Down the Rabbit Hole
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4.4 • 574 Ratings
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- $5.99
Publisher Description
The real, untold, and unvarnished story of life inside the legendary Playboy Mansion—and the man who holds the key—from the woman who was Hef’s #1 girlfriend and star of The Girls Next Door. Read by Holly Madison herself!
A spontaneous decision at age twenty-one transformed small-town Oregon girl Holly Sue Cullen into Holly Madison, Hugh Hefner’s #1 girlfriend. But like Alice in Wonderland after she plunged down the rabbit hole, what seemed like a fairytale life inside the Playboy Mansion—including A-list celebrity parties and her own #1-rated television show—quickly devolved into an oppressive routine of strict rules, manipulation, and battles with ambitious, backstabbing bunnies. Losing her identity, her sense of self-worth, and her hope for the future, Holly found herself sitting alone in a bathtub contemplating suicide.
But instead of ending her life, Holly chose to take charge of it.
In this shockingly candid and surprisingly moving memoir, this thoughtful and introspective woman opens up about life inside the Mansion, the drugs, the sex and the infamous parties, as well as what her relationships with her Girls Next Door co-stars, Bridget and Kendra were really like. Holly talks candidly about a subsequent abusive relationship, her own successful television series, and the hard work of healing, including her turn on Dancing with the Stars. A cautionary tale and a celebration of personal empowerment, Down the Rabbit Hole reminds us of the importance of fighting for our dreams—and finding the life we deserve.
This unflinching Hollywood tell-all reveals:
Life Inside the Mansion: From A-list parties to the oppressive routine of strict rules, manipulation, and backstabbing bunnies that pushed a young woman to her breaking point.The Girls Next Door: The real, unvarnished truth about her relationships with co-stars Bridget and Kendra, away from the reality TV cameras.Raw Honesty: A shockingly candid look at losing her identity and self-worth—and the moment in a bathtub that changed everything.Personal Empowerment: A powerful journey of healing, taking charge of her own narrative, and fighting for the life she deserved after walking away.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
We figured Down the Rabbit Hole would be as fluffy and superficial as the reality series The Girls Next Door, in which Holly Madison appeared as one of Hugh Hefner's three young girlfriends. Instead, Madison steers us away from the cameras, shattering Hefner's carefully constructed image of his Playboy Mansion as a place of easygoing, uninhibited sensuality. Madison narrates tales of depression, infighting, and personal betrayals in a straightforward fashion that cuts through the fabricated glitz and glamour. Don't judge the book by its sex-kitten cover: Madison’s emotional story of determination is full of honest truths.
Customer Reviews
Pleasantly surprised
I found it fascinating that a woman with the stereotypical impression of a blond, gold digger, who lacks brain cells, is none of that. She’s an interesting woman, who is quite bright, and has a bright future. I wish her continued success.
I love Holly!
I loved the Girls Next Door when it was on air. Holly did always come off as the “*****y” one, and honestly this book is so insightful into what was really happening behind closed doors and why she appeared the way she did (but doesn’t make excuses). Honestly shows how brainwashing works. The Playboy mansion was basically a cult and good for Holly for realizing it and never turning back.
Simply amazing
I’ve always wanted to read the book but was never able to, but now that the girls next level podcast is out it reminded me of this book so I finally went ahead and bought it and I don’t regret it. Great book, great stories, and Holly’s voice on the audio book is very soothing.