Book Review: The Photographer | Mary Dixie Carter

Mary Dixie Carter’s The Photographer is a dark, suspenseful, character-driven novel about a woman who will do anything to embed herself into the lives of a wealthy family. But is the family as perfect as they seem? Envy, obsession, betrayal, and a dynamite twist.

About the Book

WHEN PERFECT IMAGES

As a photographer, Delta Dawn observes the seemingly perfect lives of New York City’s elite: snapping photos of their children’s birthday parties, transforming images of stiff hugs and tearstained faces into visions of pure joy, and creating moments these parents long for.

ARE MADE OF BEAUTIFUL LIES

But when Delta is hired for Natalie Straub’s eleventh birthday, she finds herself wishing she wasn’t behind the lens but a part of the scene―in the Straub family’s gorgeous home and elegant life.

THE TRUTH WILL BE EXPOSED

That’s when Delta puts her plan in place, by babysitting for Natalie; befriending her mother, Amelia; finding chances to listen to her father, Fritz. Soon she’s bathing in the master bathtub, drinking their expensive wine, and eyeing the beautifully finished garden apartment in their townhouse. It seems she can never get close enough, until she discovers that photos aren’t all she can manipulate.

Reflection

Professional photographer Delta Dawn specializes in capturing those picture-perfect moments among family, friends, and loved ones that make her an in-demand photographer with the New York City elite. Delta knows how to create illusions, to make a subject look like the best (if not better) version of themselves, and how to hide the less desirable elements of a scene. It is her job to make her client’s lives look the way they imagine them to be, even if that version is a lie. The real magic isn’t in the moments that Delta captures, it is in the post-production work that makes lighting better, eliminates flaws, transforms frowns to smiles and crops out anything too raw. If only it were that easy to eliminate those versions of ourselves in real life!

When Delta is hired to photograph the birthday party of eleven-year-old Natalie Straub, she becomes enchanted by the elegant sophistication of the Straubs and their life. Fritz and Amelia Straub are architects, so they understand clean lines, perfect lighting, and how to frame a room in a way that appeals to Delta’s artistic side. Delta begins to see herself as a kindred spirit to the Straubs, despite the gap in wealth and lifestyle. She imagines what it would be like to be best friends with Amelia or the mistress to the handsome Fritz. She fantasizes so much that she begins to photoshop herself into their pictures, just to see what it would be like to be a part of their lives.

As Delta gets to know the Straubs, she learns that Amelia is desperate for a second child but hasn’t been able to get pregnant. When Delta learns about her fertility issues, she comes up with one of those classic deranged plans that makes books like The Photographer truly impossible to set aside. Delta wants to become a permanent part of their lives and she knows just how to do it.

The Characters

Delta is delusional and early on it is clear that we can’t trust pretty much any of her interpretations at face value. Nothing about Delta is one-note as a character. She is complicated and lacks boundaries. Delta portrays herself as selfless, but behind that façade she is manipulative and delusional. Delta is also desperate and at times strangely naïve and childlike. I felt angry with her at times and sad for her at others.

Amelia and Fritz Straub aren’t completely above reproach here. While I felt very sad for their daughter Natalie, the Straub parents certainly had their own shortcomings as characters. Often they were more fixated on completing their perfect life and family than on the daughter they had. I questioned why someone with a life like Amelia’s would befriend their photographer, no matter how nice Delta seemed. I questioned Amelia and Fritz’s motives.

Overall Thoughts

No spoilers here so I won’t get into the ending but I thought the twists through the end were a lot of fun. The theme of reality versus the polished version that is displayed in photographs and on social media carries through the book in nearly every character. The strive to appear perfect and ignore the messy, flawed, and imperfectly beautiful moments in life became not just Delta’s story, but Amelia and Fritz as well. The very final chapter delivered!

Character-driven over plot-driven, The Photographer by Mary Dixie Carter kept me hooked until the very end.