Who Is Maud Dixon?
“They were clues that would one day cohere into something larger, she didn’t know yet what. A disguise; an answer; a life.”
What did I just read?
That question tends to start most of the reviews I’ve read of this book, which is always promising when searching for a great thriller. And yeah, this one was a ride. If you’re one of those people who devoured Gone Girl back in 2014—like I did—you’ll like this one.
Who Is Maud Dixon? by Alexandra Andrews was published in March 2021, and it became available at my library just in time for my recent trip to Charleston. Most people look for beachy romances when they think of a “beach read” but I actually prefer a thriller you can’t put down, and this was that book. It was a quick read, perfect for spending a few days on the sand, and it kept my attention the entire time.
Florence Darrow is a young publishing assistant who moved to New York from her small, sad town in Florida, and she firmly believes that she is destined to be a best-selling author, despite receiving only rejections throughout her writing career and not taking anyone’s feedback to heart. After making some questionable choices and ultimately losing her job, she stumbles upon the opportunity to become the assistant to Helen Wilcox, writing under the famous pseudonym, Maud Dixon. Maud’s best-selling novel, Mississippi Foxtrot, became an instant classic in Florence’s publishing circles, so she sees this as a sign that her time has finally come.
At first, Helen comes off as eccentric and secretive, while also bold and glamorous in her own way. Florence is especially excited when they take a last minute trip to Morocco to conduct some research for Maud’s next novel. But while there, Florence wakes up in the hospital, being told that she was in a car crash, and Helen is nowhere to be found. Not only that, but Helen’s ID was found on Florence, causing the hospital staff and law enforcement to mistake her for Helen Wilcox…and Florence decides not to correct them.
“There was a world beyond her world, Florence knew, that was entirely foreign to her. Every once in a while, someone took this other world in their hands and rattled it, dislodging a small piece that fell at her feet with a plink. She gathered up these fragments like an entomologist gathers rare bugs to pin to a board.”
After hearing the premise for this book, I knew it was one I needed to try. Mainly because I am a sucker for a book about a book. I really liked how the plot of Mississippi Foxtrot continued to play a role throughout the book, especially as the parallels between the fictional characters and Florence and Helen began to form.
Something else I loved about this book—that I’m sure plenty of people will hate—is Florence and Helen as main characters. This is not one of those books with a hero and a villain. Both Florence and Helen are extremely unlikeable characters pretty much from the start, but I think that worked well for this story. If I was rooting for anyone to make it out on top by the end of this book, I would’ve been extremely bothered by what ends up happening.
“‘Doesn’t it bother you that no one knows it’s you?’ Florence asked when she could no longer resist. ‘That you wrote Mississippi Foxtrot?’
’Bene vixit, bene qui latuit.’
Florence nodded then said, ‘Sorry, what?’
’It’s Latin, from Ovid. It means, “He lives well who is well hidden.”’”
My only complaint about this book was that the first few major twists were not to difficult to predict, especially with the way the prologue was written. Even though I could tell where this book was going for most of it, I was still entertained because I still wasn’t sure how it was going to end and, more importantly, who was going to come out on top. Both Florence and Helen created a huge mess that became even messier the more they interacted with each other, and wanting to know how it was going to end kept me reading.
There was also a scene towards the end that felt really unrealistic. Without spoiling the plot, I’ll just say that the way Florence handled a few of the crises in the second half frustrated me a little. Even as an unlikable character, I was hoping for a little more growth from Florence, but throughout the entire book, she consistently made really dumb mistakes.
Overall, I’d recommend this book, especially as we start the transition from an unbearably hot summer to a slightly cooler autumn. I’d say, wait until sunset, pour a glass of Pinot Noir—yes, it must be Pinot Noir—and let this book take you away to Morocco…or at least distract you from the heat. Is it obvious I’m ready for fall?
What To Read Next:
If you’re looking for another “summery” thriller, Sunburn by Laura Lippman is a good option for you. This book is about two shady people who meet under interesting circumstances and the secrets they’re keeping from each other over the course of a summer.
If Who Is Maud Dixon? appeals to you because you also appreciate a book about books, The Shadow in the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon is a must-read. Set in Barcelona, it’s about a boy who discovers an incredible book, only to find out that all of the author’s other books are being mysteriously destroyed. It’s incredibly atmospheric and a great book to pick up just in time for fall.
Another book featuring villainous main characters is Vicious by V.E. Schwab. This book turns the hero/villain trope on its head by having the reader root for the “villain” as he tries to takedown the “hero.”
