Happy Release Day! 🎉 This was a fast and fun read with some “You” like vibes. Delta Dawn is a sociopathic photographer who enjoys inserting herself into her clients lives. I highly recommend this one even though the ending felt a little rushed. Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martins Press and Mary Dixie Carter for access to this ARC for my honest review.

📸THE PHOTOGRAPHER
By Mary Dixie Carter
Pub day: May 25th 2021 (Today! 🥳)

⭐️⭐️

I reaaaally thought I was going to love this book, but something was just missing for me.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
As a photographer, Delta Dawn observed the seemingly perfect lives of New York City’s elite: snapping photos of their children’s birthday parties, transforming images of stiff hugs and tearstained faces into visions of pure joy, and creating moments these parents long for. But when Delta is hired for Natalie Straub’s eleventh birthday, she finds herself wishing she wasn’t behind the lens but a part of the scene – in the Straub family’s gorgeous home and elegant life. That’s when Delta puts her plan in place, by babysitting for Natalie; befriending her mother, Amelia; finding chances to listen to her father, Fritz. Soon she’s in the master bathtub, drinking their expensive wine, and eyeing the beautifully finished garden apartment in their townhouse. It seems she can never get close enough, until she discovered that photos aren’t all she can manipulate.

I personally struggle with DNF’ing books. I always feel incomplete if I don’t finish it. However, this one, at multiple times I almost thought I might DNF 😨 The fact it was an ARC may have been the only thing that kept me going. I just felt like nothing was happening and it was so slow to get moving. I was not shocked by any part of this story. I found it very predictable.

The last 20ish pages of this book really started to pick up and then it was done. Although, it didn’t make up for the rest of the book for me, unfortunately. I thought this story had so much potential but it just fell flat for me personally.

I hate to give a negative review, but I have got to be honest!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, St Martin's Press and Minotaur Books for an ARC ebook of The Photographer in exchange for my honest review. #ThePhotographer #NetGalley

This book was one of most anticipated reads this year! I loved the idea of the obsessive photographer with stalker tendencies. It was a more original story. The back have of the book was a much faster pace and I finished it in one sitting. I wish that there were more details to the story and more character development of Delta. The book hinted at her past but we learned almost nothing about her and knowing about her might have explained her stalker vibes and her obsessions with certain people. The ending was also very fast and abrupt and I would have loved to see the suspense build more. Overall it was an enjoyable read.

I went into this book without reading the entire synopsis, as I try to do with most thrillers. The audiobook gives the story an intriguing edge with the flat/creepy-ish tone of the narrator; it seemed fitting for the story, but did take just a bit for me to get used to.

This book was well written with a plot that pushes the story forward. For the most part, I found the motives and conflicts to be believable, however, there were moments where the story asks that belief to be suspended. I thought the storyline was interesting and we learn enough about the characters that we feel we can see and understand them and what drives them. I was taken in by the depth of obsession each character developed for various things and how it all became intertwined.

The Photographer is entertaining, dramatic, disturbing, dark, and twisty!

Being a debut novel, I am impressed and looking forward to reading more from Mary Dixie Carter! Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for approving my request to read The Photographer in exchange for my honest review.

I found myself mesmerized by the main character Delta Dawn (really?). That might have been my first clue that something wasn’t quite right. This insightful photographer initially seemed empathetic, giving and humble. Not far into the story, words kept popping into my mind like “lonely”, “manipulative”, “stalker”, “desperate “ then just plain “sad”. Evil never entered my mind but I still always kept one open open and roving for that one thing that would give credence to the thought that she needed more than just counseling!

Carter did a good job of showing desperation on both sides of the situation. I am sure these could be common emotions when desires outway common sense. A photographer who desperately wants to belong and be loved and important as part of a family unit manipulates her way into a family with some dysfunctional characteristics. It is so subtle and smooth it’s frightening how she easily accomplishes her goal. The hook got me interested, the body of the story kept me interested but the end left me feeling a little flat. Maybe I wanted a little more resolution or maybe I thought....”Hmmm, that was an easy turnaround on all that work she put in”. Either way, easy read, great character.
Thanks to NetGalley for free copy for honest review.

This is the kind of creepy, twisted, and hair-raising book that you can’t put down. It makes you scared but intrigued at that same time. As you read, you can’t help but wonder how many times you have trusted someone you shouldn’t.

At first glance, I didn’t think I would like this story. Wow was I wrong. I loved it! It holds a depth of character with a demented mind that is often beyond understanding. We all create who we are with different people and different situations. Delta takes it many steps further.

This book is truly what the genre of psychological thriller is meant to be. I recommend it but give yourself plenty of time to read it. Once you start, you will forego all other obligations to keep reading.


I received an ARC from Minotaur Books through NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion or rating of this book. I am voluntarily submitting this review and am under no obligation to do so.

Delta Dawn feels an extra closeness to each one of her photography subjects. When you are constantly taking pictures of first birthday parties, graduations, and family portraits, its impossible not to be consumed by the warm smiles and tears and not feel a connection in your soul. That's what makes her so good at her job.
When she met the Straub family, Delta felt it was destiny. What starts off as a birthday photo shoot, evolves into a wonderful friendship. Delta would do anything to keep the family in her life, anything to feel close to them. She is willing to sacrifice everything for the Straub's.

The Photographer is the best kind of psychological thriller, the kind you become obsessed with. I have said it before, and I'll say it again..I am obsessed with obsession. This book doesn't hold back on the extra level of crazy needed to sell a female stalker. Delta is a combination of Single White Female, The Hand That Rocks The Cradle, and YOU. She is magnificent.
In most books, and on screen, the crazy photo editing and cropping are just background noise. Usually only given a glimpse of to show you that the stalker is watching their victim. In this book, we actually get to see and understand why Delta does it. Who wouldn't want to photoshop their own face into a couples shot with their dream partner? But Delta doesn't just want a partner, she wants the whole family. I loved this idea. Her photos set her anxieties at ease, and help her set goals. It may be unhealthy but atleast she's not kidnapping and killing people, right? lol Not knowing of how far she was willing to go, kept me on edge.
In a dream world I would have Mary Dixie Carter and Caroline Kepnes work together to create a baby between Joe and Delta.

What a twisted read!! I was immediately hooked, I felt like I was in the mind of a female version of Joe Goldberg (YOU - Book/TV Series) a sister maybe? A distant relative? This was right up my thriller loving alley! Written in first person (YES! My fave as you all know) through the POV of our main leading (psyche) lady. All you need is some popcorn.

We have a unique point of view in the way Delta works her magic, she’s wonderful, so personable. Who wouldn’t want to befriend her?? She is a photographer, she takes, and edits the happiest of photos for families, and along the way, gives herself an alternate (happier) reality by immersing herself in these family photos, making her feel a part of they family. (Obsessive much? … Yep)

This is only the start of all the drama, suspense, twisted moments, and crazy decisions that transpire throughout the novel. SOO good! If you are a fan of obsessive, twisted reads like that of YOU, and Behind her Eyes, this one is for you!!

Delta Dawn is a well-known photographer that takes photographs at children’s birthday parties for elite families in New York. They hire her because she can reliably create the “perfect in every way” family photo. She can crop out unhappy children and make them into exactly what the parents want to see.

Delta takes a job working for the Straub family. She will be photographing their daughter Natalie's eleventh birthday party. Soon after, she becomes obsessed with the Straub family and she will do everything and anything to be apart of it. No one will stand in her way!

This book touches on some important and relatable topics of how what you see in photos, does not always bare the truth. I found this book to be a good read overall. The ending was totally unexpected and I loved it. Mystery/Thriller fans will certainly enjoy this debut!

Many thanks to Mary Dixie Carter, NetGalley, and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The premise was intriguing but this was very much of a slow burn and psychological domestic thriller. Things are not chasing you or keeping you turning the pages late at night. Rather I felt a chill creep up my spine as I saw this random lady infiltrate a family's life. I will say the ending was the best part of this book. I reread the last chapter because I wanted to make sure I read it correctly, and was left a bit jaw dropped.

This was a lower score for me because the pace was slow. I also wasn't extremely invested in the main character's drive and frankly she just creeped me out.

Creepy psychological thriller that's a definite page turner. The MC/narrator is as unhinged as they come and is obsessed with an upper class NYC family, desperately trying to become one of the family. Many of the characters are not well developed as we see them through the narrator's lens, which filters out all that isn't important to her.

Unfortunately I felt that the plot wasn't as well developed as I think this story could have been. There are too many actions by the characters where we have to suspend disbelief (letting a near perfect stranger watch your child?). Offering to pay living expenses and college for one surrogate, but not being able to afford a round of (albeit expensive) IVF?

Either way, I'd still think twice about hiring someone to be an intimate part of our family.

This is one of those odd books that just works. Delta's character was a unique one with her uncanny talents surfacing. I enjoyed reading about her encounters with other families and her insight into their worlds. It kept me intrigued the entire time, but it just didn't feel realistic with the characters' decisions. I wish it had more and I felt it was lacking in the end.

Delta Dawn is one cray-cray lady. You're introduced right away to a character who's way off when no one is around, and that makes for a page-turner. This photographer, hired mostly to photograph children's parties and family gatherings, sets her obsessive personality hooks on a family of three and from the beginning, you can't tell who she's more consumed by, the husband or the wife. She gets naked in their home frequently, feeling that it brings her closer to them, and orchestrates interactions that insert her into their intimate life. I loved the premise and the creep factor for sure.

What I didn't like...? There were a lot of backstory elements missing. Most books usually have too much of the past but there were a few big "ideas" like Delta grew up at Disney World where her parents worked and lived that are NEVER explored. The detail is dropped into conversation a couple of times, along with a few other intriguing situations, but the story never sheds light on how it affected her or an incident that triggered whatever has made her so odd. Then there's Delta's former husband and child that are not thoroughly dealt with either. I was really into this book, but the end felt abrupt and so many loose ends seemed left or forgotten about. I would've kept reading for another fifty pages easily had there been some of these pasts moments explored deeper or had the climax been more intense. The premise had potential to really build up tension but for me, it fizzled. I'd say the first half is great and then the second... you could listen to the audio on a faster speed.

If you suspend belief, this book is quite the entertaining read. Delta Dawn is a gifted photographer. When she meets the Straubs at Natalie’s eleventh birthday party, she no longer wants to be behind the camera, but a part of their lives. She quickly becomes obsessed and finds any way she can to be a part of their lives by making herself indispensable. The more she becomes entrenched in their lives, the more she craves. A slightly creepy stalkerish tale, with an ending that probably won’t surprise many.

Thanks so much the publisher and Netgalleyfor my e-arc is exchange for an honest review! THE PHOTOGRAPHER publishes today!


This was a quick read, at just under 309 pages. I enjoyed the atmosphere of this book. A woman who is photographer, works her way into the family of a client? You just know something bad is going to happen!

While I didn’t know what was going to happen, I still felt confused and underwhelmed by this story. I wanted more! I didn’t feel like we got Delta’s full story. Or why she did what she did. There wasn’t any character growth either I found. Delta just kept doing what she always did, and even managed to control the situation at the end to her own advantage.

If you are looking for a quick thriller read, perhaps one to read poolside or at the beach, pick this one up!

This is one of those books that has a main female character that you have to read it to believe it all the craziness she does. Some of it was a little far fetched, and it's getting old always reading about the "crazy' female stalker.

This was an amusing psychological thriller that was a super easy and quick read.

I always love a good unreliable narrator, especially so when she’s absolutely deranged and unhinged. Delta’s devious and unsettling personality kept me turning the page as I was hooked on the feeling of impending doom and was curious to see how everything was going to play out.

While this wasn’t my favourite domestic suspense, I typically find stalker plots intriguing and was entertained throughout!

3.5 ⭐️ rounded to 4 for goodreads!

Wow. Experimental and brilliant, The Photographer by debut novelist Mary Dixie Carter captures the meaning of a quiet thriller in a whole new light.
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Something is off about Delta Dawn.

At family gatherings and children’s birthday parties it’s Delta’s job to go unnoticed. She watches, no stalks—sequestered in quiet corners of marbled kitchens and in the shadows of carefully manicured gardens—waiting to capture her subjects unawares. When Delta is hired to photograph 11-year-old Natalie Straub's birthday party, Delta sets her sights on the parents (a seemingly perfect couple) Fritz and Amelia Straub. Delta performs miracles for her clients—fixing frowns into smiles and turning awkward moments into frameable memories. The pictures are perfect and although she's finished with the project, Delta can't stop the obsessive feeling to get CLOSER to the Straubs.

Having been a portrait photographer myself, I absolutely loved this book!! There’s a creepy and disturbing quality to Delta’s observations of people and in the way she interacts with the world around her. The story had an indie-film kind of vibe and at times the silence of the house was deafening. It’s important to note that this is not your typical “mystery/thriller” as is labeled on Goodreads. The pacing is slow and deliberate, and in my opinion, this story is closer to a character study than a mystery. I enjoyed the deception, the photo lingo and all of the characters. I wouldn’t change a thing about this story, especially that ending!

Thank you, St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur, and NetGalley for the gifted ARC.

My Rating: 5 Stars

Meet Delta Dawn (like the song, which is now stuck in your head): a family photographer for New York City’s elite. She is obsessive, manipulative, creepy, lacks any boundaries and sounds like the perfect person to trust with your children, right? Amelia and Fitz seem to think so when they let Delta into their lives practically overnight after she photographs their daughter’s birthday party. Now she is never leaving. Not even for that mansion in the sky. (If y’all don’t know the Tanya Tucker song, you better fix that. Bette Midler recorded a superior version, in my opinion)

Lots of unlikeable characters in this one and I found myself yelling at each one instead of my own family, so that was a nice change of pace.

I would have loved more background on Delta and how she got to this point. Did she have some type of trauma in her past to make her act the way she does? I also wanted more tension, more twists and more action! While I definitely wanted to see where the story went, I didn’t find myself immersed in it and the ending was a bit predictable. Still an interesting read.

This is a disturbing, obsessive, make-your-hairs-stand-up, slow-burning psychological thriller.

The level of Delta Dawn’s self-denial throughout the plot is suuuper creepy😨 I didn’t much care for the wife, Amelia, and I felt bad for her daughter, Natalie, who doesn’t get the attention or love that she deserves.

Overall: the ending was brilliant. However, there’s a feeling inside me that just can’t give this book more than 3.5 stars. It was good, but I just didn’t fall in love with it.