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Hello Bunny Alice
In 1967 Bunny Girl Alice Jones met Lenny Maxted - one half of the brilliant comic duo, Maxted and Flowers - and fell deeply in love with him. But, like so many great comics, Lenny had a dark side. Their love affair ended when Alice found his body hanging from a beam in a Wiltshire cottage. Seven years after his death, in the long hot summer of 1976, Alice is leading a quiet, almost reclusive life in an Oxfordshire farmhouse when, out of the blue, Lenny's partner, Jack Flowers, turns up on her doorstep. Alice has not seen him since Lenny's funeral, but her surprise and pleasure turn into an all too familiar sense of unease when she discovers that he is distressed and drinking heavily. At the same time, a car containing human remains is fished out of a Wiltshire lake...
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First published January 1, 2004
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About the author
Laura Wilson
156 books77 followersThere is more than one author with this name
Laura Wilson is an English crime-writer based in London, where she was born and raised. She has degrees in English Literature form Somerville College, Oxford, and University College London, and has worked as a teacher and editor of non-fiction.
Many of her novels have either a historical setting or a distinct historical connection, and often have split or dual narratives. Her first novel, A Little Death was shortlsited for a CWA Dagger award, and her fifth, The Lover was short listed for both the CWA Gold Dagger and the Ellis Peters Historical Dagger.
Laura Wilson is an English crime-writer based in London, where she was born and raised. She has degrees in English Literature form Somerville College, Oxford, and University College London, and has worked as a teacher and editor of non-fiction.
Many of her novels have either a historical setting or a distinct historical connection, and often have split or dual narratives. Her first novel, A Little Death was shortlsited for a CWA Dagger award, and her fifth, The Lover was short listed for both the CWA Gold Dagger and the Ellis Peters Historical Dagger.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
August 22, 2023
An exciting thriller, funny in parts and harrowing in others.
Though we sort of knew who the major killer would.
I juts loved Alice, a sweet , likable girl who sadly as a bunny gir, got mixed up with a nasty crowd, the scheming Kitty, the narcissistic Lennie and the psychopath Jack. Her naivety really nearly ruined her, but we know at the end she will be ok xxx
Though we sort of knew who the major killer would.
I juts loved Alice, a sweet , likable girl who sadly as a bunny gir, got mixed up with a nasty crowd, the scheming Kitty, the narcissistic Lennie and the psychopath Jack. Her naivety really nearly ruined her, but we know at the end she will be ok xxx
March 17, 2009
I found the "bunny" information very interesting. I wondered if this had been a former occupation of the author. I struggled with the stupidity of the main character, which was integral to the story, and kept hoping that real people don't live like this, although some probably do.
April 2, 2015
RATING: 3.75
Falling in love is one of the best experiences that a human being can have. Given that, why does it so often end badly? In 1967, Alice Conrad is working as a Bunny Girl, serving drinks at a private club while dressed in a skimpy bunny outfit complete with ears and fluffy tail. She meets her share of men doing this line of work, but none of them really sweep her off her feet until she meets Lenny Maxted. Together with his partner, Jack Flowers, Lenny is an up-and-comer on the comedy scene.
As Alice first describes it, their relationship was one of good will and good humor. Their bond was almost instantaneous. However, as time goes on, Lenny shows that he is a troubled young man who wrestles the demons of drinking and depression. Although Alice at first paints a rosy picture of their relationship, it is quite dysfunctional. Eventually, Lenny sinks into the abyss and commits suicide. From that point on, Alice secludes herself and devotes herself to living a simple life, tending animals and taking care of her home far removed from civilized society.
It's been almost 7 years since Lenny's death when Alice receives an upsetting newspaper clipping about a car containing human remains being fished out of a lake. She suspects that the body may be that of a woman who Lenny had slept with during one of their bad patches. She's worked hard to put all of this behind her, but the past won't be quiet. Just a few days after receiving the clipping, Jack Flowers shows up at her door and seems intent on staying with her for rather a long visit.
What transpires from that point on are mind games of horrifying proportions. The label of "psychological thriller" for this book doesn't begin to capture the impact of how the situation plays out for the reader and the characters in the book. Jack is a paranoid schizophrenic who alternates between loving and abominable behavior. Alice is not always an unwilling victim and goes along with things far more than she should, perhaps out of loneliness, perhaps out of a misplaced nostalgia for the past and a time that has a golden hue in her memory.
Wilson does an exceptional job of revealing the many layers of each of the characters in the book. They are very damaged people who have a veneer of normality that is quite deceptive. She knows how to ratchet up the suspense as well, although at times the book had an almost hysterical tone that felt manipulative of the reader and perhaps went a bit overboard on the perilous situations.
Each of Laura Wilson's four books is a unique work. Hello Bunny Alice succeeds at drawing the reader into a world that is frighteningly real. I doubt that anyone can read this book without becoming emotionally involved with the character of Alice and horrified by the events of the book. Can you?
Falling in love is one of the best experiences that a human being can have. Given that, why does it so often end badly? In 1967, Alice Conrad is working as a Bunny Girl, serving drinks at a private club while dressed in a skimpy bunny outfit complete with ears and fluffy tail. She meets her share of men doing this line of work, but none of them really sweep her off her feet until she meets Lenny Maxted. Together with his partner, Jack Flowers, Lenny is an up-and-comer on the comedy scene.
As Alice first describes it, their relationship was one of good will and good humor. Their bond was almost instantaneous. However, as time goes on, Lenny shows that he is a troubled young man who wrestles the demons of drinking and depression. Although Alice at first paints a rosy picture of their relationship, it is quite dysfunctional. Eventually, Lenny sinks into the abyss and commits suicide. From that point on, Alice secludes herself and devotes herself to living a simple life, tending animals and taking care of her home far removed from civilized society.
It's been almost 7 years since Lenny's death when Alice receives an upsetting newspaper clipping about a car containing human remains being fished out of a lake. She suspects that the body may be that of a woman who Lenny had slept with during one of their bad patches. She's worked hard to put all of this behind her, but the past won't be quiet. Just a few days after receiving the clipping, Jack Flowers shows up at her door and seems intent on staying with her for rather a long visit.
What transpires from that point on are mind games of horrifying proportions. The label of "psychological thriller" for this book doesn't begin to capture the impact of how the situation plays out for the reader and the characters in the book. Jack is a paranoid schizophrenic who alternates between loving and abominable behavior. Alice is not always an unwilling victim and goes along with things far more than she should, perhaps out of loneliness, perhaps out of a misplaced nostalgia for the past and a time that has a golden hue in her memory.
Wilson does an exceptional job of revealing the many layers of each of the characters in the book. They are very damaged people who have a veneer of normality that is quite deceptive. She knows how to ratchet up the suspense as well, although at times the book had an almost hysterical tone that felt manipulative of the reader and perhaps went a bit overboard on the perilous situations.
Each of Laura Wilson's four books is a unique work. Hello Bunny Alice succeeds at drawing the reader into a world that is frighteningly real. I doubt that anyone can read this book without becoming emotionally involved with the character of Alice and horrified by the events of the book. Can you?
March 18, 2024
When Alice Jones anonymously receives a newspaper cutting relating the dreadful discovery of a decomposed body in a bunny girl costume at the bottom of a lake on the Ivar Park estate in Wiltshire, she suspects that the body is that of a missing bunny girl who was last seen at a party with Alice’s husband, seven years earlier.
Since Lenny’s suicide Alice has tried to put the past behind her, living quietly on a farm, caring for her animals and shunning her former life. But the discovery of the body brings to her retreat Jack Flowers, Lenny’s former comedy partner, and with Jack comes memories of events that she had tried so hard to forget.
Forced by Jack’s intrusive presence to face her past life with Lenny, Alice begins to piece together her life from when she was a bunny girl and first met Lenny in 1967, and the many isolated incidents that she had hitherto blocked out. As her memories resurface so to do the questions. Why did Lenny hang himself? Did he sell his car, or is it the one at the bottom of the lake? Who sent her the newspaper cutting? Why is Jack here? Jack’s behaviour is erratic, his moods unpredictable, and gradually she becomes afraid, and aware that she is a prisoner, and maybe in great danger.
As with Laura's first book A Little Death, we have a small cast of characters, and the story is told by gracefully taking the reader backwards and forwards between present and past. The building of the suspense is very skilful, and as the story unfolds, so the chilling menace creeps up on you and increases with every new revelation. This is a brilliant piece of writing and highly recommended.
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Reviewer: Lizzie Hayes
Since Lenny’s suicide Alice has tried to put the past behind her, living quietly on a farm, caring for her animals and shunning her former life. But the discovery of the body brings to her retreat Jack Flowers, Lenny’s former comedy partner, and with Jack comes memories of events that she had tried so hard to forget.
Forced by Jack’s intrusive presence to face her past life with Lenny, Alice begins to piece together her life from when she was a bunny girl and first met Lenny in 1967, and the many isolated incidents that she had hitherto blocked out. As her memories resurface so to do the questions. Why did Lenny hang himself? Did he sell his car, or is it the one at the bottom of the lake? Who sent her the newspaper cutting? Why is Jack here? Jack’s behaviour is erratic, his moods unpredictable, and gradually she becomes afraid, and aware that she is a prisoner, and maybe in great danger.
As with Laura's first book A Little Death, we have a small cast of characters, and the story is told by gracefully taking the reader backwards and forwards between present and past. The building of the suspense is very skilful, and as the story unfolds, so the chilling menace creeps up on you and increases with every new revelation. This is a brilliant piece of writing and highly recommended.
------
Reviewer: Lizzie Hayes
January 21, 2025
In 1967 Bunny Girl Alice Jones met Lenny Maxted - one half of the brilliant comic duo, Maxted and Flowers - and fell deeply in love with him. But, like so many great comics, Lenny had a dark side. Their love affair ended when Alice found his body hanging from a beam in a Wiltshire cottage. Seven years after his death, in the long hot summer of 1976, Alice is leading a quiet, almost reclusive life in an Oxfordshire farmhouse when, out of the blue, Lenny's partner, Jack Flowers, turns up on her doorstep. Alice has not seen him since Lenny's funeral, but her surprise and pleasure turn in to an all too familiar sense of unease when she discovers that he is distressed and drinking heavily. At the same time a car containing human remains is fished out of a Wiltshire lake...
This story takes place mainly in the farmhouse where Alice lives, and Jack arrives to stay unexpectedly. There were flash backs to when they were all friends and Alice was dating Lenny, Jack’s partner. This gave the story a claustrophobic feel to it as it soon comes apparent that jack has other plans apart from a friendly visit.
A good read from this author but I feel that it was not one of her best reads. A quick read but it did take me longer than normal as I had a lot on this week and didn't’t pick the book up as much as I would normally. Plenty to keep me turning the pages and it soon comes apparent what really happened to Kitty before the book reaches it’s climax.
Would I recommend this book: Yes if you like Laura Wilson or if you want a quick thriller fix.
This story takes place mainly in the farmhouse where Alice lives, and Jack arrives to stay unexpectedly. There were flash backs to when they were all friends and Alice was dating Lenny, Jack’s partner. This gave the story a claustrophobic feel to it as it soon comes apparent that jack has other plans apart from a friendly visit.
A good read from this author but I feel that it was not one of her best reads. A quick read but it did take me longer than normal as I had a lot on this week and didn't’t pick the book up as much as I would normally. Plenty to keep me turning the pages and it soon comes apparent what really happened to Kitty before the book reaches it’s climax.
Would I recommend this book: Yes if you like Laura Wilson or if you want a quick thriller fix.
August 19, 2024
My notes:
- i didnt ovey enjoy this book at all
- it did have few things that happen were interesting but the turn of events i was just very disappointed .
Book Summary:
I had the dream again last night . I'm at bottom of a lake looking through the window of a car. Everything's green and murky and there's a skeleton behind the wheel , dressed as a Bunny Girl. The ears are perched on the skull, jaunty, the collar and bow tie are hanging round the neck vertebrae and the body's dressed in the satin costume-- black, the colour we all used to want because it was slimming -- with two empty cone-shaped cups sticking out in from of the ribcage....
In 1967 Bunny Girl Alice Jones met Lenny Maxted -- one half of the brilliant comic duo, Maxted and Flowers--- and fell deeply in love with him. But, like so many great comics, Lenny had a dark side. Their love affair ended when Alice found his body hanging from a beam in a Wiltshire Cottage .
Seven years after his death , in the long , hot summer of 1976, Alice is leading a quiet, almost reclusive life in an Oxfordshire farmhouse when, out of the blue, Lenny's Parnter , Jack Flowers, turns up on her doorstep. Alice has not seen him since Lenny's funeral, but her surprise and pleasure turn into an all too familiar sense of unease when she discovers that he is distressed and drinking heavily. At the same time a car containing human remains is fished out a Wiltshire Lake....
- i didnt ovey enjoy this book at all
- it did have few things that happen were interesting but the turn of events i was just very disappointed .
Book Summary:
I had the dream again last night . I'm at bottom of a lake looking through the window of a car. Everything's green and murky and there's a skeleton behind the wheel , dressed as a Bunny Girl. The ears are perched on the skull, jaunty, the collar and bow tie are hanging round the neck vertebrae and the body's dressed in the satin costume-- black, the colour we all used to want because it was slimming -- with two empty cone-shaped cups sticking out in from of the ribcage....
In 1967 Bunny Girl Alice Jones met Lenny Maxted -- one half of the brilliant comic duo, Maxted and Flowers--- and fell deeply in love with him. But, like so many great comics, Lenny had a dark side. Their love affair ended when Alice found his body hanging from a beam in a Wiltshire Cottage .
Seven years after his death , in the long , hot summer of 1976, Alice is leading a quiet, almost reclusive life in an Oxfordshire farmhouse when, out of the blue, Lenny's Parnter , Jack Flowers, turns up on her doorstep. Alice has not seen him since Lenny's funeral, but her surprise and pleasure turn into an all too familiar sense of unease when she discovers that he is distressed and drinking heavily. At the same time a car containing human remains is fished out a Wiltshire Lake....
November 17, 2025
Alice hatte zwar von Anfang an kein gutes Gefühl, aber sie hat es darauf geschoben, dass sie Jack noch nie wirklich gut leiden konnte. Außerdem wollte sie ja nicht wie ihre Mutter enden, die zwar mit ihren Tieren, aber ohne menschliche Gesellschaft gelebt und sich dabei einsam gefühlt hat. Da kam ihr Jacks Besuch wahrscheinlich gerade recht, um zu beweisen, dass sie eben nicht wie ihre Mutter ist.
Auf der anderen Seite war die Situation in den 70er Jahren noch eine ganz andere. Man konnte nicht mal schnell mit dem Handy Hilfe holen. Außerdem hat sie ihre Tiere, für die sie natürlich auch Verantwortung hat. Trotzdem: wenn ich mein Leben bedroht sehen würde, würde ich versuchen zu fliehen.
Für mich war das Ende zu verwirrend, über-dramatisch und zu dem, was vorher passiert ist, nicht passend.
Auf der anderen Seite war die Situation in den 70er Jahren noch eine ganz andere. Man konnte nicht mal schnell mit dem Handy Hilfe holen. Außerdem hat sie ihre Tiere, für die sie natürlich auch Verantwortung hat. Trotzdem: wenn ich mein Leben bedroht sehen würde, würde ich versuchen zu fliehen.
Für mich war das Ende zu verwirrend, über-dramatisch und zu dem, was vorher passiert ist, nicht passend.
January 6, 2024
I thought the story would go somewhere else, but it was still very interesting. Although I must say that the main character was rather stupid and most of her decisions were quite questionable, as well as having unnecessary deaths that could have been avoided or even omitted since later they seem to show no consequences (like the child's death).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 15, 2021
Well that’s a day and a half I won’t get back.
January 29, 2025
People seem to like this book but I thought it was complete drivel and a waste of my time.
September 18, 2025
well written characters who all seemingly have their stories intertwined. Though one character seems to be more out of the loop but the cause of everyone else's perspective. A good quick read!
January 18, 2018
The author goes too far into the character's histories and quirks which makes the story feel like it isn't really moving anywhere. The few times something interesting happened, I was disappointed with the turn of events. I was very disappointed in the ending, seeing as how the main character had a million chances to get out of her situation, but yet didn't. Too unrealistic.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 19, 2015
In 1967, nightclub waitress Alice Conway met Lenny Maxted - one half of England's legendary comedic duo, 'Maxted and Flowers' - and fell deeply in love with him. Yet, like so many great comedians before him, Lenny had a troubled side - a dark side which even Alice, soon his fiancée, could never reach. So it comes as a devastating blow to the entertainment community when it learns that Lenny Maxted committed suicide on an earl's estate. However, no one could possibly be more shattered by Lenny's inexplicable death than Alice herself, who found his body.
Now it's seven years later, and Alice is living quietly on an isolated farm in Oxfordshire, still trying to forget the pain of her past. Traumatized by having been the focus of so many newspaper tabloid-style headlines, and continuously haunted by her vivid nightmares of Lenny's death - Alice's serenity has practically been demolished. When an anonymous newspaper clipping arrives in the mail, everything immediately comes rushing back. Despite spending years in self-imposed isolation, and the beauty of her chosen safe haven, Alice knows that she can't ignore the past for very much longer...
And when an unexpected visitor shows up on her doorstep, and another venomous newspaper article arrives, Alice is certain: The nightmare is somehow beginning all over again. What happens next will take Alice on a terrifying journey into darkness...because someone is telling lies to Alice about what happened one night seven years ago. Someone who knows the full truth about what really happened that terrible night - a monstrous secret that has been kept for seven years; a dark secret that ultimately links a time, a place, and a group of friends and lovers. A secret that will put Alice in mortal danger.
This is actually the third book by Ms. Wilson that I've read, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one as much as I did the other two. In my opinion, this was a very intriguing mystery. The plot was just intricate enough to hold my attention, but not overly complicated. I appreciated that I had absolutely no problem following this story. I give this book an A!
Now it's seven years later, and Alice is living quietly on an isolated farm in Oxfordshire, still trying to forget the pain of her past. Traumatized by having been the focus of so many newspaper tabloid-style headlines, and continuously haunted by her vivid nightmares of Lenny's death - Alice's serenity has practically been demolished. When an anonymous newspaper clipping arrives in the mail, everything immediately comes rushing back. Despite spending years in self-imposed isolation, and the beauty of her chosen safe haven, Alice knows that she can't ignore the past for very much longer...
And when an unexpected visitor shows up on her doorstep, and another venomous newspaper article arrives, Alice is certain: The nightmare is somehow beginning all over again. What happens next will take Alice on a terrifying journey into darkness...because someone is telling lies to Alice about what happened one night seven years ago. Someone who knows the full truth about what really happened that terrible night - a monstrous secret that has been kept for seven years; a dark secret that ultimately links a time, a place, and a group of friends and lovers. A secret that will put Alice in mortal danger.
This is actually the third book by Ms. Wilson that I've read, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one as much as I did the other two. In my opinion, this was a very intriguing mystery. The plot was just intricate enough to hold my attention, but not overly complicated. I appreciated that I had absolutely no problem following this story. I give this book an A!
October 7, 2012
Laura Wilson's Hello Bunny Alice is probably one very weak story, to the point you can't help but wonder exactly how this was published.
Alice purposely lives in seclusion when her dead husband's best friend rocks up on her door one morning, and he's portrayed to be a completely unlikable character and yet she puts up with him instead of kicking him out. For whatever reason, there's some mystery to her husband's suicide (though a depressed alcaholic seems like a pretty straight-forward answer.) There's also a lot of focus on Alice's old job as a cocktail waitress wearing rabbit ears and a tail, which is, another weak element to this book. Both her husband and her husband's best friend also constantly refer to her as "Hello Bunny Alice" which becomes tedious after about the fifth time it's been written.
This book narrowly escapes being stuffed into the teen-reading section by the author writing "cunt." Now I'm not offended by this, but I can't help but wonder if the author was worried about not being taken seriously, so she had to be "edgy" with writing this word. She also changes usual sayings with words that mean the exact same thing in some kind of poor effort to appear clever.
Honestly, if you're looking for a book, take it from me. There is nothing sexy about this, nothing chillingly dark, nothing clever. It's just one, long, drag.
Alice purposely lives in seclusion when her dead husband's best friend rocks up on her door one morning, and he's portrayed to be a completely unlikable character and yet she puts up with him instead of kicking him out. For whatever reason, there's some mystery to her husband's suicide (though a depressed alcaholic seems like a pretty straight-forward answer.) There's also a lot of focus on Alice's old job as a cocktail waitress wearing rabbit ears and a tail, which is, another weak element to this book. Both her husband and her husband's best friend also constantly refer to her as "Hello Bunny Alice" which becomes tedious after about the fifth time it's been written.
This book narrowly escapes being stuffed into the teen-reading section by the author writing "cunt." Now I'm not offended by this, but I can't help but wonder if the author was worried about not being taken seriously, so she had to be "edgy" with writing this word. She also changes usual sayings with words that mean the exact same thing in some kind of poor effort to appear clever.
Honestly, if you're looking for a book, take it from me. There is nothing sexy about this, nothing chillingly dark, nothing clever. It's just one, long, drag.
February 14, 2008
I have mixed feelings about this book. It started off good, I thought. Written in the first person, which I like. But it just dragged on and on a little too much for me. Nothing much was happening. Every few chapters or so something would happen that got me excited and I couldn't wait to read more... only to be let down again when nothing much happened. About 10 chapters before the end it got even more exciting and I thought "finally, something big is gonna happen!" but it didn't.
When I finished it this morning, I was glad to finally be done with it.
When I finished it this morning, I was glad to finally be done with it.
January 12, 2015
I read this book under the title,Telling lies to Alice. Yes, Alice was a bunny waitress at a British night club so it is the same hapless Alice, who is hopelessly in love with one partner in a comedy team. This devoted love entangles her in a web of murder, deceit and an abundance of lies. A compelling read but this reader found it similar to a swim with sharks with few sympathetic characters. In all, a novel full of sound and fury, signifying little, save an exposure of the range of evil in which humans can participate.
January 31, 2008
This book was amazing. I seriously think it is one of the best books I have read. The characters were so deeply written I felt as if I was there with them. Im so glad I found this book at the Library.
January 26, 2009
This was a random pick at the library since Hunter was running around crazy. I finished the book because I usually have to finish any book I start. But I found it pretty boring. There were parts that held my attention.
August 28, 2010
I’m not really into thrillers but this book caught my attention for some reason.
Not a very relaxing book to read, but not graphic so I lasted to the end.
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/5...
Not a very relaxing book to read, but not graphic so I lasted to the end.
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/5...
August 21, 2009
I thought it was hard to follow along. The story jumped from past to present and back at what appeared as random. I gave up and returned it to the library without finishing it.
November 11, 2012
It was really boring.
February 25, 2013
This was really good. Enjoyed it immensely!
April 6, 2016
Gave up on it because even by Chapter 12 I still didn't know what I was likely to get out of it and the characters just didn't appeal.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews