This book was a rough start for me as the main characters inner thoughts initially sounded to me like she was a child or perhaps a developmentally disabled adult. Phoenix is a gardener who was invited to the book launch party of a Martha Stewart type woman named Marguerite. A huge storm develops and a big tree falls, which Phoenix predicated and was able to save Marguerite's husband Geoffrey. During this time she is thinking things like "I like turned-up nose woman because she looks like my mother in her pictures," and "People's wet arms are touching me. I don't like it" those aren't exact quotes but this type of thing made me wonder if this was a young girl. Then I find out Phoenix is 35 years old and a master gardener.

Marguerite is a larger than life character who writes books about flowers and gardening and is a lifestyle guru even though she relies on information from Phoenix for her tips. Phoenix works with a team of gardeners to create the beautiful flowers and gardens at Marguerite's estate. After saving Geoffrey, Phoenix and he become lovers and before they have been together long, Marguerite dies by falling from a cliff near her home. At this point the story changes to a Rebecca like story with Phoenix moving into Geoffrey's home and not being able to live up to the former mistress. When Geoffrey's daughter returns home for a visit while waiting for an apartment, things begin to fall apart. Phoenix appears to be mentally ill at this point and is imagining smells and Marguerite's presence everywhere. I found it strange how Phoenix expected Geoffrey and his daughter to immediately give everything to Phoenix including Marguerite's business, home, jewelry etc

There were a lot of loose ends in this story such as the real story between the artist and Geoffrey and what really happened to Phoenix's grandmother, The author had a good sense of pacing but I never understood whether this was meant to be a supernatural story or a story of a damaged woman. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this ARC for review.

This mystery is so cleverly plotted and executed.
And with the well-developed characters I was eagerly turning the pages. The character development is on point.. the way the story unravels is effortlessly gripping.
I was honestly captivated by it all.

Interesting story, though I soon grew annoyed with Phoenix. Right from the start, we notice that there is something obsessive about Phoenix and that she is hiding a huge secret. However, it seemed like all the characters were hiding something. There was something intensely captivating about the Rosecliff home that I couldn't understand how Phoenix managed to live there.

Thanks to the Publisher and Net Galley for the e-ARC!

Phoenix Sullivan loves her work as a gardener. She has the experience of a landscape architect, but not the degree. She especially enjoys working on the gorgeous grounds of Rosecliff, the home and property of Marguerite and Geoffrey Gray. Though she and her crew do all the labor, Marguerite gets all the credit, posting gardening tips on her media feeds.

The beautiful Marguerite is also famous for her style, hosting lavish garden parties and writing books. Additionally, she was the inspiration for the iconic Serge Kuhnert painting, “Marguerite By The Lake”, which hangs in their living room. When the suave Geoffrey comes on to Phoenix, she initially resists…but not for long. In fact, she eventually falls in love with Geoffrey.

Marguerite suspects that something is going on between them, but soon mysteriously falls off the cliff at the edge of the property. Phoenix witnessed it all and fears that she will be a primary suspect for her death. As the police investigate, she learns troubling facts about Geoffrey, Serge, and even her own brother. She meets Marguerite and Geoffery’s adult daughter, Taylor, who has adopted many of her mother’s traits. She wants Phoenix gone. Marguerite had such a strong presence in life, but Phoenix feels it after her death. This is especially true when she is near the painting. Phoenix soon spirals into a psychosis and jealousy towards both Marguerite and Taylor.

Readers will find "Marguerite By The Lake" a captivating read, as the tension emerges from so many sources and on so many levels. The plot is skillfully structured with surprises at every turn. However. I was disappointed with the abrupt ending. It feels rushed and incomplete. After such a carefully built narrative, more time could have been spent unraveling the possibilities, as it could have gone in so many directions.

That said, I still recommend "Marguerite By The Lake" for its intriguing plot and complex characters. Though the ending may be wanting, the journey is well worth the read.

This was okay, it definitely wasn’t my favorite but I just think this wasn’t for me! It kept my interest enough for me to finish it so it was overall just okay!

Wow! This book really kept me engrossed. I would say to myself that I had other things to do but still kept reading this perfect summer thriller. Take this one on vacation or read it at home, either way it is enjoyable.

Anyone who has read Daphne Du Maurier's Rebecca will recognize Carter's debt to that title. Similar elements include a grand house and its grounds, a complex marriage, a death, servants/employees with loyalties and more. However, this book can stand on its own and diverges from the original in some significant ways.

Phoenix is a talented gardener/landscape designer at the story opens. Two of her most prominent clients are Marguerite (of the eponymous painting) and her husband Geoffrey. They seem to have everything but did they? Read the book to find out.

What befalls Marguerite early in the novel? What was Phoenix's role in Marguerite's fate? What will happen as Phoenix increasingly insinuates herself into life at Rosecliff, Marguerite and Geoffrey's estate? What kind of man is Geoffrey? How will his and Marguerite's daughter Taylor figure in the story? What about Marguerite's employees? As a reader, how will you feel about these characters? How will the suspenseful plot unravel? There are lots of questions. Again, read this one to find out. I highly recommend it.

Kirkus review states: "Not to be missed, and definitely not to be imitated." Need I say more?

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press-Minotaur for this title. All opinions are my own.

This one opened with a bang but was a little hard to stick with and left me with several questions due to dangling plot lines. Thanks to Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

Interesting story. Not a mystery as one would think. More of an introspect on human behavior and how guilt can affect one, Ends rather abruptly leaving the reader to decide what happens to Phoenix (which by the way is a great and fitting name) and Geoffrey.

When you start out coveting what isn’t yours, disaster often follows, and this is no exception. What begins as a seemingly perfect working relationship, a wealthy power couple and their skilled horticulturist, slowly unravels into a tangled mess of desire, betrayal, and tragedy.
Phoenix, the main character, has more than dirt on her hands. Caught in an affair and haunted by the accident that follows, she’s both a victim and a possible villain. The story reveals layers of guilt, sinister thoughts, and secrets that could destroy her life as she knows it.
The first half pulled me in, it had that emotional, twisty feel similar to Colleen Hoover’s style, but as the story went on, Phoenix’s descent into guilt, confusion and madness, felt murky. Instead of answers, I was left with more questions. The ending didn’t quite tie things together the way I hoped; it left me hanging, still searching for resolution.
If you're into messy relationships and psychological spirals, this one might still be worth a try. But for me, it didn’t quite bloom.

Marguerite by the Lake is an atmospheric, slow-burn psychological drama that plays with obsession, privilege, and personal reinvention. Set in a luxurious lakeside town, the story follows Marguerite, a woman whose seemingly effortless charm and social allure slowly unravel to reveal something far more manipulative and unsettling. The writing is lyrical and evocative, with a steady undercurrent of unease that kept me turning the pages.

That said, the pacing occasionally dragged, and while the characters are deliberately complex, I found it hard to fully connect with them. There’s a coldness to the narrative that suits the genre but makes the emotional stakes feel distant at times. Still, for fans of psychological fiction with a glamorous, Hitchcockian flair, this one may hit the mark.

Thank you NetGalley, Minotaur Books and the author for the arc!

Talk about one bad decision leading to another … and another … and another. Until obsession, confusion, paranoia, madness & destruction ensue. That is this story! Gah!

It was entertainingly frustrating as a reader to watch it all unfold & I definitely was yelling at the FMC on more than one occasion as she became more & more unhinged with each page. Most of the other characters were equally unlikeable … making this a big horrible, messy (but frankly addicting) ride! It’s darkly atmospheric with vibes of secrets, wealthy people behaving badly & a pretty crazy ending that left me sitting in a pile of "what?" This is my first book by this author and I enjoyed her writing style … will be looking for more from her in the future!

I was drawn in to this eerie story . A mysterious story about a rich influencer and her gardener. Phoenix is the gardener for Rosecliff when she saves Mr. Grays life after a falling tree the story just gets weirder but you can’t stop reading . I loved how the story pulls you in but didn’t like the ending at all i feel there was more to the story and it just stopped and ended. More like 3.5 star read

This is a well-written, atmospheric suspense novel with gothic elements, my first by this author.
Marguerite Gray is a lifestyle/gardening icon, her brand based largely on a famous painting of her on the cliff above the lake at her property, Rosecliff, where she lives with her husband Geoffrey. Her gardening team is headed up by Phoenix, who feels almost spiritually connected to Rosecliff. During the launch party on the grounds for Marguerite's latest gardening book, a storm kicks up and Phoenix realizes that a large spruce tree is going to come down. She saves Geoffrey from being crushed and from that time onward, Marguerite seems to look at Phoenix as a threat to her marriage; maybe for good reason, however. After Marguerite dies in an accident, Phoenix worries the police will think she had something to do with it, especially when she moves in with Geoffrey not too long after Marguerite's death. Carter did a great job of keeping me suspicious of all the characters, but I found Phoenix annoying (I hate characters who keep doing stupid things), which made it hard for me to care what happened to her. The story has a number of good elements, but it was a very slow burn story without an engaging main character to root for along the way, which made it drag a bit. I did enjoy the ending, although it was a little abrupt!

There’s something about a mysterious estate, a beautiful yet troubled woman, and a death that doesn’t feel like an accident … and Marguerite by the Lake totally delivered on that vibe. 🖤🌿
We follow Phoenix, a young gardener who becomes tangled in the life of Marguerite Gray who is rich and entirely unreadable. But when Marguerite dies under suspicious circumstances, everything starts to change. The tension is slow and eerie. The estate setting? GORGEOUS and haunting.

This book was a bit slow for me and I don't think it was an actual mystery because I saw what was going to happen. I think this should be categorized as a gothic tale. The author's atmospheric telling of the story is interesting in some parts, but the MC is so infuriating at other parts. And the ending seems to be so abrupt, that we are left with multiple unanswered questions...unless that's what the author wanted?

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC, in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. It started off so great, but it fizzled by the end. There were no likeable characters. The story line was strong until the final third of the novel. I could not wait to finish it.

I really enjoyed this mysterious novel by Mary Dixie Carter. It kept me guessing and I am not completely sure I understood the ending! Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins for the ARC!

The characters are messy in the best way, especially Phoenix, who’s caught between doing the right thing and getting everything she’s ever wanted. Marguerite is unforgettable, chilling, stylish, and a little terrifying. It’s one of those books where every chapter peels back a new layer, and you’re never quite sure who’s telling the truth.

I enjoyed this and would recommend to any book club.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my review.

I listened to MARGUERITE BY THE LAKE on audio and enjoyed it. It had a great narrator to tell this wild story. I found this book to be enjoyable. It was almost like a cozy mystery. It had a plot that kept me interested, and characters that while mostly unlikable were entertaining. I’d say this was on the lighter side and was a quick read/listen. It could easily be read in one sitting. I will definitely read another book by this author!

Marguerite by the Lake started off slow for me, then developed into a suspenseful thriller before ending with my final thought of “what in the world just happened?”

At first it was hard for me to follow the story. The beginning kind of dragged and my attention wavered. Once the story gained momentum, I couldn’t put it down. I became more interested in the characters and how the story would unfold. The absolute uncertainty weaved me in to its tangled web. I wanted to know what really happened, who was responsible and if someone would pay the consequences. But all that build up fizzled out at the end.

This was an overall good read and I would recommend it to readers looking for an intriguing psychological thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley, Minotaur Books and the author for an advanced DRC.