Yes, please! If you enjoy psychological thrillers then this is a must read! Dark and creepy at its best!

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NG for a copy of this book in exchange for honest feedback. I also have a physical copy that I read and I gave this book 4 stars. I really enjoyed this thriller/suspense. So, this book is essentially about a photographer, Delta Dawn, living in NYC. She photographs elites, snapping photos of their everyday lives and transforming them into art. When she is hired to do a 11 year old's birthday, she wishes she was in their family, their home, their life... soon, she's made a plan to do just that. She starts babysitting for the girl, Natalie, befriending the mother. She starts to ruminate over her envy and obsession. From her POV, we are privy to her manipulations, her warped view and attempts to get close to the family and her stalking behavior. This book reminds me of a book I read 2 years ago which has an unreliable narrator who attempts to convince themselves in an internal dialogue (which the reader follows) and is completely deranged. It also reminds me of the series You. I really liked this book and I would like to read anything else this author releases. Great book!

Hmm I'm not sure about this one. It was good, but cringy the entire time and the ending was anticlimactic. It was just a weird way to wrap it up. If you're looking for a fast read though it's ok.

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️(3 stars)

My thoughts: I seem to be a bit of an outlier here. But that’s ok. My honest thoughts on this book are… “meh”.

I was so excited to get this ARC. The plot sounded right up my alley, a bit twisted and strange. And the writing was excellent. But the main character, and even some of the peripheral characters, was just SO insufferable and needy. And some of their actions just didn’t make any sense.

I think I was probably being generous when I gave this a three. But I do appreciate the author’s efforts so I left it.

The Photographer is available now.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur for the advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This fast paced story held so much potential. It starts quickly and the psychological suspense is strong. However, there are so many illogical moments and questionable decisions made by many of the characters it was too hard to suspend belief. The premise here is fantastic and the writing is strong, I just wish some of the details had worked out differently.

I really wasn't sure which way this book was going to go for me. I'd read a lot of reviews for it, some of them making me think I'd really dislike it as it uses a trope I am REALLY not a fan of. Fortunately, it worked for me. Maybe I was in the right mood, or maybe it was well written, but it worked without leaving me feeling hurt and gross.

Delta is probably one of the most unstable characters I've ever read, but for ONCE, it worked. Delta was straight up coo-coo with her obsessions and decisions. I do think there could have been a much deeper dive into why she's the way she is, but it still worked. I'm not sure if we were supposed to feel sorry for Amelia, but I definitely didn't because she was straight up awful. This book really makes you second guess who you easily let into your life, sharing all your most intimate details with, and what their intentions are. The ending definitely shocked me, and left me feeling really uncomfortable, but it worked for this book.

The Photographer was a struggle for me; the pacing was slow, I couldn't get a good handle on the characters, and ultimately abandoned it to read other things band have not picked it up since.

I really enjoyed this one and will look into this author more. I enjoyed with twists and the flow of the story. The writing was well done and kept my interest throughout. I will be recommending this one to friends.

I enjoyed this one. It was quite disturbing and a quick read. I found the cover a little creepy for some reason.

Delta Dawn has achieved success as a photographer of children’s parties among the well-to-do of Brooklyn. Then needy, self-centred Dawn gets a job babysitting for the Straub family, makes herself at home, and starts uncovering their darkest secrets. In a crowded field, this debut psychological thriller stands out from the pack.

Delta is a photographer who enjoys taking pictures for affluent families. She then slowly integrates herself into their family life. A psychological thriller that just seemed to fall a little short.

Weird, Wild Stuff.

A freakish psychological thriller that just didn’t do it for me.

Delta Dawn is a successful New Your City photographer who becomes obsessed with the Straub family after photographing the daughter (Natalie’s) birthday party. Once she gets “in” with mom Amelia and husband Fritz, she does everything she can to help them out in a myriad of ways.. Babysitting pre-teen Natalie, house-sitting, and lastly becoming a surrogate.

Her obsession becomes downright creepy especially when she “photoshops” pics of herself into photos she takes of the family. Can you say EEEWWWWHHHH?

Remind me never to hire a photographer!

A buddy read/listen with Kaceey that left us both underwhelmed.

Thank you to Minotaur via NetGalley for the arc.

I am beyond behind this year that I think I have crammed in six books in one day which I think is pretty impressive. While I am sure Netgalley would have liked to get my review on time when this book was set to release that is sadly not how my life worked out this year.

I apologize to the author and publisher because this book is absolutely stunning.

What a debut novel! It was such a disturbing read that I seriously couldn't put it down. As a compulsive thriller reader, I really appreciated the obsession and young family in this book. It was perfectly creepy, intimate, and entertaining, making it a sure 5-star read for me. The title character, Delta Dawn, is a taken family photographer in New York City. She is hired to turn pouts into smiles and turn tantrums into memories She loves her job and the job loves her, but then... she is hired to photograph an 11--year-old Natalie's birthday party. That is when she realizes that she wishes she could become part of this family. This is where her editing skills come in handy and she sets out to become part of the family. First by becoming the babysitter then by offering to do something much more personal praying on the need for another child by Natalie's mother.  There is so much more I could say honestly but I think the best thing to say for this book is go read it. I will be waiting on more books by this author for sure I was impressed and obsessed in equal measure.

Very disappointing. I had difficulty right from the start connecting with the characters and storyline. I tried switching to the audio format. Unfortunately this did not help. I struggled to the end.
This book just wasn’t a good fit for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press.

First the business....a huge thanks to #NetGalley, #MinotaurBooks, and #MaryDixieCarter for the ARC of #The Photographer.


An excellent read! I had it figured out before the end, but loved the rise getting there. Delta is a great photographer, but her desires cause her to get into trouble. When she meets the "perfect" family while shooting a birthday party her desire turns to obsession. Not just for the man of the house, but the whole family. Then she sees an opportunity to help them in a way no one else will. Things go from bad to worse, but what a ride! A solid 4 1/2 star read! Pick up a copy to day and settle in for the thrills and chills!

The Photographer by Mary Dixie Carter is such a strong debut! I'm looking forward to more from this author. It's a twisty psychological thriller, and Delta is a well-written character. It has vibes of the movie The Hand That Rocks the Cradle.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

Chills! The one gave me chills. If you remember the movie "The Hand that Rocks the Cradle", this is your book. It reminded me of the nanny in that movie and I won't forget it!

A new author for me. A well written, suspenseful story. The author used details that give the story life. A fast paced story that is engaging and has characters that are relatable. This story is about Delta who seems to have it all including the love of taking photographs. What will happen when she goes to Natalie's birthday party and realizes that this is the life she wants. As she puts a plan in place to take what she wants the story takes a twist and is hard to put down. The characters made the story very interesting to read and just made the story connectable to the reader. Thanks Netgally and the publisher for the advance ecopy.

Meet Delta Dawn - a crazy, obsessive photographer who befriends her most recent clients. The Straubs are a power couple and welcome Delta into their circle. Delta starts dating a co-worker of Mr. Straub, mostly to seem more normal. She becomes close with their daughter Natalie and ultimately makes a plan to become a surrogate for them so she can remain in their lives. It was fun to see what Delta would do to keep her reigns on the Straubs!

Delta Dawn is a photographer that becomes obsessed with a family after taking photos of them at a birthday party. Delta inserts herself into their lives and manipulates her way into becoming an essential member of the family. While the story was entertaining, there wasn't much in the way of character development or back stories for the characters.