User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
Wowzers, what the heck did I just read!
Who Is Maud Dixon? That is indeed the question. She is a novelist who has won critical acclaim and commercial success, but no one knows the identity of the person behind the pseudonym. Enter Florence Darrow, an assistant at a publishing company. She's not happy with her slavish job, but feels it's a stepping stone to becoming the famous and revered writer that she is meant to be. Unfortunately, she isn't getting any closer to her goal, until a series of choices upends her life and puts her on a collision course with destiny... and Maud Dixon.
And that's all I'm going to say regarding the plot, because anymore would be spoiling the goodies. In fact, don't read the official book blurb before going in. It pretty much gives away the entire first half of the story, which is crazy. I cannot believe how much information is just divulged, willy-nilly, right there on the book jacket.
(Seriously, publishers, if you're reading this, please stop oversharing in your blurbs and taking away the fun. I think 20% into a book is about the max that should be revealed. Definitely not 50%.)
The story unfolds slowly, and a good part of the fun is not really knowing where it's headed. There's this sense of ominous foreboding that permeates throughout. The feeling of dissonance, that something isn't quite right, hangs over Florence, and it ratchets up over time, little by little. This atmosphere reminds me of the best of classic noir, in the vein of Hitchcock.
Even though it takes a while to get to the denouement, the story still grabbed me from the very first page. The writing is so sharp and sly. And Florence is a cunning lead character. She's self-centered, unapologetic, and desperate to achieve her ambitions. She makes the perfect femme fatale... or is she just a victim in all this?
The fact that this is Alexandra Andrews' debut is astonishing, as it reads like a truly masterful thriller. I cannot wait to see what else she comes up with.
Rating: really liked it
***NOW OUT IN PAPERBACK***
This a debut novel and I was really impressed!!!! The premise was great, the characters were well developed and the description of Morocco was transporting! The novel flowed beautifully and I turned the pages rapidly to see what would happen next! I would call this a suspenseful novel with a thrilling ending!
I am always drawn to books about writing and the publishing industry, so that was the main reason I chose this book.
We first meet our main protagonist, Florence Darrow, who is living in New York working at a publishing house as an assistant editor. She is a want-to-be writer who hails from a small town in Florida. She thought if she got to New York possibilities would unfurl, but nothing much exciting has happened YET!!
Unexpectedly she is called to meet a famous author, Helen, who is looking for an assistant. She writes under a pseudonym because she likes her privacy. Florence immediately takes to the job and she and Helen seem to hit it off. She also loves this remote house and the beautiful setting.
Helen wants Florence to accompany her on a trip to Morocco while she does research on her new novel. Of course Florence jumps at the chance.
What transpires in a small town in Morocco is a story within a larger story. While Florence relishes the new atmosphere and even makes friends, Helen is often gone for long periods of time. They are staying in an old home that has its charms and there is a cook/maid who takes care of the cooking and cleaning. Florence is enjoying her stay until . . . . . . .the unimaginable happens!!
We next find Florence in the hospital, recovering from an automobile accident. She has no memory of what happened.All she can recall is “Everything got quieter. As if underwater. Sounds were swallowed up by the water. She felt lulled by a swift current, swept away by the waves, pulled back by strong hands . . . .”
The plot just gets more and more twisted until we don’t know who the villain is or if there is a hero in this complex story. To tell you any more of the plot would spoil the read.
This was going to be a solid 4 read until the ending which was complicated and explosive enough to push this up to a 5*. I thoroughly enjoyed this quick moving novel with a WOW ending. I will certainly watch for the next book from this talented new author!!
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Edelweiss.
This novel is set to publish on March 2, 2021
Rating: really liked it
Who Is Maud Dixon? by Alexandra Andrews (Author), Thérèse Plummer (Narrator)
Florence Darrow is a 26 year old piece of work. She might have some talent and brains but it can be hard to tell as she covets what everyone else has while feeling sorry for herself for not having it. She wouldn't mind having what they have without lifting a finger to earn it. She thinks she deserves it all, without question. She gets an idea and runs headlong off to put it into action, with nary a twinge of conscience to guide her way. Any mistakes or catastrophes are someone else's fault, not hers. She does have bouts of self recrimination but they are in the voice of her mother so they aren't really her conscious hinting that she should have qualms about anything. Florence has no friends and is very willing to dump her relationship with her mother, in a heartbeat. Why do I feel like Florence is not a good person? There are so many reasons and Florence has flimsy justifications for all of them.
At the tail end of Florence blowing up her job as an assistant at a publishing company, a dream job drops into her lap. Maud Dixon, a mysteriously famous writer, wants to hire Florence as her personal assistant. Just like that, out of the blue, and Florence spares no time for personal reflection or questions on how Dixon ever noticed her. Off Florence goes, to become a new person, shedding her old unsuccessful self. Surely living in the presence of this famous, mysterious, writer will imbue Florence with the writing prowess that has been sorely lacking before now.
I won't say more because this story demands that you go into it blindly. I couldn't help hoping something would knock some real humiliation into Florence, the kind that makes one appraise their selfish path in life and convinces them to grow a heart. This story takes us on a wild ride, with Florence leading the way.
Published March 2, 2021
Rating: really liked it
3.5
I liked it. But, I didn't love it.
Florence Darrow is working an entry level job at Forrester books, but she believes she is destined to be a famous writer.
When she is offered an opportunity to become an assistant to "Maud Dixon" pseudonym of the celebrated author, Helen Wilcox, she doesn't hesitate to sign a non-disclosure agreement and relocate for a chance to learn from the best selling novelist.
Just when they are settling into a routine, Helen (Maud) decides they need to take a research trip to Morocco, where her new novel is set.
But when Florence wakes up in the hospital after a terrible car crash, and discovers that hers was the only body recovered, and she is presumed to be Helen Wilcox, she wonders if her path to success will be to assume the work of "Maud Dixon".
Great premise.
But, a few problems with the execution.
It didn't have the tight plotting necessary for me to award 5 stars.
Three examples:
A SLOW start-60 0r so pages till things get going, and an irrelevant friendship with LUCY.
PLAUSIBILITY-Florence runs into a childhood friend, WHITNEY, in Morocco. Really?
NICK-A third character not needed to advance the plot, and the chapters spent with him-unnecessary!
But my BIGGEST issue was Helen's VOICE.
She did NOT have the voice of a 32 year old woman, and came across as MUCH older to me.
Again, it has some entertaining twists.
MANY of my friends have enjoyed this more than I did!
So, if you can OVERLOOK these things, YOU probably will too!
Rating: really liked it
Who is Maud Dixon?Her name is a pseudonym, but that’s the only thing her millions of fans know about her after reading her hit debut novel.
Florence Darrow works as an assistant editor and has dreams of becoming a successful author. She doesn’t really have ambition though. That is until she gets a rare opportunity of a lifetime: working as the assistant to the one and only Maud Dixon, elusive novelist. Florence jumps at the chance after interviewing with Maud’s agent, who is the only other person who knows that Maud is actually Helen Wilcox.
Florence moves into Helen’s secluded house with her, excited beyond belief. Sure, Helen can be odd, abrupt, and cold, but they have moments of bonding as well. Helen needs some inspiration, and invites Florence on a trip with her to Morocco, where the novel she’s writing takes place. The trip is going pretty great...until the terrible car crash.
Florence wakes up in a hospital, not sure what happened or what is going on. The only thing clear to her is that Helen is gone. Vanished without a trace. Helen’s I.D. was found in Florence’s purse. Could Florence have stumbled into the opportunity of a lifetime? Can she just step into Helen’s shoes and become her/Maud Dixon?
What a book! I was into it immediately and until the very end. The first half is a bit slow and on the lighter side, but always interesting. I found Florence and Helen fascinating, yet mostly unlikable. I thought I had the majority of the book figured out.
And then the second half started, and I realized I was only right about some things...not all. There are some wonderful twists and moments that caught me off guard. The story gets darker, with increasing complexity. I can’t help but use one of my favorite words: unputdownable.
It’s hard to believe this is the debut novel of Alexandra Andrews, because it is expertly written and plotted. I couldn’t wait to read more every time I had to step away. The writing is so smooth. Nothing clunky or jarring in it, and that made it easy to power-read. I thought I found some plot holes, but nope. Everything was expertly explained by the end. This is an enticing and captivating thriller, and I highly recommend it.
4.5 stars. Available now from Little, Brown and Company.
Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com
Rating: really liked it
This book!!! It totally entertained from start to finish! It is a debut novel and I was over the top engaged, the character development is impressive and I couldn't help but ditch all my errands and just sit outside and flip the pages while I was immersed in what was building up.
It had some
Hitchcock like moments (yes, I had to smile), a Moroccan setting, a manipulative and layered plot. I wasn't sure who I was rooting for until the end.
If you love books about books, conniving characters, and a bit of a wild, and exotic journey.... I highly recommend!!
So much fun, so much to ponder, and I won't forget the name
Maud Dixon for quite some time!!
On Sale Now / As of March 2, 2021
Rating: really liked it
"Who is Maud Dixon?" by Alexandra Andrews is a crazy, wild ride type of book!
Florence Darrow wants to be a famous author. So when she becomes the assistant to the brilliant, mysterious novelist known as Maud Dixon, she believes the stars are finally aligning!
Maud Dixon is the pseudonym for author Helen Wilcox. Florence quickly discovers Helen is demanding, abrupt, opinionated on every topic and more than a little intimidating. Heck, she can be downright rude! Regardless, Florence is enamored by Helen. Fascinated by her!
Helen invites Florence to travel with her to Morocco for research on Maud's next book. Florence is elated! It's like a dream to work and learn alongside Helen. Now on to Morocco with Helen? How did she get so lucky? Will this experience and the new setting inspire Florence to begin writing a novel of her own?
Oh, my goodness how this story carried me away! Although it was a slow start, Part one was about getting to know Florence and Helen and the character development was worth it. Part Two came along with its twisty changes that held me and kept me reading. Yep, it catapulted me right through the roof!
I adore quirky characters and both Florence and Helen fit that description perfectly. I giggled at their early exchanges and some of the things that came out of Helen's mouth were unbelievable!
What I didn't like were the Ex-pat characters. I didn't see their significance to the story. And, the gatherings that went along with these characters were superfluous!
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Thérèse Plummer which is always a great experience. She became the characters of both Florence and Helen through her voicing skills. Her voice inflections added drama and excitement. And, her voicing of the other characters was believable.
I loved how this story ends. It was the best outcome in my opinion. I recommend this book to those who love to read an edge-of-your-seat experience. That's exactly how this one felt to me! And, what a fun ride it was!
4.5 stars rounded up!
Rating: really liked it
This book was a wild ride that I started and finished within 24 hours.
A huge piece of advice: don’t read the description and go into this knowing nothing. I can’t believe how much the description reveals about the book!! I didn’t read it before reading this book and I feel like if I would have I wouldn’t have enjoyed it as much because the description gives away so many shocking reveals.
In this story we follow a woman named Florence who is in her mid-twenties and working in the publishing scene in New York! She gets the opportunity to work as an assistant to the mysterious author Maud Dixon, who writes under a pseudonym and nobody knows who they are...
That’s literally all you need to know going in! I was surprised by this book over and over again, there was one twist at the end that I thought was pretty obvious, but there were a few surprises at the end that I didn’t see coming and I really appreciated that! I really surprised this is a debut novel and I’ll definitely be checking out any future books this author comes out with. I love books that follow writers, I love thrillers where you can trust anyone (including the main character) it’s a fun time all around.
One thing that bothered me though that’s not reaaaaally a big deal but it still bugged me is that (view spoiler)
[why does Helen read likes she’s 50 or 60 years old??? And then it says she’s 32 and I was so confused. The entire book I was picturing her as Moira Rose from Schitts Creek hahaha cause that’s exactly how I imagined her character would be, so I was very confused how she could be 32... idk she just read a lot older to me, like the age gap between Florence and Helen seemed like it should be a lot more than 6 years for her to be such a mentor figure for her.. but maybe that’s just me 🤷🏻♀️ (hide spoiler)] Oh well, I still had a really great time with this book and I flew through it so fast!!! 🤯
Rating: really liked it
Well, I did my best to enjoy my reading and writing a powerful, positive review about this novel because the idea of impersonating an author in a Highsmith-ian mystery picked my interest from the beginning and each book written about dark sides of publishing industry are too close to be winners for me!
Florence is ambitious character who wants to climb career ladders and hang out with rich elites of literature circle. Her moral compass already loses its direction. As she works at the beginner level job at Forrester books, getting criticized by her mother, only having one real friend, it’s normal for her to find a way out to have better lifestyle.
Maud Dixon is rising star of the bestselling authors and nobody knows the true identity of the author. But Florence not only learns the real name of the author, she also has a chance to work her assistant! Atta girl!
She learns so many writing and life lessons thanks to her brilliant teacher and out of nowhere she finds herself in Morocco for focusing on book research which is spontaneously entertaining idea!
But as Florence wakes up at the hospital after traumatic car accident as the only one survived from, she gets confused because everybody calls her with the real name of the author. Does it give her right to replace the famous author? Well, I think it’s fair! She is the only survivor of the accident, isn’t she?
This book started slow burn and there were so many unnecessary plots which dragged us to reach to the main plot.
There are so many unrealistic incidents and too many coincidental elements pushed too far to raise the tension and create more mystery around which was a little overrated for me!
At the end: it was not earth shattering, jaw dropping, smart reading I was expecting but it was still good. I wish i didn’t waste too much time to start reading the main story and there won’t be so much plot holes which would help me to give more stars! But this time I preferred to stay at la suisse territory!
Rating: really liked it
I’m always worried when books are compared to best sellers or famous authors. In this case it’s recommended for folks who enjoyed The Silent Patient and Patricia Highsmith’s works. Will it live up to the comparison?
Florence fancies herself a writer but isn’t actually writing. She’s one of those young people who sort of floats through life, working a job she doesn’t like, having sex with a married man. She takes a job as the assistant to a writer, hoping to learn from her. But then she sees an opportunity and snatches it. And one thing leads to another. I love the premise of this book. But did we really need the entire first half of the book to set up this premise? The book’s description manages to do it in several short paragraphs. Now, by comparison, the second half of the book is like a tornado. Andrews whips things up and I had no idea where they would come down. It’s got a great ending. Tightened up, this could make a great movie.
I appreciated the two main characters here. Both Helen and Florence are fully developed. Not likeable, mind you, but fascinating.
My thanks to netgalley and Little, Brown for an advance copy of this book.
Rating: really liked it
The words you speak become the house you live in.
And words are at the core of Who Is Maud Dixon? Words tossed about, words spoken in secrecy, and words sprawling upon the pages of a best selling novel.
Alexandra Andrews gifts us with the character of Florence Darrow. Florence hails from Gainesville, Florida and wears it like a second skin. Even at twenty-six, she is nothing but naive with hardly a drop of any experiential background to speak of. Her mother, Vera, constantly checks in on her only child much to Florence's frustration. Florence is the poster child for common sense not being very common.
Florence finally makes a break for it and lands in Manhattan. She's become an editorial assistant for Forrester Books. "Assistant" in the publishing world often entails runs for coffee and delivering copies to the right people. But our girl finally gets an unexpected opportunity when a position opens up to work with best-seller author, Maud Dixon. Maud Dixon is her pen name and she keeps her real identity locked up tight.
Maud meets Florence at a train station outside of Cairo, New York. Florence has been sworn to secrecy and no one must know her location.....not even her pesty momma. Maud and Florence arrive at a quaint stone house with a guesthouse in the rear. Maud reveals her real name is Helen Wilcox. Soon she and Florence are bonding with Florence doing clerical work for her. But someone in the publishing world presses Florence for info on Maud's new book. Will she take the bait?
Out of the blue, Maud/Helen proposes that she and Florence must take an unplanned trip to Morocco for research on her new book. Within days the two find themselves transported to the winding streets of Marrakech and Semat. Florence from Florida is leading a whirlwind life.
But things are happening too quickly for Florence. She's trying to get a handle on who Maud/Helen really is. And just as we are trying to figure out the same thing, there's a terrible accident. Florence wakes up in a hospital room and the doctors and staff are calling her Miss Wilcox. What in the world happened to Maud/Helen?
And crafty little thoughts enter into Florence's traumatized mind. Can she pull off stepping into the role of the anonymous Maud/Helen? This wonky girl from Florida has taken on a monstrous Manhattan persona. Can she pull it off?
Alexandra Andrews must have dined on donuts with devious frosting while she wrote this one. It's lined with people behaving badly. And badly keeps this storyline rolling in hazardous ways until the very end. Andrews elbows her way into the minds of her readers with nonstop sharp-pointed situations. I'll leave it there, dear readers. Mustn't give away too much here with too many words.
You'll be remembering this one for quite some time.....
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Little, Brown and Company and to Alexandra Andrews for the opportunity.
Rating: really liked it
4.5
Who indeed? She’s the latest bestselling literary sensation, Maud Dixon is a pseudonym which provokes lively discussions on the authors identity - does the book have a female or male ‘voice’? Florence Darrow loses her job as an editorial assistant at Forrester Books and out of the blue gets a call from Mauds agent offering work as Mauds assistant. The anonymous author proves to be Helen Wilcox. The storyline takes us from New York City to Cairo, NY and finally to Morocco.
Well folks, we have a new exciting and talented author whose books I suspect we’ll be clamouring for in the future! This is a clever plot that features two VERY intriguing central characters. Helen is , er, interesting? She’s extremely impatient, tolerates no fools, calls a spade a shovel, is down to earth and with absolutely no flimflam (maybe) and I’ll say no more!!! Florence seems naive, has obsessive and jealousy traits and an overwhelming desire to escape her Port Orange roots and to become a successful writer. Initially you think she’s a push over but oh boy does she find her inner steel and resolve. Some of the events in Morocco are a bit like the clash of the titans with Moroccan officials looking on in utter confusion. The novel is well written with the storyline flowing smoothly, the plot is very twisty and convoluted in some great settings. I did figure some of it out but not all, as just as you settle in to watch what you expect to unfold the author fools you - again!! The events in Morocco are fast paced and you have to keep up with the speed. There are times when it’s quite humorous and at others it’s shocking.
Overall, a terrific book and I’m so pleased to have read it. I suggest you don’t read the blurb for this, just dive in blind (hopefully not into an algae ridden pool as in Morocco!), settle back, no interruptions, shut the world out and enjoy!! I can’t wait to read what the fertile imagination of Alexandra Andrews comes up with next!
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Headline, Tinder Press for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
Rating: really liked it
I am so happy to say that this was a winner for me and I am truly astounded that this is a debut novel. Alexandra Andrews has a very bright future ahead of her.
I'm not going to re-hash the plot but I will say that I loved both Florence and Helen. I know that might sound weird considering the story but they both had me giggling from time to time. At the beginning of the novel I read this passage and I just knew...
“Are you sure this is extra chickpeas?” Agatha gestured skeptically with her fork to the bowl Florence had just picked up from the Sweetgreen down the block. “Um, yep.” She had, in fact, forgotten to ask for extra chickpeas. “Clara is not happy about this,” Agatha said. “Clara needs her chickpeas. Clara’s going to force her mommy to mainline hummus when she gets home.” Florence nodded and smiled. Then, when Agatha seemed to be waiting for more, she asked, “Sorry, who’s Clara?” “Did I forget to tell you? Josh and I finally settled on a name.” “Clara? That’s pretty.” Agatha smiled. “I think that was Hitler’s mother’s name,” Florence added. ....that I was going to adore this book. That right there is just my kind of humor and it's sprinkled throughout the book making me a happy, smiling, fool of a reader. I loved the Moroccan setting, I loved the mystery behind what was happening, and I loved that this was a story about two woman writers. Well thought out, well written, and well done to you, Ms. Andrews! 5 stars!
Rating: really liked it
Florence is adrift, not enjoying her life and envying the lives of others. She is a ship without ballast, tilting wherever the wind takes her, trying on and casting off different personalities as easily as trying on a pair of shoes. She has dreams of becoming a famous writer and is willing to do anything to shed her old life and get the life she wants and feels she deserves.
She is in NYC working in a low level job in the publishing industry when an opportunity arises to become assistant to Maud Dixon, a pseudonym for the quirky, reclusive author, Helen Wilcox. The only caveat is a strict NDA. No one knows who Maud really is, and she intends to keep it that way.
Florence sees this as her chance to be mentored by a celebrated author and the road to becoming a famous novelist herself. Things are going well, until the two go to Morocco for research on Maud’s new novel. There is an accident and what follows is a wild twisty ride that kept me furiously flipping the pages. Sure there were a few plot holes and coincidences but this was such an engaging, original read I didn’t care.
I loved that the first half of the book gave us an in-depth peek into Florence’s life and thought processes, which is the set up for the events that transpire in the second half. I do love a book that delves into the psychology of a character.
This is great fun, with sly satire and dark humor. A very fresh and original debut novel that I highly recommended!
• This was a buddy read with my friend Marialyce, and we both enjoyed it and found it to be a fresh new take in the genre!
Rating: really liked it
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This review is going to contain very mild spoilers that are mostly mentioned on the back of the book jacket. WHO IS MAUD DIXON is a Patricia Highsmith-esque tale of stolen identity and opportunism. Maud Dixon is the best-selling author of a work of literary fiction called
Mississippi Foxtrot, a tale of murder and obsession. Nobody knows who the author is, which means that his or her identity is the subject of much speculation among the literary crowd.
Florence, a young aspiring author in her mid-twenties, is one of these. She is a desperate social-climber with a wavering moral compass who wants to fit in to the upper-class elite of the New York literary scene, but no matter what she does, she looks like a hapless poseur. All of that changes when she's offered the opportunity to work with the
real Maud Dixon as an assistant, which results in life lessons, writing lessons, and a spur of the moment trip to Morocco for book research.
Obviously, the real Maud Dixon is nothing like what Florence expected. But then-- Florence isn't exactly what
she expected, either.
For about 50% of this book I was in love with it... and then it sort of fell apart, pacing-wise and character-wise. Let's just say there were some questionable decisions towards the end that had me rolling my eyes a little. I liked the Morocco portions a lot and I love a good mystery about writers who act crazy, but I just felt that things got a little too unbelievable and required too much suspension of disbelief. Was this book bad? No. I did enjoy it. It just didn't wow me like I wanted it to.
Thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review!3 stars
