A slow burn that will have you wondering what's really going on with Phoenix, the gardener for Marguerite who may have pushed her off a cliff. Phoenix has been working without attribution or much praise for Marguerite, an influencer and subject of the famous painting Marguerite by the Lake. She's also been having an affair with Marguerite's husband Geoffrey. Now Marguerite is dead there's a police investigation and Marguerite's daughter Tayl0r, well, no spoilers on that one. Know that there's a dual time line and a little bit of the paranormal (or is it?). Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

Despite the lack of redeeming characters, I found myself unable to put the book down. The story gradually descends into madness, infused with a touch of gothic elements that propel it forward. The author’s writing style captivates the reader, drawing them into her fictional world. It’s an engrossing read that leaves a lasting impression.

This review is entirely voluntary and my personal opinions.

Marguerite is a lifestyle guru and she is known for her beautiful gardens. She had a horticultural expert named Phoenix that worked for her making sure her gardens were extraordinary beautiful. Marguerite and her husband were wealthy and Phoenix soon becomes infatuated with Geoffrey. There were so many unanswered things in this book that just seemed like the writer wasn’t sure how to finish up some of the details. I think it was very good in places and I did finish the book.

I received this ARC from Netgalley for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I enjoyed the descriptive writing, but this novel did not wow me unfortunately. All of the characters were unlikeable and the supernatural elements seemed out of place and forced.

I found this book to be very lyrical and reminiscent of Daphne du Maurier‘s Rebecca initially. However, somewhere around the midpoint, narrative details started to peter out and it got a bit confusing. Even so, I kept reading to see where we were heading. Completely unreliable narrator but a great story! Very atmospheric and moody. Is it a ghost story? Or is the main character just bonkers? Read on to find out!

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin's Publishing for an early copy of Marguerite by the Lake by Mary Dixie Carter

A female gardener becomes both obsessed and haunted by a painting hanging in the mansion of one of her clients. This client is the very famous author, lecturer and gardener Marguerite Gray. The artist is Serge Kuhnert. This could have been the beginning of a really eerie but entertaining mystery/horror story.

Instead, the main characters Phoenix (the young gardener), Marguerite, her husband, Gregory and daughter, Taylor, are off in different directions and the novel loses stability. Marguerite dies when falling from a cliff (this works). But those left behind are tangled up in unclear and inane thoughts and actions.

The relationship between Phoenix and Gregory is circumspect from the beginning, coming into being too soon after Marguerite's death. The resentment of Taylor, while justified, brings out facts regarding Geoffrey which come out of nowhere with no context. Phoenix's rocky relationship with her brother is surface only and left hanging.

Author Mary Dixie Carter could be on the right track should she attempt another writing attempt.

I received a DIGITAL Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was really not for me. As soon as I finished it I had more questions then I had answers. Unfortunately one of those questions was why did I read this?

There was so much of this book that just did not make sense to me. Like why did Phoenix become so obsessed with Geoffrey that quickly? What's the deal with her brother needing her attention so badly? What's with her brother knowing Taylor and the outcome of that? Almost ALL of the mysteries that came up surrounding Geoffrey! Especially the big mystery of who is Russ? That's not even all the questions that I have. I don't think I've had this many questions about a book that I've finished before.

1.5 stars rounded down, half a star because at least it wasn't boring

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for this Earc in exchange for my honest review.

This was a very interesting book! The FMC Phoenix is a gardner for a wealthy couple and after saving the husband from a fallen tree develops a relationship with him that goes well beyond the lines of boss and employee. After the wife (Marguerite) falls to her death in the lake. Things start to get more interesting for Phoenix as she tries to keep the truth of what happened that night from coming to light.

This was a well paced book that keep me wanting to keep going. I finished this in essentially one sitting.

The reveals at then end where not something that I was ever expecting.

I really wanted to like this book, the premise sounded good. However I found it boring and I hate to say that. It just didn’t hold my attention and I didn’t like any of the characters.

Mysterious and captivating, MARGUERITE BY THE LAKE is a great read. I would not classify it as a thriller, and I think it does a disservice to the novel to be marketed that way. I would say it's a gothic mystery. The pacing is good -- it's not super fast paced, but the more thoughtful pacing suits the story well. We don't have too many likable characters in this one, but that's okay. The story feels well thought out, and the ending is satisfying. The author does a great job of establishing a mysterious atmosphere.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance e-galley; all opinions in my review are 100% my own.

This started out as an interesting story, but there were many times when I found myself wondering when all the holes would be filled in and the seemingly extraneous information would become important. The answer: it doesn't happen. I think there is a lot of potential here for a really good book, but more background would have helped, as well as an explanation of why the protagonist was ignoring her brother's urgent texts, was the investigator truly clueless or more of a Columbo type character, and so on. Things would seem to be leading somewhere and then stop. Also, what actually happened to the grandmother? There was one really good twist involving Geoffrey, I have to say (but I don't want to include spoilers). I don't need characters that are 100% likable, but it would have helped to have one that was at least partially likable. Phoenix was at the beginning, but that changed very quickly. Then I had hope for Taylor, but she really wasn't much better. On the other hand, it was compelling and I wanted to finish it - I was just not especially satisfied when it was done. I wish I had liked it more, and maybe you will. All that being said, I would try another novel by this author. I did receive an ARC and this is my honest opinion.

Thanks to NetGalley for this arc. I felt like I was really enjoying the beginning of this book. The story and characters hooked me in. But then it just kinda kept going with not much happening and I really was disappointed with the ending. I would give the author another chance as I enjoyed her writing this one just kind of fell flat.

This book centers all around our main character Phoenix as she suddenly becomes intertwined with a couple Marguerite and her husband Geoffrey.The book starts off innocently enough with a freak encounter almost costing Geoffrey his life, thankfully some quick reactions of Phoenix's part saved his life. Geoffrey and Margaret and eternally grateful however it soon becomes clear that Geoffrey's gratitude is a little bit more than just that and a little bit more inappropriate. Phoenix finds herself suddenly dragged into the complexity of the couples lives and like it or not their secrets are soon about to come to the surface. When Margaret falls to her death suddenly off a cliff Phoenix now has something else to hide from everyone. I really enjoyed this book and I found the characters to be very well written as they almost jumped off the page. I loved how the plot was very fast moving but at the same time it wasn't overwhelming and there wasn't a million different characters or long drawn out scenes that had no relevance which I sometimes find in books. I really wanted to like our main character Phoenix however a lot of her actions and choices, while they made a great story, didn't make her very likeable as a character. The author really grabbed the readers attention and gave just enough to get them hooked and desperate for answers having to continue to hang on her ever word. I always love a book with secrets and this one was dripping with them. This was a fast paced thriller that was unlike anything else I have read before. With so much happening it was easy to get lost in the story. I loved the Gothic feel to this story which was heavily previlant throughout the whole book. It isn't something im used to reading so it was a nice change of pace. Very good read and I'm so glad I was given the opportunity to check it out.

This story definitely started out as a slow burn. It did get a little more intense halfway through but I struggled to connect with any of the characters. Out of everyone I felt like Geoffrey was probably the most likeable albeit one dimensional. It's a dark and tragic story. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC!

I really did not like this book.

The characters were unlikable, the pacing was way too slow and the plot was just below par for sure. Nothing seemed to happen, and when it did, it felt more like your friend was telling you a story of something that happened than being immersed in the story and being a part of it. The only real descriptions seemed to be around the gardening.

**Thank you NetGalley and St Martin's Press for sending this book for review. All opinions are my own.**

Do you like to yell at fictional characters making bad decisions? Get your voice warmed up for Marguerite at the Lake by Mary Dixie Carter.

"Marguerite is famous for being the muse for the painting - Marguerite by the Lake - using the family estate, Rosecliff, as the setting. Her family comes from money and she stays involved in all of the society events.
Phoenix has been the gardener at Rosecliff for many years. She becomes involved in an affair with Marguerite's husband, Geoffrey. There's a terrible accident - but Phoenix told Marguerite that the cliff edge was dangerous. She even tried to pull her back. Now Phoenix has another secret to keep.
Why is the detective still asking questions?"

This is a story watching a character unravel. Phoenix knows what she wants but there are consequences. Geoffrey is unlikable and a little spineless. And there are multiple hints of other secrets in Phoenix's past. At times there is a clash of classes. And lots of bad decisions.

Wild ending to this one. Good second book from Carter.

2.5⭐️ The premise of this book sounded right up my alley: fancy estate setting, some drama and secrets, a potential murder mystery. Unfortunately, it fell a little flat for me.

Although the drama between these characters was high, it didn’t quite grab me the way I was expecting. I wanted more depth from the characters, and I don’t think their actions always necessarily made sense given the context of the situation (Phoenix especially). I don’t always need to like characters to enjoy a book, but I just did not feel pulled to any of these people. Parts of the story felt disjointed or abrupt, the pacing was too slow for too long, and once I got to the end, it felt like so much was unresolved.

All that said, I did enjoy the writing style of this author. The descriptions of the grounds were captivating, and I could easily picture this almost-gothic setting.

I think if I went into this not expecting it to be a murder mystery/thriller, maybe I’d have felt differently about it.

*Marguerite by the Lake* is a quick, compelling psychological thriller centered on Phoenix Sullivan, a talented but unknown landscape artist entangled in a web of secrets while working for home design mogul Marguerite Gray. After rescuing Marguerite’s husband Geoffrey from a freak accident, an affair begins—followed by Marguerite’s mysterious fall from a cliff.

The novel thrives on uncertainty: Did Phoenix cause the fall? Did anyone see it? Will Geoffrey stay with her? Carter captures Phoenix’s spiraling anxiety with visceral intensity, drawing readers into her mental unraveling. Marguerite’s ghost seems to haunt both the house and Phoenix’s psyche, pushing her deeper into madness and magical realism.

While the premise is strong and the tension steady, some elements fall short—supporting characters like Taylor and the detective feel underdeveloped, and Phoenix’s backstory is only teased. Still, it’s a fast-paced and entertaining read, with a satisfyingly eerie atmosphere.

A big thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This has to be one of the weirdest books I’ve ever read. I’m honestly really torn on how to rate this. I’m generally a big fan of anything Minotaur puts out, BUT this one is not my favorite. Where I’m torn at though, is the writing itself was good. The language was beautiful, and it’s clear this author has a lot of experience with writing, even if the pacing was much slower than I usually look for in a story. It is a quick read though. With that being said, there are some things I really didn’t like about it. I wouldn’t call it a thriller at all. A weird mystery maybe, but it didn’t give me that thrilling need to turn the pages. I found myself constantly hoping something explosive would happen, and it never did until near the end. But even that was really lackluster. The characters were all horrible people, so I had a really hard time rooting for anyone, including the protagonist, but they were at least consistent. My major problem is that there were so many things that didn’t get tied up. What happens with her brother? What did he and Taylor talk about? He kept telling Phoenix he needed to talk to her asap, but we were left to fill in the blanks ourselves. What happens with her and Frank? Does she end up getting fired or does she continue to work for Brizzi’s even after the accident? Why keep mentioning the grandma’s death if the only purpose of it is to let the reader know that the house was left to Phoenix? And speaking of Phoenix, WOW. What this story was really about is an unhinged woman’s descent into madness. There is a lot going on with her, and I have a really hard time believing she was that unhinged all of a sudden. There had to be red flags all over the place, but somehow no one sees them until after this party? She’s been working for them for years and NOTHING weird happens until now? I don’t buy it. Overall, the writing saved the rating for this story, but not by much. I probably wouldn’t read anything from this author again, BUT I do have to give credit where credit is due. The writing was good, but the story was weird with too many threads left dangling. Maybe it just wasn’t for me.

Huge thanks to St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books and NetGalley for sending me this ARC for review! All of my reviews are given honestly!

Marguerite by the Lake by Mary Dixie Carter had me completely mesmerized. From the very beginning, I was drawn into this haunting psychological thriller that explores the dark complexities of wealth, desire, and buried secrets. At the center of it all is a glamorous garden designer, a widower haunted by his past, and a young, beautiful gardener who finds herself dangerously entangled in their lives.

As I turned the pages, I felt the tension slowly tightening, thanks to Carter’s evocative, almost hypnotic prose. She doesn’t rush the suspense. Instead, it builds with a quiet intensity that kept me on edge, second guessing every character and motive. I loved how the lines between truth and illusion, sanity and madness, became increasingly blurred.

By the end, I found myself questioning not only the characters’ choices but also the darker corners of human nature. This book doesn’t just reveal hidden truths. It makes you feel the weight of them. Marguerite by the Lake is chilling, beautifully written, and impossible to forget. I was completely captivated.