This was a quick read. It wasn't exactly what I was expecting. Many plot points are common with other books in this genre. There were a few unique twists, but parts were a bit predictable. Things fell a bit flat for me overall, and I never really connected with the characters as much as I would've liked. It was okay for a first novel.

Delta Dawn, the main character of The Photographer would be in the Urban Dictionary as the personification of the term 'thirsty.' She's not just thirsty, she is absolutely obsessed with the Straub family who hires her to photograph their daughter's 11th birthday party. Delta is a brilliant photographer, but more than that she is a brilliant Photoshopper. No family wants to see boring pictures of their child's birthday, much less see a sullen child. So Delta handles it. She can transform any photo in such a way that everyone looks good and, more importantly, happy.

Unfortunately, Delta doesn't stop at enhancing photos; she actually manipulates photos to add herself into the picture. In some cases, it's as simple as making her look like the best friend, but more creepily, she can also Photoshop herself naked with the family's husband. She does all that and more with Amelia and Fritz Straub. From the day they meet, Delta spends all of her time insinuating herself into the Straub family. It starts with babysitting their daughter Natalie and progresses to picking up their dry cleaning, watering their plants, running errands, etc. etc. She even starts dating one of their good friends. Whatever it takes to ingratiate herself, Delta is up to the task.

What I liked about The Photographer was the creepiness of the story and the fast pace. This is the debut of novelist Mary Dixie Carter, and it's one helluva start to her career. I'm definitely looking forward to more. What I didn't like was that I never understood the underlying cause of Delta Dawn's psychosis. She describes herself as beautiful, and she is highly skilled and highly esteemed in her profession. So why doesn't she have any friends? What in her background caused her extreme neediness? Those questions are never really answered. I also thought the ending was a bit of a letdown.

Overall, The Photographer is a fun read and a strong debut novel. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me an advance read in exchange for an honest review.

Delta Dawn is a highly sought-after, very talented photographer. Her work frequently takes her into the homes of New York City’s elite families, as her specialty is photographing children. When Delta books a job with the Straubs, popular and successful architects, she finds herself drawn to both Amelia and Fritz Straub, as well as their daughter, Natalie. Really drawn to them. Like, creepily drawn to them. As Delta goes on to weave her way into the Straubs’ life, the reader sees just how incredibly off the rails this character really is.

Initially, this book gave me The Last Mrs. Parrish vibes. But as it continued, I found it difficult to understand exactly what Delta’s ultimate goal was. Ultimately, it was a sense of belonging, but what that meant to her seemed a little scattered. I can’t really go into this too much without spoilers, but there was a really confusing line between whether she wanted to be a daughter, a lover, a mom, all of it to the same people? I really wasn’t sure. I also couldn’t really connect to the characters. Amelia Straub was the most dynamic character, but her motivations also became confusing for me toward the end. It’s not a spoiler to say she wants another child, but why? I never really understood. She has an incredibly successful career, for which she has sacrificed her relationship with her husband and her daughter. She seems totally okay with that, but is desperate for a new baby she has no time for? I’m not saying this can’t all be true in actual person - it just didn’t fit with this fictional personality as portrayed by the author, if that makes sense. As far as Delta, Natalie, Fritz, Ian - meh. Just nothing there. At a minimum, I need a villain I love to hate.

Ultimately, though, this book was a good quick read. Although it didn’t quite unfold in a way that works for me, I like the storyline itself. Great way to pass time in a waiting room, picking up kids from school, unwinding before bed. For a first novel, this isn’t bad and I’m looking forward to some fun thrillers from Mary Dixie Carter in the future.

Thanks to Mary Dixie Carter, Minotaur Books, and @netgalley for the ARC in return for my honest review.

Holy whoa! This book was absolutely twisted and macabre, and I loved every second! The characters seemed incredibly real to me and I could thoroughly see this as a movie in the vein of “gone girl!” His twisted tale blew my mind in all of the right ways and made me not able to put this incredible book down. I loved every moment of the crazy ride that the author gave, I will definitely be looking for more from this fantastic writer! Thank you to the publishers in NetGalley for providing me with a free advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion. this story it was really something!

The photographer in the title refers to Delta, the protagonist of this story who makes a living photographing (and manipulating) images for families who want to capture memories (sometimes less than accurate ones) of their children’s special events.
It’s clear from the start that she has her own issues but over the course of the book we realize she’s willing to manipulate more than photos to get what she wants.

This was a quick read. It had familiar elements I’ve come to expect in so many domestic thrillers: unreliable narrator, obsession, fraught family dynamics. Yet the author managed to introduce a unique spin on some of those elements. She certainly took the “what you see isn’t always what you get” idea on its side.

Unfortunately there were just too many moments I had to suspend disbelief when it came to characters’ behavior. Ultimately it fell a bit flat for me and I never really found myself invested in the characters. I would certainly give this author another read given that this was her first novel, but this isn’t one that will stick with me.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This book took me longer to read than I originally thought it would. It was a good story overall and had some suspenseful/mysterious moments, but I would definitely not classify it as a thriller. It was more of a slower-paced mystery to me. Halfway through, I figured out the secret(s) of the photographer so that wasn’t much of a surprise. The only thing that kept me reading it was wanting to see how the story played out and if she was able to maintain her friendship with Amelia.

In my opinion, the story overall was good. The part I found odd was how fast Delta was able to insert herself into the Straub’s lives and their home and how comfortable she seemed to be with it. That almost seemed unreal that someone would think and feel that way, but who knows...there are some crazy-thinking people out there!

I didn’t enjoy this book enough to want to recommend it to others, but if it’s already on your TBR list just make sure you are prepared for a slower-paced book.

Review of Uncorrected Digital Galley

Family photographer Delta Dawn [her mother’s tribute to Tanya Tucker] knows her way around cameras and lighting and angles and documenting and photography as a work of art . . . and photoshopping. There is no doubt that she’s more than a little obsessed with appearances and has fine-tuned the art of ingratiation. She knows how to make her customers’ photographs tell the story she believes they want them to tell.

Clearly, Delta is a talented photographer, but one who likes to create the moments for her pictures, to serve as the director of the shoot. And now, she’s set her sights on the Straub family, the exquisite Greek revival brownstone in Boerum Hill that they call home, and on what Delta perceives as the privileged life they lead.

And she will do whatever it takes to entrench herself in the middle of their family . . . forever.

Delta Dawn is the narrator of this creepy story that pulls the reader in from the outset and never lets up. Early on, readers are sure to recognize exactly what Delta is all about, how she sees nothing wrong with manipulating her photographs, using them as a way to play up to her customers. Clearly, she’s good at what she does, commanding a top-notch salary and delivering a quality [even if photoshopped] product.

At times, “The Photographer” seems almost more of a character study . . . Delta definitely exists in her own twisted fantasyland . . . yet there’s the mystery of why she’s decided to weave herself into the Straub family and exactly what she’s going to do to put herself where she’s decided she belongs. The multilayered story doesn’t offer readers too many startling surprises [save one] . . . Delta clearly lays out her plans and clues the reader into everything she’s doing to bring her master plan to fruition.

The unique plot seems straightforward enough; the characters are well-drawn and believable. But there remains a troubling question about exactly where Ian ends up and there’s that staggering, pulse-pounding twist near the end that most readers won’t see coming.

Delta is definitely unlikable, but she’s also a mesmerizing character who knows how to hold the reader’s interest. She’s scheming, conniving, obsessive, and clearly unstable, but somehow she always manages to find the right move to catapult her out of danger, allowing her to manipulate herself into her next situation.

The continually-building suspense keeps readers on the edge of their seats; sadly, however, there’s nary a clue as to what made Delta Dawn the way she is today. Delta herself makes a few comments along the way, but perceptive readers realize there’s no way to know if her comments are true or just part of her fictionalized pseudo-world. In any event, readers are sure to find this lack of a definitive background conspectus quite disappointing.

Disturbing and dark, riveting and cringe-worthy, there’s much to appreciate in this eerie tale of twisted desire and deception. Don’t miss it.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from St. Martin’s Press / Minotaur Books and NetGalley
#ThePhotographer #NetGalley

I highly recommend this book. I literally could not read fast enough. Everything this Genre should be and more!!
Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me the thrill of reading early.

A fantastic novel in the vein of Patricia Highsmith. Delta Dawn is our heroine....Or is she? A talented young photographer running her own birthday party portrait business, Delta slowly reveals more about herself as we follow her day to day work interactions with parents of young wealthy children. Early on, Delta meets a family that she feels she must know more about and her drive to become an actual part of the family powers the majority of the book. I recommend this book highly! Unlike many novels written in first person, this book draws you in and you truly feel a part of Delta's psyche. I always wonder if people mean it when they say "They read a book in one sitting" but I did complete this book in 24 hours! I had to know what would happen next. This book has believable twists and turns while keeping you guessing.

Thanks to the Publisher and Net Gallery for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was a fun psychological thriller read- sort of a “Talented Mr Ripley” meets “Single White Female” .
The author skillfully pulls backs the layers, the facade each of us creates for the world, which is very different from reality. Amelia- beautiful on the outside, literally constructing a picture perfect life, but constantly grasping for something just out of reach , Fritz her husband, living his life as second fiddle to his wife’s obsessions, and ther daughter Natalie who sees all too clearly that she can never be enough. Our narrator- Delta Dawn ( yes, thats really her name) the photographer who sees everything and isnt above a little photoshop to insert herself into their life.
While I found the characters in the story fully dimensional, the plot itself was fairly predictable as Delta the narrator tells us exactly what she is doing the whole time. For me this took all of the excitement out of the story.

This was an interesting domestic suspense read- one of those stories where you feel a sense of foreboding even when nothing bad is actually happening. It centers on Delta, who is a photographer in NYC, mostly catering to well-to-do families as their kids' birthday parties. When she takes pictures for Natalie's 11th birthday, she develops an unhealthy obsession with her family and will do anything to become a part of their inner circle.

Delta is clearly a little nutty, and it was interesting to see how she showed up to others versus what was going through her head. One thing I never really understood, though, is why she fixated on this one family or what her end goal actually was. Either way, the book itself was fast-paced and left me with a constant sense of anxiety (in a good way) about what would happen next. I woudl have liked to learn more about Amelia and Fritz and what their history was before Delta came into their lives.

Overall, fun read that I finished in less than a day. Though there were some missing pieces for me around Delta's motiviations, I enjoyed the book and thought it was delicoiusly dark. I'd give a solid 3.5 stars and recommend it to those who like domestic suspense books. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Oh my gosh this book was completely consuming for me! The Photographer was creepy, addictive, and a page-turner! Delta will have your skin crawling and wondering who you know and how well you really know them. Loved
this book!

I was lucky enough to win an electronic ARC of THE PHOTOGRAPHER by Mary Dixie Carter in a Shelf Awareness giveaway. Thank you for the early look, and stay safe!

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur books for the Advanced Release Copy of The Photographer in exchange for my honest review.

"It seems she can never get close enough, until she discovers that photos aren’t all she can manipulate." - The Photographer
I'm honestly not sure where to start with this one. Whoa!! That is probably the most accurate word that I can use. This one was not what I expected at all. We follow the day to day life of Photographer Delta Dawn (yes, like the song). Delta uses her intelligence and cunning to weave herself into the charmed lives of her wealthy clients. When she meets the Staub family, she wants more. She manipulates them and those around them until nobody exists except her. You know that you holding your breath and waiting for the event that will derail her carefully constructed dellusion, but you cant put it down. It is obvious early-on that she is self aggrandizing and feels that she is always manipulating, but you just have to see how it ends. I definitely didn't see the ending coming until I was almost there.

This was an extremely addictive and very suspenseful look at obsession, and desire. There has obviously been some deep-seated psychological trauma. You will have you asking yourself what is real until the very last page. Do yourself a favor and put this one on your list when it comes out May 25th, 2021!

@MaryDixieCarter @MinotaurBooks
#ThePhotographer #Edelweiss #bookstagram #psychologicalthriller #booknerd #onemorechapter #bookish #readingpastmybedtime #readallofthebooks

This book is pretty predicable, but that doesn’t mean it’s not enjoyable. Once I started reading, I couldn’t put it down. This is a quick read, but it’s a pretty fun thriller.

Lucky me, I got an advance copy of The Photographer by Mary Dixie Carter. I've heard rumblings that it might be one of this summer's hot beach reads - and I wouldn't be surprised if that's the case. It's not one of those super twisty thrillers with a ton of WTF moments - it's a fairly slow-paced story, but that fits the overall vibe and mood so that's not necessarily a criticism. It's an interesting dark psychological thriller. I saw a blurb by Jennifer Hillier (love her) that said it was a combo of YOU and PARASITE and I thought that comparison was pretty accurate. The main character is delightfully off the rails, in the way that everything she does seems 100% justified and normal to her. That's something that creeps me out the most, when an obviously deranged person sees nothing wrong with their actions. This one hits shelves May 25th. A big thank you to NetGalley, Minotaur Books and St Martin's Press for the advance copy.

The Photographer by Mary Dixie Carter was such a suspenseful, quick, and engaging read! This story is told from the perspective of Delta Dawn, a children's photographer who excels at editing images to curate memories. It is a gripping domestic thriller that is kept me turning the pages. Even though I had caught on fairly early in the novel that not everything was as it seemed, I still found the story as a whole and the end result to be enjoyable and compulsively readable. I read this in almost a single sitting because I didn't want to put it down, though I almost anticipated a greater level of twisty for this one. Overall, I found this to be a very entertaining read and I would recommend it for fans of domestic thrillers full of obsession!

I received an ARC of the title from St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books via NetGalley which did not affect the contents of my voluntary review. All opinions are honest and my own.

The Photographer is the perfect title for this book. Not only because the protagonist is a photographer, but because as reader you feel like you are looking through the lens of a camera, trying to be discreet behind the camera as you watch and observe the people and events taking place.

This story is an excellent, creepy thriller that will keep you flipping the pages and on the edge of your seat throughout your reading experience. Its a slow burning (but definitely intriguing) read that keeps building, getting more and more suspenseful little by little, and it will definitely make you want more.

It’s filled to the brim with harrowing suspense, and it’s a nail biting, deliciously satisfactory read.

This is an intense story of obsession, and if that’s your kind of thriller, then definitely pick this one up! You won’t regret it!

Highly recommend!

For Delta Dawn being a photographer to NYC’s elite is rewarding on many levels. But she has a hard time separating reality from the fantasy photos she creates, obsessing to the level of inserting herself into people’s private lives with disastrous results.

Creepy, slow-burning suspense that keeps building until you find yourself thinking what just happened!??!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars - I went into this book pretty blind. I have been a professional photographer for 14 years now, so obviously the title caught my eye! I'm glad a photographer (me) has read this book, as I've written down some corrections, some of them specifically photographer-related. I thought it might be helpful to get some feedback from a professional photographer AND an avid-reader :) Though, I will say in advance I am *nothing* like Delta, the photographer in this book though ;)

Here are the notes I wrote while reading this book:

8% - If the character is supposedly a professional photographer with a decade of experience, she wouldn't think of her camera as a "digital Canon EOS". She would just think of it as "her camera", but to give some detail to the reader, this should be replaced with Nikon D5, or the d850, but if Canon MUST be used (bleh) than it should be the Canon 5D Mark IV.

13% - So... this photographer is creepy. She has issues for sure. Hopefully we get more background info or history on why she's like this as the story moves forward. (I was very disappointed that by the end of the book we didn't get any history on her family, or her childhood, or just WHY she is the way she is.)

18% - These chapters are very long, and could easily be broken up into shorter chapters. Generally, I like 5-minute chapters, but these are like 30-minute chapters. (I did notice in the second half of the book, the chapters did get shorter, to about 10-minute chapters.). Also, a random thought: There should be a camera on the cover somewhere. And the girl on the current cover has a green eye, but in the story it says she has blue eyes. Small disconnect there.

19% - Why would the photographer bring a present to her client? That doesn't happen for regular clients, and if she's working for a friend, it should say that to explain the random client gift. Also, most professional photographers don't wear their cameras around their neck, as it causes neck strain over time.

22% - Clients would never look through the viewfinder of my camera, but I would show them images on the digital display that I had already taken. (The word "viewfinder" was used a few times mistakenly throughout the book, where it should say "digital display on the back of the camera".)

28% - It's still not exactly clear what Delta wants. A friendship with Amelia? To replace Amelia and be with Fritz? And why the obsession with this couple specifically? (By the end of the book, I assumed Delta wanted to just be part of a loving family, but it never explicitly says what her goal is, or what's driving her intentions.)

40% - Early on in the book, Delta says she never edits photos unless absolutely necessary. But then it constantly says how she's working on editing, how she spends her days editing, etc. That earlier line about "never editing" should probably be taken out. Also, photographers definitely spend more time editing than they do actually shooting!

42% - Wouldn't the first thing they do, be to call the airline to see if Amelia got on the flight? Then when they find out she didn't, go through her calendar?

65% - Okay, so why did Amelia ghost Delta for 2 weeks?? Just because she asked Lucia the name of the baby? This isn't very clear.

68% - Delta was there when Lucia came over to tell them in person! Of course she knew, why would Fritz ask if she had heard?

76% - Okay this isn't being explained. What is a "garden apartment"?? Like a basement apartment? I keep picturing it as a separate building in the backyard.

79% - Finally Ian called her on it... It was very obvious that Jasper wasn't her son from very early on. A very predictable "twist".

80% - I forgot to mention this earlier, I love that she has a cat, and how feisty Eliza is!! More cat scenes would be awesome. Especially one where Delta is trying to edit but the cat keeps walking in front of her monitor, or on her keyboard, because that happens to me ALL the time!! Delta needs to respect the cat more, and be nicer to her though :(

100% - Photographers always have backups of their photos somewhere, especially edits that they have worked hard on. Delta just deleting her images, I can't see that ever happening in real life, especially since she cherished them apparently enough to print and save copies. It should probably be mentioned somewhere that she backed them up in the cloud or on a backup device or backup server.

Overall, I feel like the story could be just SLIGHTLY darker to really push the envelope, in terms of Delta's manipulations etc. Also some history as to why she is the way she is, some info about her family, etc would have been wonderful. Overall though I really enjoyed the book - there are certainly not enough thrillers where the main character is a photographer who values photos and "freezing moments in time", and definitely not enough books where the photographer owns a cat! :D