This is Kelsey Patterson with the Sioux City Public Library and you’re listening to Check It Out. Today, I’m recommending Alexandra Andrews’s debut novel, Who is Maud Dixon?
Florence Darrow is a low-level publishing employee who believes she’s destined to become a famous writer. When she stumbles into a job as the assistant to the brilliant, mysterious novelist known as Maud Dixon—whose true identity is kept secret—it appears that the universe is smiling down on her, finally providing Florence with the opportunity to achieve her destiny.
The arrangement seems perfect. Maud Dixon (whose real name, Florence discovers is Helen Wilcox) can be prickly, but she is full of pointed wisdom—not only on how to write, but also on how to live. Florence quickly falls under her spell and eagerly accompanies her to Morocco, where Maud’s new novel is set. Amidst the colorful streets of Marrakesh and the wind-swept beaches of the coast, Florence’s life finally feels interesting enough to inspire a novel of her own.
But when Florence wakes up in the hospital after a terrible car accident, with no memory of the previous night—and no sign of Helen—she's tempted to take a shortcut. Instead of hiding in her boss’s shadow, why not upgrade into her life? Not to mention her bestselling pseudonym...
As you can probably guess, identity theft takes on a whole new meaning in this book. Super-fast-paced, it is a twisty and devilishly entertaining psychological thriller. It has wicked hairpin turns and is diabolicial in the best possible way. I think it’s a perfect read for fans of Paula Hawkins and Patricia Highsmith.
Check out Who is Maud Dixon? and other works of psychological suspense like it at the Sioux City Public Library.
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