Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC.

This one was not for me. I did not like the characters, plot, any of it really.

Marguerite by the Lake is a haunting, atmospheric tale that will linger long after the final page. With prose that is as quiet and captivating as a still, mist-covered lake, Mary Dixie Carter crafts a story steeped in mystery, suspense, and the complexities of family relationships.

The narrative unfolds like a slow, deliberate dance—every word carefully chosen, every scene building toward an unsettling climax. Marguerite herself is an enigmatic character, and as we learn more about her, the tension grows. The story touches on themes of isolation, obsession, and the ghosts that haunt both the past and present. It’s a quiet thriller, where every subtle detail adds depth to the slow-burn suspense.

The setting by the lake is atmospheric and almost feels like another character in the story—gorgeous yet eerie, a perfect backdrop for the simmering tension. The pace may be deliberate, but every moment feels purposeful, and by the end, the revelations hit with a powerful emotional punch.

If you’re a fan of psychological thrillers that explore human complexity with a touch of the haunting and mysterious, this is one you’ll want to add to your list.

2.5 stars. This book just wasn’t for me. Phoenix is an unlikeable and unreliable character. The choices she made were just really bad. It seems her guilt was causing her rapid descension into madness, though I found her a bit delusional from the start. The ending was abrupt with too many unanswered questions.

Marguerite by the Lake is a slow-burn psychological thriller steeped in atmosphere and tension. Mary Dixie Carter crafts an elegant, moody world where beauty masks danger and every character harbors secrets. Phoenix, the young gardener at the center of it all, is both sympathetic and flawed—making her descent into the Gray family’s twisted world all the more gripping.

Carter’s prose is evocative, and the setting of Rosecliff feels like a character in itself—lush, mysterious, and full of shadows. While the pacing lags slightly in the middle, the unraveling of Marguerite’s fate and Phoenix’s increasingly precarious position make for a compelling read. Perfect for fans of character-driven suspense with a touch of noir glamour.

Thank you Mary Dixie Carter, Macmillan Audio, St. Martin's Press, and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

3.5 ⭐️
The setting for this book was visually beautiful.
I loved the tension throughout, however, something (I have no idea what it is) was missing for me.
Phoenix is a gardner for a wealthy and basically famous woman named Marguerite. When Geoffrey, her clients husband, begins to pursue Phoenix, things get a bit complicated on their gorgeous estate.
I really did enjoy reading this one, I just also struggled with some of the ideas as I read along.
Thank you netgalley for the arc!

I felt as if I was holding my breath throughout. Phoenix is a ticking time-bomb. From her POV, She allows uncertainty and tension to creep in and deliver a succession of mental health. She is a "failed" gardener tending to the Rosecliff gardens owned by the wealthy garden designer, Marguerite. Marguerite lives in her mansion with her husband Geoffrey. Their custom high-end parties and ventures have Phoenix in an oppressive obsession with their lives.
A storm interrupts a launch party for Marguerite's new book and a tree comes crashing down. When Phoenix sees it falling, she rushes to save Geoffrey. From that moment, an affair begins.
As the cover of the book suggests, someone is doomed. Marguerite topples off the side of the cliff, the same cliff that she posed for a picture, Marguerite by the Lake. After the death of her, Geoffrey invites her to move in with him.
All eyes are on the couple, even the painting of Marguerite appears to come alive and watch every movie as Phoenix tries to take her place. When the suspicions are built, Detective Hanna and Marguerite's daughter, Taylor investigate the tragedy. It becomes more sinister and supernatural, as Phoenix's mental health becomes more confused and unstable. You've got to love it. The mystery is not so much a surprise but I felt the story itself was entertaining and addictive.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.

Great, fast paced thriller. I couldn't put it down. At first, I didn't really like the main character, Phoenix, but wow! The ending explained it all. I loved this book!

Based on the synopsis I expected to thoroughly enjoy this book, however it fell flat in every way possible.

Marguarite is an influencer and is having a party when a storm hits, the Gardner Phoenix saves the day when a tree falls. He soon finds himself having an affair with Marguarite, but she falls to her death. some romance and some mystery

Marguerite is a Martha Stewart style influencer. She's also the inspiration for the artwork named Marguerite by the Lake. She isn't a particularly likable person, especially because of the way she treats her gardener Phoenix. The story unfolds in a slow burn, old fashioned Gothic style so anyone hoping for a fast paced thriller will be disappointed. However, a patient reader who is willing to let the story unfold should enjoy it. I'm a little conflicted about the ending, but that's my opinion.

As soon as I read the synopsis, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Marguerite by the Lake. A gardening and lifestyle icon falls to her death shortly after discovering her husband’s affair with one of her employees—but Marguerite’s presence lingers long after her body leaves her lavish estate, Rosecliff.

Atmospheric and full of quiet suspicion, this book builds slowly and reminded me of The Tell-Tale Heart. I loved the pacing and watching the main character unravel, descending deeper into madness with each chapter. I do wish there had been a few more answers by the end, but overall, this is a haunting, moody read that stayed with me.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
"Marguerite by the Lake" by Mary Dixie Carter was an interesting & addictive story with a bunch of unexpected twists.
I would definitely read another book by this author.

When I first read the synopsis for this book, I thought I would enjoy it. I love gardening, and Marguerite Gray, a lifestyle icon, sounded fascinating.. Add in Phoenix, a woman who had a rough upbringing and has made a place for herself as an expert gardener, I soon found out that I was not going to like or connect with any of the characters. That would have been fine, but the book moves at a snail's pace with way too much description of everything. Then it just got weird with Phoenix acting crazy. The overall story seemed disjointed and even unfinished at times. I found myself rereading parts because a scene would just be dropped, and the next paragraph would not follow at all what had just happened before. In the end, I was left with many unanswered questions. I am leaving a 3-star review rounding up from 2.5.
I was gifted this ARC, and this is my unsolicited review.

I wanted to love this book. The writing is tight and evocative. I had a clear sense of place. The plot was interesting, although I had expected more of a twist at the end. My main issue was that I did not care about the main character. She just seemed to float from one bad decision to the next, without a compelling reason.

#MargueritebytheLake is told with a writing style that I absolutely admire, and I had no idea that’s what I was getting into when I started this book.

This book begins at a big party hosted by gardening icon Marguerite Gray; the party is ruined by a storm and a fallen tree, but our narrator, Phoenix, who is the Gray’s gardener, saves the day. Over the next couple chapters, Phoenix is drawn into the lives of the Grays, a situation that quickly culminates in a death and some big secrets. For the majority of the book, we are very close on Phoenix as she falls into a paranoia over the secrets she’s keeping.

I absolutely love what Mary Dixie Carter has done here with the narration. Phoenix is showing us everything that’s happening but the POV is so zoomed in that there’s a very claustrophobic vibe and a quick sense that our main character may not be the protagonist. The author has been very careful to write the interactions with Phoenix’s adversaries, so that any threats are coming less from their actions and more from Phoenix’s interpretations of their actions. It’s hard balance to strike and I think Mary Dixie Carters has done it brilliantly.

The writing style reminded me of one of my all-time favorite books, The Talented Mr. Ripley, as well as the You series. Though, unlike with You and with Ripley, where the narrators are actively doing bad things, this plot is much more contained in this one specific situation and its fallout.

On top of all that, the setting of this house/yard was wonderful, there’s a creepy painting, and a ton of interesting gardening factoids.

Thank you #netgalley for the ARC!

The narrative, although intriguing at first, failed to build the necessary tension and the protagonist, Phoenix was such a wretched character, I found it challenging to connect with this story.
What could have been a great plot instead felt like spending hours listening to the rambling internal monologue of a mentally disturbed person. The story lacked depth and suspense adding to my overall disappointment. Then concluded abruptly without closure, explanation or resolution.
Thank you to the publisher/author for the opportunity to listen to this complimentary advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

My first Mary Dixie Carter novel but definitely not my last. What a creepy read! A nice slow burn that gathers steam and packs a heck of a punch. Great characters that made me feel like a part of the story.
Thank you NetGalley, Mary Dixie Carter for the opportunity to read and review this book

Marguerite by the Lake by Mary Dixie Carter is a lush, suspenseful tale that slowly pulls you into a world of privilege, desire, and dangerous secrets. Set against the opulent backdrop of Rosecliff, the story follows Phoenix, a gardener who becomes entangled in the glamorous yet treacherous lives of Marguerite and Geoffrey Gray. The layers of deception unfold with a delicious tension, as Phoenix’s affair turns fatal and a haunting mystery blooms in its wake. Carter crafts a seductive narrative where beauty masks betrayal, and ambition comes at a steep cost. It’s an atmospheric and gripping read that lingers like a secret whispered through the hedges.

Phoenix is the definition of the unreliable narrator. She’s the person who never learned that, especially in complicated situations, it’s best to tell the truth right off. You’ll never remember all the lies and half-truths you invented. Another sticky wicket is getting involved with your client’s husband.

Said client is Marguerite Gray, self-proclaimed horticultural expert and subject of the Significant Painting called “Marguerite by the Lake.” Phoenix works for the horticultural service that designs and maintains the grounds at her very large estate.

As the story continues, Phoenix seems to become quite unhinged. Then tragedy strikes and things go downhill from there.

This is Mary Dixie Carter’s first novel. It held my interest, even though “Marguerite by the Lake” might not be the sort of book I would usually read. I felt compelled to see what ill-advised thing Phoenix would do next.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy. This is my honest review.

I would like to thank Net Galley and Minotaur Publishing for the opportunity to read this as an ARC. I had previously read this authors first book and was interested in the second. This is a hard book to classify. It is a bit of a thriller, a bit twisty and has a cast of uniformly unlikeable characters. I really got into the first part, but as the story went on, it seemed a bit repetitive and dragged towards the end. I loved the premise however and the elements were solid. Marguerite is a lifestyle guru- think Martha Stewart. She and her husband live in a beautiful house with a garden. She has a website and social media that focuses on her garden and her advice and products. She is also the subject of a portrait- Marguerite by the Lake. This hangs in the living room of her house. Phoenix works for the garden company who tends Marguerite's gardens. She is the hired help, but aspires to more. She pushes Geoffrey ( Marguerite's husband )out of the way when a tree falls down during a violent storm. Is there more between Phoenix and Geoffrey? Marguerite seems to think so.Indeed Geoffrey and Phoenix begin an affair. Then Marguerite dies. Is it an accident? Who is telling the truth? And why does the portrait seem to take on a life of its own. This book reminds me of Rebecca, The Portrait of Dorian Gray,and even a little Edgar Allen Poe. We meet Phoenix's brother, and Marguerite's look alike daughter, which only muddy the waters. The housekeeper seems to have her own set of secrets to hide.There is a lot going on, and sometimes to it hard to sort it out. It was , worth my time to try.