all; they are totally unnecessary and, to some degree, weaken the quality of the book.
July 9, 2013
I am loving the audio books by Barbara Silkstone.
Alice Hart finds herself in all sorts of trouble, after she thinks she is meeting the man of her dreams online.
She is so unhappy with her job, and wants so badly to get away from her awful boss, but he has no intentions of letting her go. He has all kinds of thugs around to do his dirty work. From judges to crazy, obnoxious women.
Alice thinks she is going to England to meet Nigal, and thats where the craziness begins. They are in and out of hotels
every day, like someone is following them, and it turns out there is....
Then upon returning home it does not get any better. Alice is being sued by her boss. There are people getting killed,
bad men showing up at her door, corrupt lawyers, and even worse judges. Alice ends up being her own lawyer. Will she figure out whats going on before it's too late???
This book was so much fun.
Alice Hart finds herself in all sorts of trouble, after she thinks she is meeting the man of her dreams online.
She is so unhappy with her job, and wants so badly to get away from her awful boss, but he has no intentions of letting her go. He has all kinds of thugs around to do his dirty work. From judges to crazy, obnoxious women.
Alice thinks she is going to England to meet Nigal, and thats where the craziness begins. They are in and out of hotels
every day, like someone is following them, and it turns out there is....
Then upon returning home it does not get any better. Alice is being sued by her boss. There are people getting killed,
bad men showing up at her door, corrupt lawyers, and even worse judges. Alice ends up being her own lawyer. Will she figure out whats going on before it's too late???
This book was so much fun.
August 15, 2012
Barbara Silkstone's take on Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland is a fun adventure, a book filled with greed, murder, romance and comedy. Alice Harte is an extremely likeable character. She just wants what most women want: a good job, a nice place to live and someone to share her life with. Unfortunately when her job starts to go south because of her boss from hell, her life takes on a crazy spin. She finds romance via the internet with a mystery man who helps her escape her problems at home for a while, but unfortunately, this relationship brings with it its own craziness. This book is like all of Silkstone's other's--fast-paced, filled with murder, mystery and laughs along the way. A delightful read!
December 6, 2011
This book was wild, outrageous fun! From page one of The Secret Diary of Alice in Wonderland, Age 42 and Three-Quarters, Barbara Silkstone grabs the reader by the throat and hauls her along on a wild ride all the way to The End. The author has a strong, distinctive voice and uses words the way an artist uses paint. Like strokes of bold color, her descriptions create vivid and lively scenes and unforgettable characters that have stayed with me long after I put down the book. This is an amazing, riotous adventure that I would recommend to any and all Janet Evanovich fans.
May 26, 2011
So far I have gone further into the rabbit hole with Silkstone. There are not only references to the Alice in Wonderland book, but to many other philanthropistic ideals. Can't wait to finish it up, review and post to all sites, and possibly interview the author, Barbara Silkstone. This was posted as a series so let us see where this Tim Dorsey meets Stephanie Plum kind of author has coming for us next.
December 11, 2011
What a whacky book! This has got to be one of the most fascinating reads available today, and that is saying a lot as there are tons of good books on the market. I am through with this one and can't resist the chance to urge others to put reality on hold and grab this book...and run for the rabbit hole!
February 25, 2013
What’s not to love about The Secret Diary of Alice ? It’s witty, fun, quirky with a great dose of mystery, romance, and comedy combined. I was brought up with John Cleese, and his sense of humour, so Nigel Channing absolutely nails it for me.
Fast-paced and climatic, you won’t be able to put this fabulous book down!
Fast-paced and climatic, you won’t be able to put this fabulous book down!
March 5, 2011
Alice Hart is an Alice In Wonderland nut. Everything in her life equates to something from AIW. This woman gets into more scrapes and situations than even Alice. She goes from one disaster to another. It's a riot!
October 17, 2016
This book grabbed my attention by the title alone. It is comprised of a complicated plot, with an even more complicated herione, but the laughs and humor keep coming. Some of the situations are a little over the top, but overall it is a good book to read.
December 17, 2010
Barbara Silkstone's quirky new novel is a tribute to the genius of the Lewis Carrol classic, Alice in Wonderland.
Alice, aged 42 and 3/4, is caught between her homicidal real estate boss and his rival, out for revenge of the beheading of his brother. Desperate to avoid Tweedledee and Tweedledum and to keep her head, Alice decides to escape to England and during her online search for a hideaway meets Nigel, a (possibly) handsome British charmer who offers to fulfil all her dreams. Alice quickly discovers that Nigel is too good to be true as he whisks her from place to place, always looking over his shoulder. When Alice returns to the US, her dreams in tatters, she must find a way out of the rabbit hole.
Silkstone has created an unusual story that interjects elements of fantasy with contemporary characters and plot which makes for a fun and unpredictable read. There several touches of the absurd, including the grinning Cheshire cat and the rabid rabbits, but they work within the spirit of the novel. Essentially it's a mystery/suspense, as Alice needs find the truth behind her boss's unsavoury work ethic and Lizard Links to save herself from being dragged into court or worse, and avoid the mysterious Mr Hare who wants proof of her boss's wrongdoings and won't take no for an answer. There is also a generous component of romantic comedy as Alice pursues her British dream man.
I quite liked Alice, though she was an odd combination of practicality and fantasist. The first person point of view stemming from Alice's diary entries gives the reader an insight into her character and her motivations as she careens through the plot.
The relationship between Alice and Nigel is a little like a screwball romantic comedy. Alice is so desperate to cling to her fantasies that she ignores Nigel's inconsistencies until she really has no option but to concede defeat. Silkstone kept me guessing about Nigel and his motovations right up to the end where his escape with Maris made perfect sense.
The Secret Diary of Alice in Wonderland, aged 42 and three-quarters is an unusual tale, that is entertaining with a unique point of difference from the usual fare of the genre. It's sure to appeal to readers who like something just a little left of center.
Alice, aged 42 and 3/4, is caught between her homicidal real estate boss and his rival, out for revenge of the beheading of his brother. Desperate to avoid Tweedledee and Tweedledum and to keep her head, Alice decides to escape to England and during her online search for a hideaway meets Nigel, a (possibly) handsome British charmer who offers to fulfil all her dreams. Alice quickly discovers that Nigel is too good to be true as he whisks her from place to place, always looking over his shoulder. When Alice returns to the US, her dreams in tatters, she must find a way out of the rabbit hole.
Silkstone has created an unusual story that interjects elements of fantasy with contemporary characters and plot which makes for a fun and unpredictable read. There several touches of the absurd, including the grinning Cheshire cat and the rabid rabbits, but they work within the spirit of the novel. Essentially it's a mystery/suspense, as Alice needs find the truth behind her boss's unsavoury work ethic and Lizard Links to save herself from being dragged into court or worse, and avoid the mysterious Mr Hare who wants proof of her boss's wrongdoings and won't take no for an answer. There is also a generous component of romantic comedy as Alice pursues her British dream man.
I quite liked Alice, though she was an odd combination of practicality and fantasist. The first person point of view stemming from Alice's diary entries gives the reader an insight into her character and her motivations as she careens through the plot.
The relationship between Alice and Nigel is a little like a screwball romantic comedy. Alice is so desperate to cling to her fantasies that she ignores Nigel's inconsistencies until she really has no option but to concede defeat. Silkstone kept me guessing about Nigel and his motovations right up to the end where his escape with Maris made perfect sense.
The Secret Diary of Alice in Wonderland, aged 42 and three-quarters is an unusual tale, that is entertaining with a unique point of difference from the usual fare of the genre. It's sure to appeal to readers who like something just a little left of center.
July 18, 2011
This quirky, outlandish, and unpredictable book takes the reader places that are both unexpected and ridiculous. Written as somewhat of a parallel to Alice in Wonderland's zany adventure, each chapter starts with a fitting phrase from Lewis Carroll's classic that mirrors the happenings in Alice Harte's life. When reading this book, just as when reading the original "Alice," one has to suspend all logic and just let the wave take you where it will. Barbara Silkstone manages to weave details from the classic into this book in a way that pads out the rest of the book. Without that connection, I think the overall plot wouldn't have been as strong as it was. The connection between the two Alices was what made this book so interesting. Although the story dragged and meandered a bit in some places, it was still interesting.
The characters are a lot of fun in their wackiness. Nigel is somehow charming and comical, gross yet gallant. He's an engaging enigma who somehow has captured Alice's blind adoration. Of all the characters, I felt he was the one with the most life. Alice herself felt to me like she didn't quite reach her full potential as a character. She was almost there, but felt a little lacking somehow. Perhaps it was the choices she made and the way she went about things that didn't seem quite right. The other characters were quirky and fitting to their roles in the story. Leslie and Sunglasses, two main characters that have a lot of impact on the direction of Alice's life, seemed to disappear for a while in the middle of the book, leaving me to momentarily forget what Alice's conflict actually was. For that reason, it felt a bit like a few major sections to a story that came together at the end, but didn't interconnect as well as I had anticipated. In spite of some explanation, I still didn't feel like I totally understood Nigel's connection to the entire story.
If you're in the mood to slide down the rabbit hole, this book will take you there.
Read the full review @ MotherLode blog http://gracekrispy.com
The characters are a lot of fun in their wackiness. Nigel is somehow charming and comical, gross yet gallant. He's an engaging enigma who somehow has captured Alice's blind adoration. Of all the characters, I felt he was the one with the most life. Alice herself felt to me like she didn't quite reach her full potential as a character. She was almost there, but felt a little lacking somehow. Perhaps it was the choices she made and the way she went about things that didn't seem quite right. The other characters were quirky and fitting to their roles in the story. Leslie and Sunglasses, two main characters that have a lot of impact on the direction of Alice's life, seemed to disappear for a while in the middle of the book, leaving me to momentarily forget what Alice's conflict actually was. For that reason, it felt a bit like a few major sections to a story that came together at the end, but didn't interconnect as well as I had anticipated. In spite of some explanation, I still didn't feel like I totally understood Nigel's connection to the entire story.
If you're in the mood to slide down the rabbit hole, this book will take you there.
Read the full review @ MotherLode blog http://gracekrispy.com
July 26, 2016
AudioBook Review
Stars Overall: 5 Narration: 5 Story: 5
The Secret Diary of Alice in Wonderland Aged 42 and Three Quarters is clever, funny, solidly voiced and presents a modern-day twist for Alice all grown up. The second of Silkstone’s titles that I have reviewed in Audio form, the narration provided by Karen Krouse managed to voice Alice with panache and provided an interesting twist with accented wise guys, and smooth delivery of the written words.
The story cleverly places our Alice, a slightly neurotic and germ phobic woman with a sassy sense of humor, a mouth that is engaged often before her brain and a penchant for all things British. She works in real estate for a ‘connected’ man who is developing luxury properties all over south Florida. Unfortunately, while Alice wants to quit, the boss won’t let her, and there are others who expect she will practice some workplace espionage and then testify at a later date.
The story just starts at a level 3 and ramps up from there, with references that are clever plays on the characters and references from the original Alice stories, a few I didn’t realize just how clever until a few sentences later. With several free-falls down the rabbit hole, only to emerge with another plot twist and more action, this story alternated between laugh out loud funny to just plain amusing. And Alice will never be the same again.
I received an AudioBook copy of the title from the author for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Stars Overall: 5 Narration: 5 Story: 5
The Secret Diary of Alice in Wonderland Aged 42 and Three Quarters is clever, funny, solidly voiced and presents a modern-day twist for Alice all grown up. The second of Silkstone’s titles that I have reviewed in Audio form, the narration provided by Karen Krouse managed to voice Alice with panache and provided an interesting twist with accented wise guys, and smooth delivery of the written words.
The story cleverly places our Alice, a slightly neurotic and germ phobic woman with a sassy sense of humor, a mouth that is engaged often before her brain and a penchant for all things British. She works in real estate for a ‘connected’ man who is developing luxury properties all over south Florida. Unfortunately, while Alice wants to quit, the boss won’t let her, and there are others who expect she will practice some workplace espionage and then testify at a later date.
The story just starts at a level 3 and ramps up from there, with references that are clever plays on the characters and references from the original Alice stories, a few I didn’t realize just how clever until a few sentences later. With several free-falls down the rabbit hole, only to emerge with another plot twist and more action, this story alternated between laugh out loud funny to just plain amusing. And Alice will never be the same again.
I received an AudioBook copy of the title from the author for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
April 25, 2014
I chose The Secret Diary Of Alice In Wonderland because it had a cute title and eye-catching cover. Perhaps a break down a rabbit hole could be a fun experience…
I however struggled with the strange connections, and found it hard to believe that someone as pretty as Alice would fall for someone the likes of Nigel Channing. ( I think that love of strong independent women characters kicked in here and I did not like Alice’s inability to find someone right for her) Once author Barbara Silkstone started describing Nigel and all of his quirks and so on and so on, yet Alice stayed interested in him, I lost my belief in the storyline.
I hung in there until the end though as I was curious as to what would happen with Alice and the false accusations of her boss and the shady people who surrounded her…. all in all, the book for me felt way to out there.
Know that I seem to be in the minority on this one. Reviews on Amazon rate this one high. If you do like this, Barbara Silkstone has many books with a similar fun theme:
I however struggled with the strange connections, and found it hard to believe that someone as pretty as Alice would fall for someone the likes of Nigel Channing. ( I think that love of strong independent women characters kicked in here and I did not like Alice’s inability to find someone right for her) Once author Barbara Silkstone started describing Nigel and all of his quirks and so on and so on, yet Alice stayed interested in him, I lost my belief in the storyline.
I hung in there until the end though as I was curious as to what would happen with Alice and the false accusations of her boss and the shady people who surrounded her…. all in all, the book for me felt way to out there.
Know that I seem to be in the minority on this one. Reviews on Amazon rate this one high. If you do like this, Barbara Silkstone has many books with a similar fun theme:
July 23, 2011
I'll tell you now, I judged a book by its cover. How could you not want to read a book with this rabbit on the front?
So now that you know I'm a judger, let me tell you my thoughts and feelings on the book. Ms. Silkstone has done a great job. She grabbed me right off the bat and made me fall in love with her writing and her characters. I could really see myself jumping into Alice and having her attitude problem (I think that's why I love her so much!) with the world. I'm just saddened that Nigel wasn't all he made himself out to be, but love can be blind, deaf, dumb and stupid.
If you're looking for a book that will give you a laugh, a bit of intrigue, and the nievity of love...pick up a copy of Ms. Silkstone's book today. Make sure to keep an eye out on your mail slot...you never know who might be lurking there. (Read the book to find out what I'm talking about.)
So now that you know I'm a judger, let me tell you my thoughts and feelings on the book. Ms. Silkstone has done a great job. She grabbed me right off the bat and made me fall in love with her writing and her characters. I could really see myself jumping into Alice and having her attitude problem (I think that's why I love her so much!) with the world. I'm just saddened that Nigel wasn't all he made himself out to be, but love can be blind, deaf, dumb and stupid.
If you're looking for a book that will give you a laugh, a bit of intrigue, and the nievity of love...pick up a copy of Ms. Silkstone's book today. Make sure to keep an eye out on your mail slot...you never know who might be lurking there. (Read the book to find out what I'm talking about.)
December 31, 2011
I love the cover. Alice lives in Miami and is embroiled with realtor/gangstas. Also she sees the chesire cat occasionally and compares her life to Alice in Wonderland. (It's a gimme from the title.) She signs up on the net to find a hot Englishman, because she's enamored of all things English. Then things really go south. Liked the sense of humor. Liked that the heroine wasn't a bunny humping nineteen. (Pun intended.) But it was slow going in the first 2/3rds. Once our spunky little Alice got her juju back and started taking control again in the last 1/3 it was much more interesting. The plot was convoluted but I perservered. Lots of A in W references for fun and the bunny issue was just up my twisted alley, but I won't give it away. Quirky is the right word for the novel.
February 8, 2013
I'm not sure where to start. I'm aware that it was meant to be funny, but I didn't find anything funny about it, anywhere. I love Janet Evanovich. I have laughed so hard that I had tears streaming down my cheeks from her novels. This, though, didn't even produce a silent chuckle.
It was extremely confusing, boring and I questioned why I was still reading. I came to realize I kept reading it to find out what Nigel's deal was.
I have read many great reviews on this, which have left me confused. I know not all books for are everyone and I guess this is one of those. I just struggled through it and didn't care for it at all.
It was extremely confusing, boring and I questioned why I was still reading. I came to realize I kept reading it to find out what Nigel's deal was.
I have read many great reviews on this, which have left me confused. I know not all books for are everyone and I guess this is one of those. I just struggled through it and didn't care for it at all.
February 2, 2014
Hah! Poor Alice. She had more problems than Carter had liver pills. I seriously think she was a magnet for it, and none of her own doing. Seems everyone except a couple of people wanted her gone, permanently. But, she had her own ways of dealing with it. And lets face it, Nigel did not help what-so-ever. Believe he made it worse. I have to say this was a funny read, except for the rabbits. That was disgusting. But overall I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a fast paced, funny and at times hilarious read, with lots of quirky characters and even some evil ones. Kinda made my head spin. LOL! You'll get that if you read it.
July 22, 2014
I really wanted to like this story; I love Alice in Wonderland, but I just could not get into it. I found the main character to be annoying, and her personality seemed to switch around depending on the circumstance. For example, when she tells her daughter she "met someone on the internet" her daughter expresses concern regarding her trusting nature, but only a few moments later someone (I don't remember who) comments on her naturally suspicious nature. I also felt like the author was trying to hard to make allusions to Alice in Wonderland. I felt the characters where very two dimensional and at best caricatures.
May 6, 2012
I really enjoyed reading this book. I only gave it 4 stars though, because in the electronic edition I purchased, there were grammatical problems. However, I overlooked them. I loved how the personalities of characters from the original novel were woven into the characters of this work. I thought the references to the original work were great. I also loved how each section started with a quote from the original work as well. It made me want to read "Alice in Wonderland" all over again. This was definitly a great read.
December 6, 2013
I made through 26% of the book, before I invoked my "Life is too short to waste reading bad books" rule.
I don't understand all the comparisons to Janet Evanovich. Her characters have actual personalities, and are full of interesting and amusing quirks.. This book's heroine is a neurotic sad case who supposedly works full-time for a thug, but does not do any discernible thing in the office other than deal with the thug's even more disturbed wife.
I simply don't care what happens in this book. It was a Kindle freebie, and now it's a Kindle throwaway.
I don't understand all the comparisons to Janet Evanovich. Her characters have actual personalities, and are full of interesting and amusing quirks.. This book's heroine is a neurotic sad case who supposedly works full-time for a thug, but does not do any discernible thing in the office other than deal with the thug's even more disturbed wife.
I simply don't care what happens in this book. It was a Kindle freebie, and now it's a Kindle throwaway.
June 26, 2011
I decided to read this book "The Secret Diary of Alice In Wonderland, Age 42 and Three-Quarters" because the title made me smile. I hesitated a little because I was not a huge Alice In Wonderland fan. I was delighted when the book turned out to be a clever, witty, charming, funny, silly, comical quick read! It had a lot of quirky kooky wacky characters and humorous dialogue that made me laugh and smile.
April 13, 2012
Free/cheapie ebook from Amazon last fall. I was looking for something to catch my interest last night at oh-dark-hundred, and the first 10% or so was sort of interesting. A couple of hours later, done, though I skimmed in the middle, all around Europe, yada yada.
Alice was such a sucker!! The middle of this, after she got together with Nigel, dragged and dragged and she was awfully slow to figure out what was happening. The last 20% or so was pretty decent. 2.5 stars
Alice was such a sucker!! The middle of this, after she got together with Nigel, dragged and dragged and she was awfully slow to figure out what was happening. The last 20% or so was pretty decent. 2.5 stars
December 25, 2023
Quirky characters had me laughing out loud and I stayed up all night to find out WHAT the villain did. We find out who the villain is right away but what exactly is he up to and will he get his just rewards. His wife turned out to be a surprising character and our heroine was very persistent. Her best friend Ron was a great help (everyone needs a friend like him). Alice pleasantly reminded me of early Stephanie Plum.
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