This was a fun and fast-paced novel. I thought I could guess what was going on, but there were some lovely twists that I didn't anticipate.

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Who is Maud Dixon is a great thriller that definitely deserves more attention! Take one bestselling pseudonymous novelist whose debut about two teenage girls and a murder was a runaway hit, and turns out to have a lot of secrets, and toss in one newly hired twenty-something assistant who wants to reinvent herself and you have a delicious recipe for a novel of identity theft, murder, and two people who will do anything to get what they want. I really enjoyed watching Helen (original Maud--and a definite sociopath) and Florence (the assistant who wants more than her life and finds tangling with Helen more terrifying than she thought) wrestle with what they wanted from each other and the lengths they go to in order to try and get it.

A definite must read for thriller fans, especially those who enjoyed The Talented Mr. Ripley and/or Gone Girl. (So, you know, everyone!)

*On a completely shallow note, I hope the pb gets a more engaging cover because this novel deserves a bigger audience!

This is a hard book to rate. I think I would probably settle on 3.5 rounded up to 4. After reading the synopsis I had a preconceived idea about how this story was going to go and when it didn’t go in the direction I had planned for, I felt a little disappointed.

This book is about Florence who is an assistant in publishing. Things don’t work out and she ends up as the assistant to bestselling author who writes under the name Maud Dixon, only no one knows her true identity. When Maud disappears on a work trip, Florence decides she is going to step into Maud’s identity.

The story was a slow build and really didn’t get overly exciting until the second half. There seemed to also be a lot of characters that didn’t really have a purpose. Overall though I did really enjoy the book and yes the change in direction caught me off guard but it was a fun read and a successful debut. The idea of the story was great and I would another book by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for the digital copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

I was intrigued by the description and premise of the book and I did like it but I didn't love it. I don't have a problem with unappealing characters but the credibility factor is somewhat important and this one is filled with unlikely coincidences and wildly unbelievable situations. The book moves at a brisk pace and I liked the short, succinct chapters. The book is a fun read, you just have to put aside the believability factor.

Maud Dixon is a pseudonym for an author that has written an immensely popular and successful novel. The unknown identity of the author leads to theories and debates throughout the literary world. Maud has millions of dedicated fans waiting for the next book.

Florence Darrow works in a publishing house and has dreams of becoming a successful author of her own. She lacks inspiration and motivation. Her self sabotaging behavior leads to an unbelievable opportunity to become Maud Dixon’s personal assistant. Florence jumps at the chance to work with and learn from the best, Helen Wilcox, the real Maud Dixon.

Florence drops everything and moves to Helen’s secluded home. She has her own space and begins to feel like this is finally the chance she has been waiting for. Helen is a tough, unapologetic woman that can be abrasive at times. Helen shares her wisdom and they bond a little as they get to know each other. Helen is working on her follow up novel and decides that she needs to go to Morocco to become more inspired and wants Florence to come along to assist and help with research. A few days after they arrive Florence wakes up in a hospital, broken and bruised with no recollection of how the accident happened and more importantly where is Helen?

This was a well told story. It is slow at first but the slow build really adds to the story. Once the accident happens the story takes off and you cannot put the book down! It is hard to believe that this is a debut novel.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this story in exchange for an honest review

A fun and unique mystery that kept me guessing all the way through. Good characters, nice pace and fun writing style.

This will be a great summer read. Fast paced. Lots of twists and turns (although I’m sensing a theme among this years books of people taking on other people’s identities. Add a reclusive author, a wanna be author, so,e international travel in an out of the way place, some expats who have no ties and you’ve got Who is Maud Dixon. Highly recommend.

Who Is Maud Dixon? by Alexandra Andrews was one heckuva twisty thrilling ride. Florence aspires to be an author, but hasn't found her big break just yet. Then, an amazing opportunity comes her way. Florence has the chance to be the assistant to the mysterious Maud Dixon. Maud's work is well-known, but no one knows who she actually is. Helen (aka Maud) and Florence are on a book research trip when tragedy happens. Florence wakes up in hospital alone. It appears Helen has been killed, and Florence now has the opportunity of a lifetime. Given the secrecy of Maud Dixon, Florence could finally be the author she has dreamed of being. However, this decision is not as easy as it seems, and there are some big challenges ahead as Florence takes on the charade. This was a clever premise, and another thriller that kept me turning those pages because I needed to know how it all ended up for Florence/Maud. Thanks to NetGalley for the early look at this recent release!

Apparently "imposters" is one of my favorite plot themes so when "Who is Maud Dixon?" was compared to Highsmith's "The Talented Mr. Ripley," it went right to the top of my huge TBR pile. Alexandra Andrew's first novel is guaranteed to be a best-seller.

FIRST LINE: "Madame Weel-cock?" Her left eyelid wrenched open, and warm yellow light flooded into the crack. Her vision was crossed by a blurred figure in white. She shut her eye."

THE STORY: Maud Dixon, the anonymous best-selling author of "Mississippi Foxtrot" needs a new assistant. She chooses Florence Darrow, a young woman who escaped to New York to make something of herself but has been stuck in a low level publishing job. One of the perks of the job is the chance to travel to Morocco to research a new book.

WHAT I THOUGHT: I haven't devoured a book in a long time. When I finished this one, I felt like I had just gotten off a roller coaster ride. The first half is like an anxiety inducing slow climb to the top and then a free fall followed by unexpected twists and turns first right and then left all the way to the ending.

None of the characters are particularly likeable, but they are unpredictable and interesting. The writing is crisp and clever. Descriptions give the reader a real feel for locations.

BOTTOM LINE: Don't read the reviews. It will spoil the fun. Just get a copy and read it. You will not be disappointed. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

DISCLAIMER: A copy of was provided to me by Little Brown and Company/Net Galley for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. Florence is a publishing assistant when she is fired. She is offered a position to be an assistant to the author that goes by the pseudonym Maud Dixon. No one knows the real Maud Dixon but Florence soon will. She moves to Maud aka Helen's secluded farm. They work closely together when Helen abruptly suggests they go to Morocco so she can research her latest novel. This trip starts to unravel why Florence was asked to work with Helen and why they ran to Morocco. I don't know if I can accurately give a review for this book. It starts out as a normal fiction story and then turns into a mystery. It is almost like the author started a story and then decided to change genres. It was pretty good...#whoismauddixon #alexandraandrews #march2021

What a twisty story! Florence Darrow grew up in a small town in Florida with a single mom who has always wanted her daughter to be a success, always told her she deserves to be--but is the first to express her disappointment when she feels her daughter is not living up to that expectation, pointing out classmates of Florence's who are already making 'big money' or have married well.

Wanting to pursue her own dream, Florence takes a job as an executive assistant at a publishing house in NYC. She wants to be a writer herself and has a few short stories she is hoping to bring to an editor's attention.

The big buzz currently in the publishing world is Maud Dixon, the pen name of an author who has written a blockbuster but refuses all publicity. Florence yearns for a similar success and is eaten up with jealousy when it is announced that Amanda, a fellow employee, is having her work published. It pushes Florence to take a risky move which gets her fired.

Imagine her surprise then when she is offered the opportunity to work for Maud Dixon as her assistant! OMG! She will have to sign NDAs and be willing to live out in the sticks but hey, Florence is thrilled to have the opportunity to work with a famous author! Maybe THIS is finally her path to success.

The writer, Helen Wilcox, is temperamental and moody but Florence admires her sophistication and style and tries her best to imitate it. Her job entails answering emails and trying to transcribe Helen's messy handwritten manuscript. So far, so boring.

But then one day Helen announces they'll be traveling to Morocco for research. Wow, Florence has never even been out of the country before--just think of all the experiences, sights and sounds she'll be able to draw from for her own writing!

All goes well until the night of a dinner at a restaurant up in the hillside that includes lots of wine. After that, Florence will have to make some moral choices...and she's already shown that's she's willing to do just about anything to have the life she's always been told she deserves...

At first I was thinking: man, she needs to sit down and plan this out if it's going to work! But there's so much more to this story, so strap on your seatbelt for a wild ride. I really enjoyed all the surprises this author has in store for her readers.

I received an arc from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Many thanks for the opportunity--I hope to read much more from this author.

I don't even know where to begin with this book...except that it's one of the most ludicrous books I have ever read. Florence was the biggest issue: I could buy her as an anti-heroine, if she had been written smarter. But here, I'm supposed to believe this daft, fly-by-the-seat-of-her-pants idiot was able to pull off what she does by the end of the book? I think not. Also, she was just plain unlikable. Then there's Helen, who felt like a campy version of a villain who tried to out-camp the campiest character you can think of.

You could tell where the plot twists were going...it was just a matter of figuring out specifically the "why", which I guess is one upside, because I didn't figure that out until it was told. I think the main drawback here was that, if written better, it could have been a really fun ride. Unfortunately, this felt like the author wrote a cartoon version of what she thought a mystery/thriller would read like, and it just made the whole thing fall flat I'm sure it will be turned into a movie...and hopefully, it will turn out like "A Simple Favor": a terrible book that was made into a brilliant film.

What a fun debut that took me by surprise after a sort of slow start that built to a wild climax and a fitting conclusion.

Florence Darrow, an editorial assistant at Forrester Books, isn't living the life she imagined. She'd always thought of herself as eventually becoming a famous author, but her job in New York hasn't opened up the opportunities she'd expected. When she makes a series of stupid decisions that result in her termination at Forrester Books, she's thrilled when offered a position with the famous Maud Dixon. Maud Dixon is a pseudonym for the author of the bestseller, MISSISSIPPI FOXTROT, and Florence is hired to be her assistant as she writes her second book. Florence, under a strict confidentiality agreement, travels to meet Helen Wilcox and take up the position at Helen's secluded home in Cairo in upstate New York. The only other person who knows Maud Dixon's real identity is her editor, Greta Frost, and Florence will be taking over the correspondence with her and helping Helen with research. The two women get along well and Florence sees Helen as a mentor and guide, hoping that she will be inspired and actually start work on her own novel. Helen soon proposes a trip to Morocco for research and Florence is excited as she experiences the novelty of foreign travel.

But then, suddenly, everything comes to an end when Florence wakes up in a Semat hopsital after an apparent car crash. Somehow the police think she is Helen Wilcox and no one has said anything about another victim. Is Helen dead? And, if so, is it possible that Florence could step up and take over the Maud Dixon name? NO SPOILERS.

The first half of the book is full of details setting the stage and to introduce the reader to the character of Florence Darrow. At 26-years-old, she is naive and directionless even while thinking she's got this tremendous potential despite having an unremarkable life trajectory to this point. Things pick up when Florence travels to Cairo, meets Helen, and starts to get to know the woman behind the famous name. Morocco is where the main action occurs and I enjoyed the descriptions of the country and this is when the pace of the narrative picks up making the book impossible to put down as the twists and turns keep coming. Although I never really felt an affinity for either Florence or Helen, I had to applaud the ending. Once I figured out what was really going on, I couldn't help but admire the deft plotting and the excellent storytelling skill. I look forward to reading other reviews of this title as I enjoyed it very much.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend.

This was such a great novel! I spent all day today ignoring everything to read this! Florence desperately wants to be a writer but is stuck in a dead-end position as an editor's assistant. But after an attempted blackmail attempt and she is fired, she receives great news: she is going to be the enigmatic Maud Dixon's assistant. She's ecstatic until she meets "Maud" and sees so many eccentricities, but she loves being off the grid and the thought of traveling to Morocco for a research trip is invigorating! Everything changes there; great surprises, twists and turns make this novel one that will have your head spinning as you attempt to figure it out. This is a must-read!

Chilling page turner picked it up to read a few pages& wound up reading late into the night.So many twists and turns kept me guessing highly recommend..#netgalley #littlebrownbooks

A “literary” thriller in more ways than one! The twists just keep on coming and just when you think you can predict the end...another curveball comes out of left field!

What a blast! Who Is Maud Dixon? Is 100% entertaining! This book will take you from high rises in New York to scorching streets of Morocco.

Florence Darrow’s world in the publishing world has hit a wall and going nowhere. The only thing driving her is the hope that one day she will become a published author, but even her own bosses are unimpressed with her work. She starts an inappropriate relationship with her bosses’ boss, and has now stream rolled into an obsessed with his family. She’s not even aware of her consequences, not even after a restraining order is filed against her. And now it’s time to move on.

She becomes an assistant for a notoriously private author, Maud Dixon – a pen name for an author who wrote a breakout thriller, Mississippi Foxtrot. Only two people know Maud Dixon’s real identity, her agent and now Florence.

Florence’s days are filled by tackling all of Maud’s emails, correspondence, and errands; dodging Maud’s agent and publishers – who have been hounding her for the follow up to her bestseller.
But it’s when the author abruptly announces a trip to Morocco that things really start to get crazy. A drink with supper, that’s all it was. Next thing, Florence finds herself in the hospital, the famous author is missing and presumed dead. It takes Florence no time at all to fill her shoes…if only it was that easy.

Twisty, obsessive, a little predictable a times, but still completely amazing and shocking. Who Is Maud Lewis? will keep you reading into the wee hours of the morning because it’s SO GOOD!
A big thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for this advanced copy. Truly incredible.

I wish Part One of this book had been cut, because Florence Darrow immediately lost me - a character can be unlikable and interesting, but straight up stupid? No. Being a moron isn't an interesting character trait. Separately from that, very little (possibly nothing) that occurs in Part One actually impacts the meat of the plot.
In Part Two, Florence is head hunted for an amazing opportunity (that in no way makes sense for Florence and her capabilities, but ok) to be a personal assistant to a reclusive author. The work is immediately of a suspicious nature, and then we go on a surprise trip to Morocco, which was the nail in the coffin for me - as far as anticipating all the twists to come.
Now, this could be a me problem - perhaps I see nefarious actions when things are normal or just have the mind of a needlessly complex murderer - but every move of Helen's was so obviously telegraphed.
Thank to you to the publisher, via NetGalley, for providing me with an arc for review.

Hooray Alexandra Andrews! What a fast paced, twisty, fun novel you've given us with Who is Maud Dixon! Thank you.