Who is Maud Dixon?
I think it’s fair to say that this newsletter has gone defunct. In fact, some of you have been subscribed to it for the better part of a year without getting any messages. What occasion, you may be wondering, could possibly be sufficient to de-defunct (refunct?) it? The answer is tomorrow’s publication of one of the year’s most highly anticipated titles, Alexandra Andrews’ debut novel, Who is Maud Dixon?
The book is a pitch-perfect literary thriller about a young woman named Florence Darrow, an editorial lackey and aspiring fiction writer who gets a chance to remake her life after being hired as the assistant to a reclusive best-selling novelist who writes under the pen-name Maud Dixon. Things, as they say, do not go as planned.
I am actually not exaggerating when I call it “one of the year’s most highly anticipated titles”–see here, here, and here–but I will admit that it has been especially highly anticipated in my own household, because Alexandra Andrews happens to be my wife.
Given that fact, you may question my objectivity on this matter, so I will leave it to some people whose opinions you can trust:
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“Devilishly plotted debut . . . barrel[s] full-speed towards a breathtaking series of Highsmith-style twists and a stunning conclusion. This darkly comic take on contemporary publishing may well leave readers asking, ‘Who is Alexandra Andrews?’” —Publishers’ Weekly (starred review)
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“Identity theft takes on a new meaning in this fresh and arresting thriller. . . . Andrews’ debut is a page-turning, surprising read.” —Booklist (double starred review) [Note: I have published four books, and I did not know before this that a “double starred review” was a thing, which I guess means that I was not in any danger of getting one.]
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“Stylish and sharp, with wicked hairpin turns, Who Is Maud Dixon? is part Patricia Highsmith, part All About Eve and pure fun.” —Maria Semple, author of Where’d You Go, Bernadette?
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“Who is Maud Dixon? is clever, cunning, and diabolical in the best possible way. Anyone longing for a good old-fashioned thrill need look no further.” ―Ann Patchett, author of The Dutch House
Also, James Patterson–currently the best-selling novelist on earth–said that he thinks Ally might be a murderer, which I am almost certain he meant as a compliment.
There’s a lot more information on the author’s website. Suffice to say that it is smart, witty, a little dark, and highly enjoyable.
Whenever I entreat my generous friends to buy my books, someone asks what method of purchase would be best for the author. The answer is that everyone in publishing (except Jeff Bezos) is better off when you buy books from your local independent store. I know that my own neighborhood indie, Books Are Magic, has lots of copies in stock. Yours probably does, too.
That said, I also know that many people do not have the option of shopping in person right now or don’t feel comfortable doing so. You can buy the book online from various sources, among them:
I would never exactly encourage this last option, but I will say that the book is currently #25 among “Ghost Thrillers” on Amazon, and one of my goals is to make it the best-selling Ghost Thriller on the site. (Spoiler Alert: it does not have any ghosts in it.)
Okay, that’s my pitch. Thank you all for your time–and a particular thanks to those of you who have never gotten a non-promotional email from this list but have not yet unsubscribed. I wish I could tell you that you would be rewarded for this trust but, well, we’ll see.
Chris