It was 2018, and everyone was reading the same book. You couldn't walk into a Starbucks without seeing that blue-and-yellow cover. The Woman in the Window was everywhere. It hit number one on the New York Times bestseller list immediately. It felt like the next Gone Girl. But the story behind the author, A.J. Finn, eventually became more bizarre and twisted than the actual plot of the novel.
Honestly, the book is a masterclass in tension. It follows Dr. Anna Fox, a child psychologist who is terrified of the outdoors. She has agoraphobia. She spends her days drinking too much Merlot, watching old Hitchcock movies, and spying on her neighbors in Harlem. When she thinks she sees a murder across the street, no one believes her.
Why? Because she's an unreliable narrator. She mixes pills and booze. She’s grieving. But as it turns out, the man who wrote her, AJ Finn, was an even more unreliable narrator in real life.
The Man Behind the Mask: Who is Dan Mallory?
A.J. Finn isn't a real person. It’s the pseudonym for Dan Mallory. Before he became a global superstar author, Mallory was a heavy hitter in the publishing world. He worked as an editor at Little, Brown in London and later at William Morrow in New York.
He was the guy who knew everyone. He was charming. He was brilliant. But according to a massive expose in The New Yorker by Ian Parker, he was also spinning a web of lies that would make a thriller protagonist blush.
Mallory didn't just use a pen name to separate his professional life from his creative one. He reportedly told colleagues and friends for years that he had brain cancer. He claimed he had double doctorates from Oxford. He even told people his mother had died of cancer and his brother had committed suicide.
None of it was true.
When the New Yorker piece dropped in 2019, the literary world went into a total meltdown. Imagine finding out your star author, the guy you just gave a seven-figure deal to, had been faking terminal illnesses to get out of work or explain away missed deadlines. It was surreal.
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Mallory eventually released a statement. He didn't deny the "dissembling." Instead, he attributed his behavior to Bipolar II disorder. He explained that he’d been terrified of the stigma of mental illness, so he leaned on physical excuses instead. It’s a complicated defense. Some people felt for him; others felt totally manipulated.
Why The Woman in the Window Still Matters Today
Despite the chaos surrounding Dan Mallory, the book itself hasn't really disappeared. People still buy it. Why? Because it’s a genuinely tight thriller.
The Hitchcock Influence
If you’ve seen Rear Window, you know the vibe. Mallory didn't hide his influences. In fact, he leaned into them.
- The protagonist, Anna, is obsessed with classic noir.
- The setting is claustrophobic—a four-story brownstone that feels like a prison.
- The "is she crazy or is she right?" trope is executed with clinical precision.
The Movie Adaptation
Netflix eventually released the film version in 2021. It had a rocky road. It was originally a Fox 2000 project, then Disney bought Fox, then the pandemic happened, and finally, it landed on streaming.
The cast was stacked. Amy Adams as Anna Fox. Gary Oldman. Julianne Moore. You’d think with that much talent, it would be a slam dunk.
It wasn't.
Critics were... not kind. While the book used Anna’s internal monologue to build a sense of dread, the movie felt a bit frantic. There’s a scene where the house basically starts "bleeding" and collapsing visually to represent her mental state. For some, it was stylish. For others, it was just "too much."
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Comparing the Book to the Film
If you're wondering whether to read the book or just watch the movie, go with the book. Every time.
The movie cuts out a massive subplot involving an online forum for agoraphobics. In the novel, this is how Anna finds community. It’s also how the villain gets closer to her. In the film, a lot of the detective work feels rushed. You lose the slow-burn realization that her "perfect" family isn't what it seems.
One big difference? The ending.
In the book, the confrontation with the killer, Ethan, is much more of a psychological chess match. In the movie, it turns into a bit of a slasher flick on a rainy roof.
What’s Next for AJ Finn?
You might think a scandal like that would end a career. In most industries, it would. But publishing is a weird beast.
In early 2024, Mallory released his second novel, End of Story.
The irony of that title isn't lost on anyone. It’s about a mystery writer who is dying and invites a critic to his home to write his life story. Talk about "writing what you know." It feels like a meta-commentary on his own life and the "unreliable narrator" label that has been permanently tattooed on his reputation.
As of early 2026, the dust has mostly settled. Mallory is still writing. Readers are still reading.
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How to Approach the Controversy
If you're a fan of the genre, it’s hard to ignore the "Finn" factor. It brings up a lot of questions about "Death of the Author." Can you enjoy a book if you know the person who wrote it lied about having cancer?
There isn't a right answer.
- If you value the craft: The book remains a solid example of the "domestic thriller" boom of the 2010s.
- If you value the person: The backstory is a cautionary tale about the pressures of the publishing industry and the complexities of mental health.
Ultimately, AJ Finn and The Woman in the Window will always be linked to one of the most bizarre scandals in modern literature. It’s a reminder that sometimes the most interesting story isn't the one on the page—it's the one happening in the author's head.
Check out the original New Yorker article "A Suspense Novelist's Trail of Deceptions" if you want the full, granular breakdown of the timeline. It reads like a movie script itself.
To get the most out of the story, read the 2018 novel first before watching the Netflix version. You'll catch way more of the Hitchcockian Easter eggs that the film skips over.
Next Steps for Readers:
- Compare the Mediums: Read the first 50 pages of the novel, then watch the first 20 minutes of the Netflix film to see how they handle Anna’s agoraphobia differently.
- Explore the Scandal: Look up the 2019 New Yorker profile by Ian Parker to understand the full scope of the Dan Mallory allegations.
- Read the Sequel: Pick up End of Story (2024) to see how Mallory’s writing style has evolved since the controversy.
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