The Trouble with Tweedle

The Curious Case of Mary Ann, Book 2

By: Jenn Thorson

Narrated by: Emily Lawrence

Length: 9 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's summary

Tweedle-Dee, Tweedle-Dum, Tweedle-Die?

Mary Ann Carpenter, the White Rabbit’s former housemaid, swapped her mop for a knight’s sword and is focused on her future. But when one of the Tweedle twins vanish—and the prime suspect is a mythic, monstrous crow—Mary Ann’s mission takes flight. The Red Queen tasks her and a partner, Sir Rufus, to solve the Tweedle trouble in Turvy. Soon, the two are entwined in a twisting twail of tweachery—from carnivorous cryptids, ancient secrets, and elusive artifacts to tabloid journalism and corvid dating techniques.

By rook or by crook, Mary Ann and Rufus must track down the Turvian Tweedlenapper, leading a mad and magical journey destined to leave the whole realm rattled.

©2022 Jenn Thorson (P)2023 Jenn Thorson

O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!

I'm a fan of Lewis Carroll's Wonderland setting, and have always struggled to enjoy many of the spin-off stories written by many authors, mostly because they're just another story that JUST HAPPENS to be in Wonderland. They don't capture the writing style, or the themes properly. Jenn Thorson captures the charm and whimsy of Carroll's writing style, and feels every bit an integral part of the story of Wonderland as a whole. Her meticulous attention to even the smallest details is astounding. From the description of a Cheshire Cat materializing to her grasp of "Turvy Time."
The Trouble with Tweedle was an amazing journey through Wonderland, as Mary Ann and her compatriot, Sir Rufus, slayer of the Jabberwock are faced with yet another mystery that unfolds in such unpredictable ways. I can't tell you how many times throughout the story, I had ideas as to "who dunnit" and I'm pleased to admit, I was so far off base every time. Not only is this a wonderful expression of all the best (and creepy) parts of Wonderland, it's an extremely well crafted mystery full of twists, turns, surprises, and even incorrect assumptions made repeatedly by our most magnificent investigator, Mary Ann.
From the first line to the final teaser, I was captivated, and couldn't wait to learn more and explore the story. Emily Lawrence, the narrator, was captivating. Her delivery is so nuanced, and borders on absolute perfection. Some narrators are dry and boring. Emily is definitely not boring or dry. She's lively, and light-hearted throughout. Her narrations absolutely adds to the entire experience! I'll definitely listen to this again, and am eagerly awaiting more! I HIGHLY recommend this title to ANYONE who is even remotely a fan of Wonderland. 13/5 stars!

Delightful trip through the Wonderlands

Once upon a time there was a frabjously brilliant wordsmith who set before herself the task of transporting readers, young and old, to a land that's neither here, nor there.

Simply put, JENN THORSON is that smith; TODAY is that time; THE TROUBLE WITH TWEEDLE is that task; WONDERLAND is that land.

Here we have a morsel that's as rare as an OLD INKY sighting, and as fine as the finest TURVIAN cheese and ERSTWHILEAN wine.

The Trouble With Tweedle is a perfectly crafted continuation story to Miss. Thorson's first foray into the Wonderlands.

I find this author's works a delightful and welcome escape from the cares and worries of this world - reality - wonder-less-land. In their fictional and highly anthropomorphic settings, Miss. Thorson's characters are relatable.

Emily Lawrence is a modern day Mel Blanc, exquisitely voicing each character, bringing them to life with depth of emotion and individuality.

Enjoyable and Entertaining

A former housemaid for the White Rabbit, Mary Ann Carpenter left to seek a different career path. She chose to be a knight’s sword. However, as with all things in the world of the proverbial “Rabbit Hole”, things went awry. It began with the attempted abduction of one of the Tweedle brothers, a frightening yet mythic crow reportedly being the culprit, and a myriad of other mysterious things starting to happen. Instead of being a Knight’s Sword, she is assigned to be a private eye by none other than the Red Queen! Thus, a fun and delightful mystery ensues.

The author, Jenn Thorson, draws upon the well-known classic, Alice in Wonderland to weave a magical story that is not connected to Alice at all! Rather the location and magical and mysterious creatures including the Cheshire Cat, The White Rabbit, Tweedle Dee & Dum, and more. Thorson grows the characters through rich descriptions and actions adding more depth to their personalities. The storyline flows smoothly with no plot issues and has a few unexpected plot twists! Not just a fantasy, it has a bit of a romantic twinge to it as well. I enjoyed how the Red Queen was made more tolerable in this storyline.
The narrator, Emily Lawrence provides a rich and entertaining listen as she uses her talents to bring each character to life. Her pauses, delivery, and expression enhance the story. Very well done.

I highly recommend this book as it adds to the characters and a place we all know and love from our childhood but with added twists and mystery.

There were no issues with the production or quality of this audiobook.