After Alison Temple discovers that her husband is cheating on her, she does what any jilted woman would do: She spray-paints a nasty message for him on her wedding dress and takes a job with the detective firm that found him out. Being a researcher at the all-female Fitzgerald’s Bureau of Investigation in London is certainly a change of pace from her previous life, especially considering the characters Alison meets in the line of duty. There’s her boss, the estimable Mrs. Fitzgerald; Taron, Alison’s eccentric best friend, who claims her mother is a witch; Jeff, her love-struck, poetry-writing neighbor; and—last but not least!—her psychic postman. Together, their idiosyncrasies and their demands on Alison threaten to drive her mad…if she didn’t need and love them all so much. Clever, quirky, and infused with just a hint of magic, Alison Wonderland is a literary novel about a memorable heroine coping with the everyday complexities of modern life.
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“Only occasionally does a piece of fiction leap out and demand immediate cult status. Alison Wonderland is one…Smith is at the very least a minor phenomenon.
— The Times
Made me sigh and throw it to the floor in a fit of envious pique.
— Julie Burchill, GuardianSmith is gin-and-tonic funny.
— Booklist" I wanted to like this book...it had so much potential in my mind, but it missed the mark. I thought it would be more whimsical and light, instead of bizarre and crude. Not a fan. "
— Natalie, 2/6/2014" I hate to admit that I gave up on a book, but I did. There are just too many good books out there to spend time on one I wasn't enjoying. "
— Sharon, 2/2/2014" Quirky. The title character is engaging and likable and the book is well written. But the story is just a skeleton to hang the characters on. "
— Simon, 1/22/2014" I dove into this book expectantly, and was not disappointed.....until I reached the end. The storyline was enjoyable and engaging. Quirky in places, which really kept me interested. So much potential for character and storyline development. However, in the end, the story positively fizzled, and I felt as though I were left with an unfinished story. I was almost angry about it. "
— Fran, 1/13/2014" An amusing and quirky little book. "
— Becky, 1/3/2014" Lame. The only reason I didn't try to get my money back, was because my time is worth more than 99 cents. "
— Cyndie, 12/27/2013" I didn't really care for this one but it was good enought to finish I guess "
— Darlene, 12/25/2013" This is one of those "just okay" books that kept me engaged but i was glad to finish it and move on to another book. "
— Barbara, 12/22/2013" I could not really get into this book. Struggled through it and survived. For some reason I had a hard time with the writing style. I found myself skimming along waiting for something to happen. "
— Jilll, 12/18/2013" This was an enjoyable book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a solid fiction story. Wasn't great, but wasn't bad. If there was a 3.5 star that's what I'd give it. "
— Robert, 12/7/2013" I kept waiting to "get into" this book. Somewhat disappointed because I thought I would enjoy it. "
— Patty, 11/19/2013Helen Smith is a member of the Society of Authors and the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain. She writes novels, children’s books, poetry, plays, and screenplays, and was the recipient of an Arts Council England award.
Alison Larkin is a playwright, stage actress, stand-up comic, voice artist, and Earphones Award–winning narrator whose wide range of voices can be heard in cartoons and movies, including Pocahontas and The Wonder Pets.