User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
This is weird, disturbing, obsessive, making your entire body hair stand up kind of freaky slow burn psychological thriller!
It’s definitely psychological because narrator/ heroine Delta Dawn is not only a quite brilliant photographer named after a song ( if that’s her real name? Maybe the author may write a sequel in near future and name her as Barbara Ann or Mustang Sally, who knows?) is truly deeply batshit crazy, obsessive, a female combination of Joe Goldberg meets Jennifer Jason Leigh from Single White Female!
She’s a chameleon! She meets people and learns the intimate details about their life stories, then she wears these details as if they’re her own past! We don’t know who she is, only thing we know her parents are dead and she raised in Disneyland because of her parents’ occupations as janitors.
She has quite exquisite talent for reflecting the inner light of people to show the better parts of them to help them believe in illusions ( she creates magic with her photography but the worst part not only the people are enchanted by the reality she creates but also she truly believes the fake, artificial cocoon she built around herself !)
Delta takes photos of families, editing them according to their demands, best interests, making them believe they are happy families! But she also edits those photos for herself, inserting her own pictures to fill the emptiness of her life.
After her last gig, she truly gets connected with Straub family. A power couple and their young daughter Nathalie ! The mother Amelia is sophisticated, fancy, ambitious architect works with her husband but she’s better at her job, bringing all important customers to the company so she defines herself as real bread winner.
Her husband Fritz is also good looking man, a little resentful because of her wife’s long working hours and their nonstop social life. Poor Nathalie doesn’t get much attention from them and when her parents decided to have a second kid but their plan failed after several miscarriages, she gets affected from their marriage problems.
Delta watches them like a hawk, photographing their intimate moments, slowly intruding their lives by dating with coworker of Fritz, babysitting Nathalie and bonding a unique relationship, rolling around their rug naked ( okay! She just lay down but she was still not wearing clothes! You naughty girl)!
Her last step of the plan to be surrogate mother for their second child to be connected with them forever! Will her plan be accomplished? Go on, read and tell!
It was quick, fast pacing, gripping read! Interestingly I enjoyed the creepy mind of Delta but the character I didn’t like was Amelia: she was true drama queen and I want to throw my full glass of Pinot Grigio on her face several times! But it would be waste of my drink!
Overall: ending was smart, well played and I enjoyed the creepy, obsessive but also entertaining narration! Giving my shiny 4 photographic, illusional , mysterious, darkish stars!
Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/ Minotaur Books for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
Rating: really liked it
Delta Dawn is a sought after photographer for New York’s elite families: snapping photographs at their children’s birthday parties, and then using every available APP to transform tears and pouts into beautiful memories.
She knows it’s VITAL to capture the moment that “Happy Birthday” is sung, the cake is presented and the candles are blown out. She also realizes that the parents want to see themselves as much as they want to see their children. They want to see the proof that they are GOOD parents.
But, when she is hired to photograph Natalie Straub’s 11th birthday party, she meets a family that she isn’t ready to say goodbye to yet.
So like her namesake, from Tanya Tucker’s 1972 hit song, she may have to rewrite her own narrative fit the outcome that she desires.
She may have to “edit” more than the photographs to fit in.
And, count on MANY questions not being asked.
For the most part, the book was COMPULSIVE reading and very ENTERTAINING!
Early on, I had my suspicions on what was true, what was “photoshopped” and where this was leading but it didn’t detract from my enjoyment to read on to see if I was right.
But, when all is said and done, I was no longer singing the lyrics to “Delta Dawn”.
(My mother would play the song, so I actually know them -and the words from the next song mentioned)
I was now singing the 1969 Grammy Award Winning record of the year, “Is That All There Is?”-Peggy Lee...
( PLAY NOW on YouTube for dramatic effect! )
Because, it CAN’T end like this!?
With an epilogue?
3.5 but rounding up!
I WAS entertained!
I would like to thank Minotaur and Mary Dixie Carter for my gifted copy, provided through NetGalley!
It was my pleasure to provide a candid review!
Available Now!!
Rating: really liked it
A quick read with entertaining moments, but may be lacking in logic.
Delta Dawn (yes, that’s her name) is a photographer (hence the title) who is happy behind the camera, snapping pictures at children’s birthday bashes. She also has a gift of appropriately editing them when the child doesn’t want to participate.
When Delta takes on the job of photographing 11-year old Natalie’s birthday party, she can’t help but wish she was a part of this family...as the reliable family friend they can confide in.
She agrees to babysit Natalie when the parents are in a pinch. Things progress as Delta realizes she would do anything for this family, and she proceeds to integrate herself into their lives by any means necessary.
CONS:-The decisions the characters make are pretty illogical, in my opinion.
-Apparently, nobody has heard of a background check. Suspension of disbelief galore.
-At least one minor plot hole, which probably doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things.
-As a fan of psychological thrillers, I would’ve enjoyed finding out the “psychological” backgrounds of the characters and how that correlated with their actions.
-The ending didn’t blow me away, even though I thought it might.
PROS (saving the best for the last):-It’s never boring. A straight up, 3-star popcorn thriller. 🍿
-The writing is engaging and appropriately gripping. It’s a page-turner, for sure.
-It’s a quick read. I flew through the pages.
-The interest in finding out motives never dissipates.
-There is a dog and cat. 🐶🐱
Overall, I enjoyed the debut of author Mary Dixon Carter, and look forward to her sophomore effort.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book is set to be published: 5/24/2021.
Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com
Rating: really liked it
Click, whirr, zoom,
snapDelta Dawn is sizing up the Straub family. She is a talented photographer who caters to New York City's upper class. She has been hired to photograph Natalie Straub's 11th birthday party.
Delta is a crafty one and when she casts her eyes upon the Straub home she notices things- a floating, sculptural staircase, Amelia's purple down Moncler (which she happens to know is over two thousand dollars), pristine furniture, glistening glass, and the overall design of the architectural design of the home, which is exquisite. She also sizes up the lady of the house, Amelia. She compares Amelia to herself- who is more attractive, who has larger breasts, a smaller waist, fewer lines sketched on her face. She decides that overall, she is more attractive than Amelia!
Delta uses her skills to intertwine their lives together. She wants more. She wants it all.
A slow-burn for me, not a page-turner, yet I enjoyed all the details of the home and photography bits. Delta's inner twisted voice, the way she spared no effort to ingratiate herself with the family. The light, but menacing suspense.
Some may be bored or wanting more twists and turns. I enjoyed it and recommend if you are looking for more of a steady pace that features a manipulating character who will surely shock you - more than once.
Looking forward to more from the author. She is the daughter of the late actress, Dixie Carter. This was a library loan for me. 6/14/2021
Rating: really liked it
I needed some heavy-duty suspenders for my disbelief on this one, but it had its moments!
Delta Dawn is a successful children’s photographer for the wealthy set in NYC, who’s invited by Amelia and Fritz Straub, two successful architects, to photograph their 11-year-old daughter Natalie’s birthday party. Within seeming minutes of meeting the Straubs, she develops insta-love ‘gotta be part of this family forever, I’ll blindly do anything they ask whenever they ask it, please need me’ devotion to them, which sets the tone for everything that follows. This devotion is so immediate - in fact - that at the end of this party, when Amelia and Fritz have a work meeting and suddenly find themselves without a babysitter for Natalie, Delta jumps at the chance to do it, and the Straubs - apparently impressed by her skill at creating balloon animals (this really happened), say “Sure! We completely trust you in our expensive home with our only child you just met! Thanks!”
OK … they didn’t really say those words, but you get the idea. Character logic was pretty weak.
The psychodrama only gets worse as Delta embeds herself deeper and deeper into the Straubs’ lives, while secretly creating impossible Photoshop montages of herself in every imaginable appropriate and inappropriate scenario with each of the family members. It’s never really explained why she feels this strong connection to them, but the book does imply this isn’t the first family she’s “edited” herself into. Having grown up in humble circumstances, I guess it can be assumed that she just wants the life she doesn’t have. As her desire to elevate her social position and integrate herself into this family reaches its peak, she devises her ultimate plan to make sure she’ll always be part of their lives. Does her plan work? You’ll have to read to find out!
I think if you just go with the flow on this one and accept that entertainment seems to be a higher priority than believability, you might enjoy it. It’s a quick read that kept me invested, if for no other reason than sheer curiosity at how things would play out. I can’t say that there were any real surprises on that front, but it was fun enough! I’d definitely watch for other books by this author.
★★★ ½
Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books and author Mary Dixie Carter for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. This will publish on May 25, 2021.
Rating: really liked it
This is one instance when the cover sells a book. It's gorgeous!So what's the story about?
Delta is a gifted photographer. She loves to look at life through the lens of her camera. She works as a photographer for children's parties. Her fees are high and she is sought for her talent.
Her next job brings her to the Straubs. She is to take pictures of Natalie's 11th birthday party at the Straub's home. The Straubs are renowned architects and their home is gorgeous. Delta is fascinated by them and she does everything possible to enwrap herself into their life from babysitting Natalie to picking up their dry cleaning. Soon, she wants more...
The premise was a good one. A younger beautiful woman immersing herself in the nook of the family she envies. She wants what this family portrays. A home, a beautiful child, a handsome husband, an elegant wife. Delta can already imagine herself as part of their family. She just needs an opportunity.
The Photographer is a quick and fast-paced story that you can read in just a few hours. Some parts of the book felt flat to me maybe because of a lack of character development or the unbelievable aspects of some of it (Who leaves their child with a stranger on the day they meet?).
Despite the ending being a little rushed, overall I was entertained and found myself turning the pages one after the other one.
Cliffhanger: No
3/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Minotaur via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Rating: really liked it
Delta Dawn makes her living as a photographer of the well-heeled elite of NYC. She knows just how to manipulate and photoshop the pictures to make everything look perfect, and is hired by Amelia and Fitz to photograph their daughter Natalie’s birthday party. As the day progresses and conversations are overheard, it becomes clear to Delta that they have something she wants, and she can give them something they want. She hatches a plan to make herself indispensable to the family and manipulates circumstances to ingratiate herself with the family. Pictures aren’t the only thing Delta can manipulate.
What does she want? More than what we are told from the beginning. Told exclusively from Delta’s POV, this is a tale of envy and obsession by a master manipulator. What she does to accomplish her goal is totally creepy as the lines between what is real and what exists only in her mind is blurred. Amelia has obsessions of her own, as we soon discover. And Natalie, the 11-year-old? Turns out she’s the savviest of them all.
Sure you have to suspend some disbelief, but I accept that in this genre. It was still a fun read! I’m learning to just go with the flow and I'm enjoying this genre on audio very much.
Note: I do not recommend the audio version, read by the author. Intentional or not, her voice and cadence was very slow and robotic with poor sound quality, as if she was talking into a tin can. I always increase the speed on audiobooks to approximate my own reading speed while keeping the voice(s) normal, but in this case nothing helped. I had to work hard to separate my dislike of the narration from the story itself.• I received a copy of the audio via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Rating: really liked it
We get to the part where Mary Poppins’ friend Bert does a sidewalk chalk drawing of an English countryside. Mary Poppins, Bert, and the children jump into the picture. They land inside the drawing and the scene comes to life. The picture is real, because they want it to be.
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for sending me an ARC of
The Photographer in exchange for an honest review.
The Photographer is a bit of a throwback to 1990s movies like
Single White Female and
The Hand that Rocks the Cradle. Like those ‘roommate from hell’ or ‘nanny from hell’ movies,
The Photographer is about a ... family photographer from hell.
Delta Dawn is hired by Amelia and Fritz Straub to take pictures at their daughter Natalie’s eleventh birthday party. Delta is a crazy talented photographer, and throughout the book she offers what sound like pretty sharp observations about photography and art. Unfortunately for the Straubs, Delta is also just plain crazy. And once she decides she wants to ingratiate herself into the Straub family, she puts a series of plans in motion to become an indispensable part of their lives.
Psychological thrillers are everywhere nowadays, and so many of them follow the Gone Girl template: chapters with alternating perspectives, and a big twist halfway through that changes the reader’s understanding of the story.
The Photographer charts a different course, as there’s no big twist and the entire novel is told from Delta’s first-person perspective. Overall, it’s quite effective. Being inside Delta’s head is unsettling because it’s unclear what you can believe. Her stories change over time so you’re never quite sure what’s actually true, and her perceptions are so questionable that you never know if she is correctly interpreting the actions of those around her. She’s a puzzle, but an interesting one.
Having the entire story told from Delta’s mind does create limitations. It feels a bit one-note at times. Although the Straubs and a couple of other characters are fleshed out to a degree, Delta’s perception of them is so untrustworthy and transactional that they don’t feel like three dimensional characters. And I’m not sure the story makes logical sense from start to finish. While I enjoyed the ending, it really could not have been her plan from the very start. In fact, I don’t think she really crafted it until quite late, which left me wondering what exactly was her original endgame. Then again, maybe crazy just goes with the flow and doesn’t have a preplanned endgame.
Finally, a word about the audiobook narration, performed by the author herself. I thought she did a great job. Obviously she knew exactly how she wanted Delta to sound, and executed it well. She has an interesting voice, and gave Delta a bit of a dreamy, disconnected tone that enhanced her creepy crazy vibe.
The Photographer is a strong debut novel. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4. Recommended.
5/25/2021 update: reposting my review to celebrate that today is publication day!
Rating: really liked it
When Amelia and Fritz hire photographer, Delta Dawn, to photograph their 13 year old daughters birthday party they had no idea who they were letting into their house. Amelia and Fritz, both architects', have a home Delta could only dream of. Handsome Fritz with beautiful green eyes. Gorgeous Amelia who looks effortlessly beautiful all of the time. Their sweet daughter Natalie whom Delta befriends. This is the lifestyle she has always wanted and she will do anything to be a part of this families life no matter what boundaries need to be crossed.
Delta Dawn is one creepy and pathetic character. Some of her antics were downright cringe worthy but it made for some compelling reading. This is definitely a book in which you will need to suspend disbelief. Especially the ending. The way it all played out was really tough to believe. However, I had a heck of a time reading it. The unbelievability didn't ruin this for me and that says something about Mary Dixie Carters writing skills. I very much look forward to her sophomore effort. 4 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a DRC.
Rating: really liked it
Delta Dawn is a successful family photographer in the NYC area. She’s hired by uber wealthy architects Amelia and Fitz Straub to record their eleven year old daughter Natalie’s birthday party. She looks around their stunning Brooklyn house with envy and admiration. Later, when their sitter cancel she offers to substitute so they can attend a business dinner. She cleverly inserts herself into their prestigious life, making herself indispensable. She narrates her story - reliably? Only time will tell.
Oh boy, where to start with Delta?! She’s absolutely awful, she has precious few boundaries, she’s a very vague relationship with the truth and she’s very manipulative in more ways that one. She has this view of the life she wants and her covetous obsession, need to belong and also to control, drives the narrative. Her actions are definitely creepy, overstep the bounds of the norm and make you shudder. She’s a sad personality in many ways as she thinks so little of herself, seeing her Floridian origins as ugly and regards the Straubs as her route out of the ‘grime’. Amelia and Natalie are well fleshed out as characters and easy to picture, some of the others are not quite so well drawn but I don’t think they necessarily need to be. Of all of them Natalie displays the greatest amount of acumen and common sense and for one so young she is very perceptive. The story is well written, it jogs along at a good pace and makes for compelling reading as you witness Delta’s world starting to unravel and the wheels come off her plans. It’s highly entertaining, somewhat implausible (put your disbelief suspenders on!) but good fun! Just gloss over the things that are unlikely to happen in these days of the suspicious need for checking people out - we wouldn’t have a story then would we?!! I like the ending - nice one, Delta!!!
Overall, I really enjoyed this one, it’s an engaging psychological thriller from start to finish.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Hodder and Stoughton for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
Rating: really liked it
Capturing memories is a photographer’s job. Delta Dawn, named for the country song by the same name, is an expert in not only recording life’s precious moments, but creating them too. Delta is a character that frustrated, angered, and broke my heart all at the same time. Her obsession drives this fast paced twisted tale where perception and reality are not always in sync. Unsettling, disturbing and extremely entertaining describe this debut psychological thriller by Mary Dixie Carter. I look forward to reading future books by this author.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my ARC.
Rating: really liked it
This psychological thriller posits a female photographer who ingratiates her way into the lives of one of her rich clients by agreeing to babysit their 11 year old daughter and then taking on more and more jobs for them. Delta Dawn grew up white trash in Orlando, Florida. She seeks to move from behind the camera to sharing the lives of this family. She’s obsessed with them, and envisions herself living in their house.
This book took a turn I didn’t see coming. It was obvious that Delta was a loony tune. But I didn’t expect Amelia to be as well. She’s a woman possessed. The only one I felt sorry for was poor Nicole, who has to wonder where she fits in. I also felt a special appreciation for Eliza, the cat, and Itzhak, the dog. They appeared to be the only ones with their wits about them.
For a psychological thriller, the book moves at a pretty slow pace and doesn’t really have any anxiety producing moments. It’s ok, but nothing special. I found the ending especially predictable and unsatisfying.
My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.
Rating: really liked it
#singlewhitefemale
What a great debut! I had procrastinated reading The Photographer after seeing many mediocre reviews, but finally decided to listen to the audiobook. It is read by the author, who does a phenomenal job! This is a slow burn psychological thriller, that will keep you engrossed from the first page to the last!
Delta Dawn is a photographer in her early thirties, making a living mostly from taking pictures at children’s’ birthday parties. After she photographs Natalie Straub’s eleventh birthday party, she wants to get to know these particular clients better. She finds herself enamored with their lifestyle, sophistication, and social class. Slowly, Delta ingratiates herself into their lives by volunteering to babysit for Natalie.
When Delta learns that Natalie’s mother Amelia has been struggling to have a second baby, she makes it her mission to assure that the woman she admires gets what she wants at all costs.
Be careful who you trust!
Usually I don’t find myself engaged in slow burn thrillers, especially when I know exactly where the plot is headed. This book is very predictable, but still managed to intrigue me. However, I would have liked more than surface level back story into Delta’s life, as it would have enhanced this plot even further. I am looking forward to reading more from this author!
4/5 stars
Rating: really liked it
A GREAT psychological thriller that I can't do it enough justice. I was caught up in this book from start to finish. It was unbelievably good with a dark undertone and some scenes that are not as they seem, but the author did an incredible job of bringing it together. My only drawback was at the end not being sure what was real or not. Sometimes this is a great extension of the story to create in your own mind.
Delta Dawn, her 70's name derived from Tanya Tucker's song, created her own version of living when her life did not status quo the way she intended.... not as a child or even as an adult. Her creation is through her photography job capturing the elite's lifestyles and celebrations. When she captures little Natalie Straub's party, she becomes obsessed with her parents Ian & Amelia, as well as their affluently established professions and home.
Her obsession leads her to insert herself into their lives by manipulating their emotions in her favor. She becomes skillfully preoccupied with the intrusion and able to control or influence their minds. She even created some crafty photos to evade her own mind.
It's one of two things... this family has their head in the sand and could not see the manipulation or too desperate in building their career that it became too convenient for their daughter to have a sitter or potential house guest that it was not in the discourse of topic. ......they just left the light on for her and gave her a key.
Overall, I think it is worth your read, if you are looking for a psychology thriller that delivers while you ponder her thoughts and ways on the edge of your seat.
Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Mary Dixie Carter for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Good job for an obsessive thriller, Mary Dixie Carter.
Rating: really liked it
This is a tale about extreme obsession taken to a new level! I was instantly pulled into Delta Dawn’s life—the photographer and main character in this psychological thriller. Holding my breath...waiting for the wicked trainwreck destined to un-rail her life! Ms. Carter has managed to write an intense and twisted thriller, with a remarably original plot, that is unforgettable!Delta uses her intelligence and cunning to weave herself into the charmed lives of her wealthy clients. When she meets the Straub family, she knows they’re special. She wants more from them; she wants to be part of the family.
”Yes, I’d been born into white trash. But I myself had a drastically superior mind and sensibilities.”
Hiring a photographer seems like a simple process. Of course, you want to check out their credentials, especially if you’ll be inviting them into your house. But really, it’s not like you’re vetting someone for public office!
I love taking pictures, so the photography aspect of this novel was an added bonus. And reading about normal-presenting characters that turn out to be “not-so-normal” is fascinating. It makes me feel so much more normal, 😂. This is one of those delightful reads that isn’t easy to forget!
Thank you to Edelweiss, Mary Dixie Carter and , for this free digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
My Rating: 4.5 ⭐️’s (rounding up)
Published: May 25th 2021 by Minotaur
Pages: 288
Recommend: Yes!
@MaryDixieCarter @@MinotaurBooks @edelweiss_squad
#ThePhotographer #Edelweiss #InExchangeForReview #psychologicalthriller #NoRulesJustThrills
