In 1852, age 8, Alice had a book of poems published under a pseudonym but her music career began when her parents sent her to Germany to be taught by Adolphe Henselt a former fellow student of her fathers. Her performing career began in 1861 in Paris, she then came to London where she continued to play until age 28 when she gave her last recital at Crystal Palace in 1872. From this time onwards she seems to have preferred teaching music.

In 1863 she married the violinist/composer Louis Diehl a match that her mother did not approve of but which was a great success.

It was in about 1872 that Alice began writing short stories at first then novels like “The Garden of Eden” in 1882 and she continued so to do until just before her death on 13th June 1912 writing over 40 novels.