WHO IS MAUD DIXON starts out slowly as we meet Florence, an aspiring author, who goes to work as an assistant for Helen, a best selling author. When the pair travels to Morocco to research Helen's next book, things pick up quickly and the twists and turns, like a cliff drive on a windy road, begin. Though characters may not be likeable, the book certainly is.

Who is Maud Dixon? is a debut novel about cunning, ambitious women who will stop at nothing to get what they want and live the life they think they deserve. This alone automatically appeals to me, and then the first page hooked me. I do urge you to skip the synopsis provided by the publisher and pick this up blind. (Synopses should not ruin plot points!!)

The first half of Who is Maud Dixon? was really setting up the rest of the story. The thrilling parts where definitely focused in the latter half. I do not mind this as I find that it gives the reader time to get to know the characters and understand them. However, it did leave the pacing a bit uneven.

Who is Maud Dixon? is filled with big twists and "oh shit!" moments. Most of which I did not see coming. Alexandra Andrews writing is sharp and sly making this a very readable book. She also does an excellent job creating an ominous foreboding that permeates the pages.

The only criticism I really have is that the resolution was a bit too quick and very tidy. While there were not plot holes, the ending just did not seem quite nuanced enough. Regardless, I did stay up late to finish it and essentially read it in one sitting.

Overall, I enjoyed Who is Maud Dixon? (3.5 stars.) I recommend it for thriller lovers, especially those who love reading about ambitious women. I think for people who detest reading stories that are a bit unbelievable, they might not love this book.

I was lucky to be able to still grab a galley of the much talked about thriller/mystery Who is Maud Dixon? I needed a plot-driven, page turner to get my reading mojo back. And this clever, twisted debut novel did the trick. I stayed up reading past my bedtime!

Florence had been raised to believe she was special and would accomplish big things. She did leave Florida and her single mom for New York City and the world of publishing. But, instead of being a big name writer, she works for an editor who has just sold her first book. Florence is frustrated and imagines another life, the life she *should* have, the success she deserved.

After sleeping with her boss's boss, she becomes obsessed with the man's family, stalking his wife and studying her, imitating her. It lands her in hot water, and without a job.

Then an opportunity arises for her to be the assistant to the best-selling author whose book was a major influence in her life. Maud Dixon was a pen name, and only one person knew who the real person behind the novel was...until Florence is hired to become her personal assistant.

Maud is really Helen Wilcox, only six years older than Florence. Helen is not a nice person. She is blunt, self-centered, cold-hearted, and sarcastic. Florence manages Helen's finances, correspondence, and types her work in progress which arrives in indecipherable handwriting so Florence has to insert her own words. It is also damn poor writing; Florence could do as well.

Helen makes the sudden decision for them to go to Morocco for research. When Florence wakes up in the hospital, a policeman calling her Ms Wilcox, she learns there was a car accident she can't recall--and Helen has disappeared. Florence does not correct the assumption of her identity, and hatches a plan to take over Helen's life for herself.

Florence becomes embroiled in far more than she expected, and with several more plot twists, instead of gliding on Maud's fame and riches, she must escape prison and death.

The success of the novel rests on plot. Helen and Florence feel like 'types' and even the idea of assuming another's identity is not original. It took me more than half the novel to be hooked into that late night reading to finish the story. Still, it is a fun read. And, truly, there are few of us who never fantasized about the life we believe we are owed, or were jealous of another's success.

I was given a free egalley by the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.

The plot sounded interesting, but I would have quit reading about a third of the way through if I didn't 'owe' a review. Although the book is quite well written I couldn't get interested in the characters even after things finally began happening.. Despite the twists and turns of plot it leads where you expect This is me. I don't read much fiction, so probably ask too much of it.

I really enjoyed this book. I think most of the reason why is because I found it to be relatable (I was once an aspiring writer living in Manhattan), but also because it was full of the unexpected. I found it to be interesting to read about a character who would so willingly do things just to have a semblance of importance. No spoilers, but it definitely gets kind of crazy! The only thing that I didn't like about the book is that I felt like it started out fast, but moved quite slow by the middle of it. There were part of it that (in my opinion) could have been removed to make the storyline move as fast as it began. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book...especially to anyone that I know who is an aspiring author!

Based on the ending, this book might have hit five stars for me, but the beginning was so slow. The things in the book summary didn't even happen until over halfway through the book. The ending was really good, though. There were definitely parts of it I had figured out, but some was very surprising. I also wish it flowed a bit more at times, but it was really good for a debut!

Pros: This thriller was a fun read with many twists and turns. The author did a great job setting up a strong sense of place in different locations--I especially enjoyed the settings in Morocco.

Cons: Several of the plot points were unbelievable, but it can also be fun to suspend disbelief when reading a thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for the opportunity to read this book!

If half stars were allowed, I would round up to 3.5 stars.

WHO IS MAUD DIXON is a thriller that has the slowest start imaginable, just creaking and tiresome. I put the book down so often I lost count. And then, surprise, it picks up and becomes excellent with lots of twists and turns and misdirection galore. It is definitely worth wading through the beginning so don’t give up. The truth is this book needed better editing to tighten it up. But read it anyway and enjoy the ride! I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Who Is Maud Dixon? was a fun, twisty thriller. I really liked this book and read it in a day. The beginning is a bit slower but I was hooked immediately. The story picks up pace and tension throughout and the ending is one shock after another.

I am always willing to suspend disbelief in a thriller and I like stories that are over the top. Thriller plots can depend on characters making bad decisions or people coincidentally being in the right place at the right time. I enjoy that because it makes the story more fun to read. This book was really fun to read, kept me guessing and surprised me quite a few times. Even when I had some elements figured out, I enjoyed the story and there was always an unexpected twist waiting around the corner. Who Is Maud Dixon? checked all of the thriller boxes for me.

I am blown away that this is a debut novel. Alexandra Andrews just became an auto buy author for me. If her first book is this good, I can’t wait to see what she writes next! (Also, can this be made into a movie???)

Who indeed is Maud Dixon you muse as this brilliant literary marvel unfolds with the unexpected twists and turns of a thriller, the perplexing intrigue about “What’s actually happening here!?” of a mystery, and an in-depth psychological study of both what motivates people as well as characters in a novel.

We start with two idiosyncratic and remarkably dislikable main characters, the first Helen, an author who wrote a best-selling crime novel under the pseudonym of Maud Dixon. Helen’s wrapped herself in intense mystery and will not do any interviews. Much of this evokes for me the endless public discussion, debate, and intrigue of who is Elana Ferrante, the pseudonym of a real best-selling (and awesome) Italian author who only grants anonymous interviews and remains cloaked in mystery. Similarly in this novel, people swoon just discussing Maud Dixon and the intrigue surrounding her identity. In the meantime, Helen has settled into a remote rural cottage life and finds herself under intense editorial pressure to come up with her next book for which she’s been paid a lavish advance and on which no progress seems to be forthcoming.

Florence, our second main character, is a languishing, socially ostracized, and largely dislikable literary assistant who’s come to New York City to escape the oppression of a backwater Floridian childhood. She constantly tries to avoid her nagging and insipid Mom who relentlessly berates her in phone calls for not having succeeded in making money and having a good job to make up for all her single mom “maternal sacrifices.” Florence instead dreams of when she’ll get under real world experience to write her first novel, instead of the mediocre short stories she’s been reworking since her teens. In the meantime, Florence has no self-esteem, lacks close friends, and flings herself into compromising, short-lived relationships including one with a married man that gives us our first hints that there may be something simmering with rage and unhinged about her.

Through a publishing editor, who’s the only one who knows Maud Dixon’s identity, Florence gets hired to work under the strictest of confidence agreements as full-time assistant to Maud Dixon. She moves into in Helen’s property’s guesthouse, basically cut off from the rest of the world. And that’s where things in this wondrous novel quickly unravel. Helen proposes a two-week trip to Morocco to do on-site research for her new novel, and once they arrive at a picturesque small beach-side town, all bets are off as the novel’s plot explodes in such unexpected ways that you find yourself going back to re-read passages with the hindsight of head-spinning plot revelations. To say more would simply take away all the fun!

Thankfully, Andrews wraps her novel in as clever a bow as such a complicated plot and such complicated characters merit. Meanwhile, the sheer affront of the revelations keeps your mind churning long after the last page has turned. Given that this is Andrew’s debut novel, it will be exciting to read more of what she writes!

Florence Darrow is a small-town girl who believes that she's destined to become a writer but ends up in a bit of trouble trying to get to the top. When she stumbles into the opportunity to become the assistant to "Maud Dixon," an elusive author whose identity (Helen Wilcox) is a secret to the rest of the world, she believes that this might be the fresh start she needs. The arrangement feels idyllic; Helen (Maud) can be prickly, but she is full of wisdom. She even invites Florence along on a research trip to Morocco, where her new novel is set. But when Florence wakes up in the hospital after a terrible car crash she's left with a lot of questions and isn't sure who will be able to provide her the answers she desperately needs. review: This debut cat-and-mouse novel was fantastic and totally blew me away! The premise was great, the characters were well developed and the description of Morocco absolutely transported me there! Both Florence and Maud are deeply flawed characters and I quickly became engrossed in both of their lives. While this is a bit of a slow burn with an explosive second half, I couldn't stop turning the pages to find out more. I hesitate to say anymore because I don't want to spoil anything, so just go ahead and add this book to your list! I promise, it's a good one! rating: 4 out of 5 ⭐️

This is one of those books I read in twenty-four hours, and I'm normally a slow reader. It is full of surprises and, for the most part, unpredictable. I loved Maud and Florence for a number of pages but then "stuff happens" in a big way. The cleverness of the story is delightful, and the writing itself sparkles. I underlined far more than I usually do so I wouldn't lose track of these particular turns of phrase or unique takes on life. I have to say that the book lagged a bit for me shortly after the halfway point because I got tired of the stoners and slackers in Morocco, but then the story hit the accelerator and I had to hang on for dear life.

Florence is a struggling writer working in the publishing world of New York City. When she’s fired, she’s not sure what to do until she receives an assistant job with the famous novelist Maud Dixon, whose real identity is a secret. Florence thinks her dreams are about to come true! In her new job, she has her own space, writing time and is learning everything she can from the famous yet secretive author. Florence starts to discover clues and puzzling information that makes her wonder about the novelist’s real identity. When the pair leave for a research trip to Morocco, little does Florence know that her whole life is about to change. While exploring, they are involved in a serious car crash. Florence wakes up in a Marrakech hospital with no memory of the accident and no sign of her employer. What should she do? And who would really know if she assumed the bestseller’s pseudonym? Andrew’s debut novel is an engaging thriller filled with twists and turns. It’s the perfect pick for book clubs who like discussing unexpected events in dark comedic novels.

This was so well written and absolutely unputdownable. I was immediately drawn into the story and literally did not put this down for hours. The plot was entrancing and the characters were fascinating and very twisted. I did figure out the major twist so I wasn’t completely surprised and but this did not detract from my overall enjoyment of this reading experience. I will be recommending this book a lot to colleagues and library patrons.

An efficient mystery thriller in the spirit ofThe Talented Mr. Ripley, Who Is Maud Dixon? excels in its unique setting and a cast of lively characters; though some odd character developments and overt plot conveniences prevent it from reaching its fullest 'identity-swapping-in-foreign-land' potential.

Firstly, a strong advice: stop reading the synopsis after its first couple sentences (or simply going into this blind); I'm surprised at how much plot details the publisher is willing to give away, which essentially summarizes the first quarter of the novel.

Other than that, Who Is Maud Dixon? accomplishes its page turner goal through Alexandra Andrews' economical, yet colorful writing style, a sense of vacation escapism with its Morocco setting, as well as some worthwhile twists and reveals. I flew through this novel in 2 days, and my typical reading rate is around a week per book.

While Who Is Maud Dixon? conveys vivid depiction of New York and Morocco, as well as a convincing representation of the publishing world, the mystery thriller aspect requires some suspension of disbelief that is beyond what I can overlook. Using once again The Talented Mr. Ripley as a point of reference, certain acts of deception that are completely plausible in the 50s are less convincing to be pulled off in the 21st century. Lastly, the depiction of protagonist Florence Darrow can be somewhat inconsistent, sometimes she appears overly feebleminded (asking very uninspiring questions regarding literature even though herself was described to have been educated in the field, and still somewhat well-read), and others extremely ruthless and skilled (pulling off some high level crimes). She comes across more like a malleable puppet driving narrative forward (to initiate an exposition for the reader, providing shock value, etc.) than a realistic, fleshed-out individual.

Overall Who Is Maud Dixon? is a competent debut—great choice to pick up if you need something fast and entertaining, just don't overthink the detail and enjoy the ride!

I really enjoyed this book. At certain points I wasn’t sure where it was going or what was going to happen. I loved the back story on how this person named Maid became to be so mysterious. And how in the end they used each other to get what they wanted eight one Victor in the end! But who won! You’ll have to read!

Florence Darrow is a 26 year old would-be writer who becomes the assistant of the famous author Maud Dixon. Maud’s true identity is Helen Weelcock, but that is a secret from everyone but her agent. Maud’s first and only book was a sensational crime novel and it made her very rich. Now she is working on her second book and she and Florence go to Morocco for research.

I did not like this book at the first, primarily because Florence was so irritating. She was envious of everyone, felt superior and seemed to expect instant success without actually putting in the effort required. Things improved for me when Florence went to work for Helen and started trying to mimic everything about her. In Morocco, she seized the opportunity to take that mimicry to a whole new level. She found out the dangers of assuming the identity of someone who has big secrets.

There were multiple twists in this book, some were surprises while others didn’t surprise me at all. I thought the author had trouble with the character’s ages. Florence acted way too young and unsophisticated for her age, especially in the first half of the book. On the other hand, Helen (who was supposed to be only 32) talked like an elderly woman. However, this book definitely kept me interested until the end and it would probably make a good movie. 4.5 stars

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

In a nod to Patricia Highsmith’s, The Talented Mr. Ripley, this is a solid plot twister. Thank goodness, as the first half seemed very straightforward with no surprises. Thanks to NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

For more reviews and bookish posts visit: https://www.ManOfLaBook.com

Who Is Maud Dixon? by Alexandra Andrews is a novel following a small-town girl who got the chance to intern for one of the most famous authors in the world. Ms. Andrews is a journalist and a novelist; this is her debut novel.

Florence is from a Gainesville, Florida who is struggling to make it in New York City. Florence works in publishing, in a dead-end job where she slowly realizes that she might not have the talent to be published.

Finding herself without a job, Florence gets the chance of a lifetime, to intern for Maud Dixon. Ms. Dixon wrote a novel which seem to speak to a generation, but she is reclusive.

Florence wakes up in a hospital in Morocco after a terrible car accident, her boss is dead and her papers are gone.

I really enjoyed this novel. I’m always interested in books about books, and while Who Is Maud Dixon? by Alexandra Andrews is not necessarily about books, it does take place behind the scenes in the publishing industry.

The narrative flows, immersive, and makes you want to continue reading more and more. While the first half builds up the story, the pace really picks up in the second half where twists and turns are galore.

The two main characters are interesting, but Florence is the one that grows during the story. She also, along the line, realizes that she is her only advocate in both her professional and business life.
Something many people never realize.

While the novel is quirky and fun, there is always a dark cloud on the horizon. I always felt like something is about to blow out, things are going “too good” and they’re bound to explode. Ms. Andrews, however, blew things up in a sure way, building the deconstructing the story piece by piece.

For what it is, this novel is a gem. I had a hard time believing that Florence met a long-lost friend on a beach in Morocco, but I’ve traveled. I’ve met people I knew in a small town on the southern tip of South America, so while I didn’t exactly like the idea – I do know it’s not as outrageous as it sounds.

I did enjoy the ladies’ travels in Morocco, in small towns and villages. I don’t know if the author has been there, but the sights and sounds seem plausible and believable.

I went in to this one blind and was not expecting the giant turn that takes place halfway through. I thought it was a little bit predictable - but not in a way that made it any less fun to read. Great, dark thriller - loved it.