The Fine Art of the Mystery Thriller with Alexandra Andrews

Alexandra Andrews, author of The Fine Art of Lying, describes herself as "one of the worst liars" — a striking admission for someone who built a career writing twist-filled thrillers. Her most memorable lie was practical: when her OB-GYN called at 5 AM during COVID and told her to claim she couldn't feel the baby moving so she could be induced before partners were banned from delivery rooms. "It was horrific," she says. "I was turning bright red. It made me feel like a really bad person."

From Copywriter to Novelist

Andrews tried "10,000 different careers" before attempting to write fiction. She worked as a journalist and then as a copywriter, but never felt she was doing what she wanted. The turning point came when she was pregnant with her first child. "Do I want my daughter to have this role model who never did what she wanted to do because she was too scared, too lazy?" That question became "the kick in the pants" she needed.