Who Is Maud Dixon?

 

Holy cow! What a story! Alexandra Andrews makes quite an entrance with her debut novel! The premise of the story is spectacular, with complex characters and a near perfect setting. The description of Morocco was so intricate, I almost felt that I was there. I like the short chapters and the pacing was quick. A perfect afternoon read. 

Who is Maud Dixon? Now that is a question worth asking. What is known, is that Maud Dixon is a very famous author, and everyone is dying to know who they are and if the book they wrote is a real story.  Why would someone write under a pseudonym? Are they hiding something, or do they just value their privacy?

Through much of the book we follow Florence Darrow, a meek, non-aggressive woman who works for a publishing house as an assistant editor to a brash, loud woman. Originally from Florida, she, like so many others, came to New York expecting her life to magically change and she wouldn't be the pushover that she is. However, nothing exciting has happened and she's grown bored with her life. She ends up involved with a married man and that's when things take a dive. After she's accused of stalking him and his family, she is fired from the publishing house. 

After being fired, she's feeling listless and wondering about her life choices. She puts her resume out and even sends her collection of short stories to some publishing companies. She gets a call from one saying they'd like to interview her to be the assistant to the famous, Maud Dixon. Of course, she immediately takes the job, leaving New York and her sad life behind to go live with Maud in Cairo, New York. When she arrives, she meets Helen Wilcox, aka Maud Dixon. They seem to hit it off right away, Florence, eager to learn how to be less like herself. Helen explains, she writes under a pseudonym because she likes her privacy.

Not too long into her new job, Helen announces that she would like to take a trip to Moracco so she can do research for her next book. Florence is enamored with the country and soaks up all she can when she's not doing work for Helen. They go to dinner one night and the next thing we find out is that Florence is recovering in the hospital from a car accident and Helen is nowhere to be found. She has no memory of what happened and is growing increasingly worried that no one is saying anything about where Helen is.

What transpires from here is one huge explosion with a lot of mini explosions. The plot gets crazier and more twisted as the book reaches its climax and I can guarantee that you will not only not be disappointed, but you will also not want to put the book down. I stayed up way too late trying to sort out the huge twist I never saw coming and asking myself, what did I just read? The line between villain and hero is blurred and if I say too much more, I just might ruin it for you. GO! Get this book and enjoy! I received this book free from Novel Suspects for an honest review. I very much look forward to more from this author.