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Miss Margarets #1
The Three Miss Margarets
Miss Peggy, Dr. Maggie, and Miss Li’l Bit, friends and confidantes for nearly a lifetime, find it funny and bewildering that they have become icons in Charles Valley, Georgia. Little does the rest of the town know that beneath the irreproachable façades of its three doyennes lies an explosive decades-old secret that is about to be revealed.
Thirty-odd years ago the three Miss Margarets did something extraordinary, clandestine, and very illegal. Although their lives are haunted by the night that changed their lives, they believe that their crime was simply a matter of righting an egregious wrong. But when a stranger’s arrival in town and a tragic death open the floodgate of memory, their loyalty, friendship, and honor are tested in ways they could never have imagined.
Thirty-odd years ago the three Miss Margarets did something extraordinary, clandestine, and very illegal. Although their lives are haunted by the night that changed their lives, they believe that their crime was simply a matter of righting an egregious wrong. But when a stranger’s arrival in town and a tragic death open the floodgate of memory, their loyalty, friendship, and honor are tested in ways they could never have imagined.
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
489 people are currently reading
2511 people want to read
About the author
Louise Shaffer
18 books69 followersLouise is a believer in there’s always a second chance. An actress since she was fifteen, she found herself unemployed when she was in her mid-forties. The reason was…well, she was in her mid-forties. Not a good thing if you’re an actress – aging and eating are taboo. Louise has done both. Also, she was pretty clear about the fact that she was never going to have “knee surgery.” That’s what happens when an actress of a certain age drops out of sight for six weeks and her publicist announces that she’s having an old knee injury repaired. Then the actress emerges with her eyebrows hiked up kind of high on her forehead and all those nasty little lines around her mouth seem to have vanished… oh yeah, and her knee is working fine too.
The un-surgically enhanced Louise spent two years auditioning for commercials touting high fiber cereals and denture glue, she figured there had to be something better, and she decided to try writing scripts for soap operas. Writing had actually been her first love when she was a kid. She worked as a soap writer off and on—mostly off – for the next few years. The trouble was, she got fired a lot. Because what she wanted to do was tell her own stories. Finally she fought off the devil voices – those voices inside your head that tell you you’re an idiot for dumping a paying job to follow a dream—and wrote The Three Miss Margarets. It found a home at Random House and was published. It was followed by The Ladies of Garrison Gardens, and Family Acts
Louise's latest novel, Serendipity, takes Louise back to her home in the northeast.
Today a very happy Louise lives in the lower Hudson Valley with her husband of twenty eight years, her eight cats and two rescue dogs ; the regal Joshua, and Charlie. Who is not regal. Just ask the neighbors.
The un-surgically enhanced Louise spent two years auditioning for commercials touting high fiber cereals and denture glue, she figured there had to be something better, and she decided to try writing scripts for soap operas. Writing had actually been her first love when she was a kid. She worked as a soap writer off and on—mostly off – for the next few years. The trouble was, she got fired a lot. Because what she wanted to do was tell her own stories. Finally she fought off the devil voices – those voices inside your head that tell you you’re an idiot for dumping a paying job to follow a dream—and wrote The Three Miss Margarets. It found a home at Random House and was published. It was followed by The Ladies of Garrison Gardens, and Family Acts
Louise's latest novel, Serendipity, takes Louise back to her home in the northeast.
Today a very happy Louise lives in the lower Hudson Valley with her husband of twenty eight years, her eight cats and two rescue dogs ; the regal Joshua, and Charlie. Who is not regal. Just ask the neighbors.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 268 reviews
March 3, 2019
Another book that i really loved. This one because it was about the south that i grew up in and about people like the ones i grew up with. Such a wonderful story about 3 friends who tried to protect the people they loved. Will definitely be reading more books by this author. Another good find thanks to my Ladies Book Club.
September 26, 2012
I really enjoyed this book, until, literally, the very last page. I thought the ending was crap, but the rest of it was great and interesting.
Basically, and I mean really basically, it's about three old women who had a big scary secret, and also the story of a young woman who had a horrible childhood and acted like it as an adult. The whole story is about the big secret the Three Margaret's know, and the families who had to do with the secret, which also tells the entire life stories of everyone in the book, and how it resulted in the young woman's childhood being horrible.
The secret eventually comes out, the entire story is told, everyone becomes aware of all the situations involved, and it was climatic and enjoyable, but the reaction of the secret being outted was less than enjoyable, and should have been more dramatic to counter the drama of the rest of the story.
EDIT: It's over a year later. I decided to give it another star because I actually find myself thinking about this book still, all this time later. Not about the drama or the secret, but the story that is in between the lines, the story of solid friendship and companionship, and love. How well you get to know other people in your life and can expect their reactions and emotions to even simple words or stories or people. I think this novel definitely showed human interaction in a way that is very real and honest. For that, over a year later, it gains a star.
Basically, and I mean really basically, it's about three old women who had a big scary secret, and also the story of a young woman who had a horrible childhood and acted like it as an adult. The whole story is about the big secret the Three Margaret's know, and the families who had to do with the secret, which also tells the entire life stories of everyone in the book, and how it resulted in the young woman's childhood being horrible.
The secret eventually comes out, the entire story is told, everyone becomes aware of all the situations involved, and it was climatic and enjoyable, but the reaction of the secret being outted was less than enjoyable, and should have been more dramatic to counter the drama of the rest of the story.
EDIT: It's over a year later. I decided to give it another star because I actually find myself thinking about this book still, all this time later. Not about the drama or the secret, but the story that is in between the lines, the story of solid friendship and companionship, and love. How well you get to know other people in your life and can expect their reactions and emotions to even simple words or stories or people. I think this novel definitely showed human interaction in a way that is very real and honest. For that, over a year later, it gains a star.
February 20, 2022
This is a Southern Women's Fiction with Mystery/historical fiction, and this is the first book in the Miss Margarets series. I have to start by saying some of my favorite books as old Southern Women characters, and this book has three Old Southern Women characters who I loved so much. The beginning of this book may this book feel like it was going to be a romance, but it is not. I like the flashbacks parts, and I really love seeing the Miss Margarets stories. There is a lot about old Southern history and a mystery that has been hind for a long time. I have to say this book has some of my favorite book characters, and I will also love a book that takes place in a small Southern town.
July 14, 2012
As trite as it sounds, this book merits negative stars. I stumbled upon a copy of this book at Salvation Army, and being a fan of the sub-genre that is Southern Chick Lit., I forked over my dollar and brought it home in my stack. So started the beginning of the end.
Unfortunately, this book forces me to focus not on the novel, as I would like, but on the author, whose underhanded distaste of the South and its people is apparent. When someone literally knows nothing about the author--not even her name--and, after reading about twenty to sixty pages, can wager a bet, with near 100% certainty, that not only is the author not from the South, but she has barely, if ever, lived there, then something is very, very wrong with the writing and with a publishing world that would allow this to be released.
Flashback to me on my daily commute, reading. These are the thoughts that are traipsing through my head: "Cliche. Handsome Yankee from New York. Cliche. Cliche. Not possible. Where are the accents? Why is there a sense that most of these characters hate the South? Cliche. Cliche. Random character." Then I stop reading and to the dismay of my fellow commuters, mumble that I have been duped into buying a fake. I flip to the back of the book, and there is the interloper: the author. Who is from New York. Educated at Yale Drama School. Not from the South.
Joke is on me, Ballantine Books. The joke is on me!
Unfortunately, this book forces me to focus not on the novel, as I would like, but on the author, whose underhanded distaste of the South and its people is apparent. When someone literally knows nothing about the author--not even her name--and, after reading about twenty to sixty pages, can wager a bet, with near 100% certainty, that not only is the author not from the South, but she has barely, if ever, lived there, then something is very, very wrong with the writing and with a publishing world that would allow this to be released.
Flashback to me on my daily commute, reading. These are the thoughts that are traipsing through my head: "Cliche. Handsome Yankee from New York. Cliche. Cliche. Not possible. Where are the accents? Why is there a sense that most of these characters hate the South? Cliche. Cliche. Random character." Then I stop reading and to the dismay of my fellow commuters, mumble that I have been duped into buying a fake. I flip to the back of the book, and there is the interloper: the author. Who is from New York. Educated at Yale Drama School. Not from the South.
Joke is on me, Ballantine Books. The joke is on me!
November 5, 2016
Such a great book. It spans across different generations and weaves all the characters lives together. I really couldn't put it down. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I highly recommend it.
September 18, 2014
3.5 stars Good southern family story, a bit of mystery. Too much "intrigue"--just come out and tell us already! Some things stayed confusing.
June 12, 2015
Secrets and lies are couched in good intentions, meant to shelter and protect loved ones. Three charming ladies in a sleepy Southern town bond over decades, taking care of each other, saving themselves from bad memories, emptiness and loneliness. Their tight circle becomes more closed as they share the one horrible secret that cannot be revealed. But then it's time...and in revealing this awful truth, they expand their group to take in another lost young woman.
Shaffer's first novel really draws the reader in. She makes this setting, so different from many readers' experience, and its inhabitants, very real. The characters are sympathetic although their respective stories may make them seem, at times, not particularly likable. Recommend.
Shaffer's first novel really draws the reader in. She makes this setting, so different from many readers' experience, and its inhabitants, very real. The characters are sympathetic although their respective stories may make them seem, at times, not particularly likable. Recommend.
June 29, 2013
In the reading guide from this book, which I always read because, yes, I am a nerd, it asks if you think this book would make a good movie. I seriously want to know why it hasn't been done yet. This, as well as Shaffer's The Ladies of Garrison County, would make great movies. I love these characters.
March 14, 2016
This is not an easy book to read sporadically! The storyline is hard to follow at times and the author continuously jumps from past to present and back again. Not thrilled with the ending as I wished more for Laurel.
November 11, 2017
I picked up this book at Goodwill and it sounded like a good read. I have never read this author before. I had a hard time keeping interested in the book. It was a little confusing going back and forth between present day and the past, and it was hard remembering some of the characters and their history. I’m sorry but I agree with someone else that said the ending was crap. I thought the ending was completely uneventful and confusing and not exciting at all. I’m kind of disappointed.
October 24, 2007
i'm halfway through this book and i'm hooked, i didn't want to go to work today because i wanted to finish it. i think i'll be finishing this tonight before i go to bed. the interweaving stories from different characters and from past and present is a nice way of telling the story.
August 4, 2020
This was a fun, engaging read with characters that really came to life. It's a mystery, in a sense, in that the author weaves the history, background, and "what really happened?" together and parcels it out in small doses which kept me wanting to read - all with a little dash of Southern comfort twisted in. I wish I'd been able to sit down and devour this book in a day or two - it's one of those books. I'll definitely be reading the sequel as soon as I can get my hands on it!
October 25, 2025
This book was okay. There were way too many characters and it keeps going back and forth into different timelines. It was a little too confusing to me and I just didn't have the brain space to keep up with it too much, but I think I got the gist of it. There is a violent r@pe in this book that could be possibly very triggering, and a lot of language that most people would find offensive (I understand that was how people talked back then). Towards the last 50 pages I was just wishing it would end, it felt like it was getting pretty repetitive.
March 3, 2019
I loved this book with all its southern charm.
The author at time painted such beautiful pictures of a time and place to me.
The characters (and their were a lot of them) were very relatable and loved them.
This story is about the pain we go through in life and the people who help you through it. Family, Friends, and lovers all have a part in the healing process in the story and that kind of tells you how real life is. I loved the three main characters, Miss Peggy, Dr. Maggie, and Li'l Bit. There lives led them to help others that followed them and what a story it is.
I would love to read other books by the author.
Recommend!!
The author at time painted such beautiful pictures of a time and place to me.
The characters (and their were a lot of them) were very relatable and loved them.
This story is about the pain we go through in life and the people who help you through it. Family, Friends, and lovers all have a part in the healing process in the story and that kind of tells you how real life is. I loved the three main characters, Miss Peggy, Dr. Maggie, and Li'l Bit. There lives led them to help others that followed them and what a story it is.
I would love to read other books by the author.
Recommend!!
January 21, 2019
I actually liked the way the author told her story. Jumping back and forth from past to present, and various characters. I fell in love with the three Margarets and found it hard to put down at night.
What I did not care for was the ending. And I see that I am not the first person to feel like that.
I also have an issue with the cover: The three Margarets are very different sizes, one is very tall and bit, another is quite petite. At least let the cover picture vaguely resemble the characters. Three females in old-time swim suits does not fit the bill.
I want to know if Southern Women are as the author describes? Are they all a 'Force of Nature'? I do not see that the lie that sets the story was so imperative to tell. What am I missing here?
This book started strong, then lost it with the ending, imho.
It got the three stars for the first part of the story.
What I did not care for was the ending. And I see that I am not the first person to feel like that.
I also have an issue with the cover: The three Margarets are very different sizes, one is very tall and bit, another is quite petite. At least let the cover picture vaguely resemble the characters. Three females in old-time swim suits does not fit the bill.
I want to know if Southern Women are as the author describes? Are they all a 'Force of Nature'? I do not see that the lie that sets the story was so imperative to tell. What am I missing here?
This book started strong, then lost it with the ending, imho.
It got the three stars for the first part of the story.
August 7, 2011
Superb beginning to end! Ahhhh....nothing like a decades old secret between three extremely close friends to make you grab a book off the shelf and rush home to start reading. Not only is there this underlying theme that remains unrevealed nearly forever, but there is this awesomely wonderful friendship that links the 'three Miss Margarets' together. Add a newcomer to town digging around for information, and just plain great writing on every level...well, get this book and you'll be hooked. Hard to put down...hard to forget!
May 22, 2018
I got this book at a library book sale thinking it sounded interesting. I think the story line has potential, but the way it was presented was confusing. The flipping back and forth from past to present was hard for me to understand. It also took me over half the book to keep track of all of the character's stories. I felt depressed reading this story, and maybe I just wasn't in the mood for a story like this. I also hated the ending. I pushed myself through the book just for that kind of ending?! To each their own I guess.
July 5, 2009
A stroy about 3 women named Margaret living in a small southern town who take matters into their own hands. A fun read. Nothing sensational. I read the book because the author, Louise Shaffer, was a classmate and friend of mine in high school.
June 30, 2014
not a must read, but interesting enough to while away carpool time
May 7, 2012
Only got a couple of chapters in the book but the chapters I did read I had to do a lot of skipping over and decided it was inappropriate.
October 18, 2012
Perfect airplane read!
February 17, 2013
Trite and contrived.
October 17, 2014
Enjoyable book about 3 older women in the south and the secret they've been sharing and the ramifications on the town.
February 20, 2019
This is an interesting story about three ladies (Margarets, of course) and how their lives come together. I really had no idea what to expect from the book, so I can't say I was disappointed or surprised, but I wasn't fully satisfied with it.
First, I appreciate the complexity of the story and that they author let me come to my own conclusions -- so many authors these days are so on-the-nose with dialogue and description that I never get to figure anything out on my own. Shaffer doesn't do that. She tells you what happened, then lets you figure out how the events impacted everyone's relationships. I appreciate that.
After that, however, the story's a bit of a mess. I'm not a huge fan of the technique used in this story: where we start in the modern time with a secret that everyone knows/wants to know, then the book flashes back to snippets, but then it jumps forward again. It could be a bit jarring when you weren't sure what time period a scene was going to be in. Because of that, it was hard to get into the book. It took me several chapters to settle in and feel like I understand where the story was going. (Normally I'd put the book down, but this is on a list for my 2019 book challenge, so I pressed on.)
All-in-all, it was an okay book. I wish it had been a little more organized in how/when it jumped between times/characters, as it did get slow down the story a bit to try to figure out who/when you were reading. I think that also made it hard to really engage with the characters, but I did become quite curious about them, which kept me reading. I don't really have another book to compare it to, but if you're looking for a bit of mystery and don't mind some time hopping, you might enjoy this book.
(FYI - because I read a lot of Christian fiction, I should note that this is NOT a clean read. While not overly graphic, there are some scenes that would make readers of CF uncomfortable, and there's a fair amount of swearing.)
First, I appreciate the complexity of the story and that they author let me come to my own conclusions -- so many authors these days are so on-the-nose with dialogue and description that I never get to figure anything out on my own. Shaffer doesn't do that. She tells you what happened, then lets you figure out how the events impacted everyone's relationships. I appreciate that.
After that, however, the story's a bit of a mess. I'm not a huge fan of the technique used in this story: where we start in the modern time with a secret that everyone knows/wants to know, then the book flashes back to snippets, but then it jumps forward again. It could be a bit jarring when you weren't sure what time period a scene was going to be in. Because of that, it was hard to get into the book. It took me several chapters to settle in and feel like I understand where the story was going. (Normally I'd put the book down, but this is on a list for my 2019 book challenge, so I pressed on.)
All-in-all, it was an okay book. I wish it had been a little more organized in how/when it jumped between times/characters, as it did get slow down the story a bit to try to figure out who/when you were reading. I think that also made it hard to really engage with the characters, but I did become quite curious about them, which kept me reading. I don't really have another book to compare it to, but if you're looking for a bit of mystery and don't mind some time hopping, you might enjoy this book.
(FYI - because I read a lot of Christian fiction, I should note that this is NOT a clean read. While not overly graphic, there are some scenes that would make readers of CF uncomfortable, and there's a fair amount of swearing.)
September 27, 2022
Three best friends all named Margaret, of course, live in a small rural town where the gossip goes around quick. The three are harboring a secret and it isn't an easy task to keep it hidden. When a writer comes to town he stirs the pot bringing issues back from the past. People start to question things and the story unfolds for us to see. Without giving anything away I'll say that I found this book a bit slow going at first but when it captured my attention it did so with a vengeance.
Life in the small town is unofficially run by the richest family which has ties to each of the Margarets. They are bound to stick together and are soon a force of power themselves. Misdeeds, lies, alcoholism, violence racism and more lies arise in this book dragging you through the lives of the people as they try to make the best of where they live and the lives they've been given.
Life in the small town is unofficially run by the richest family which has ties to each of the Margarets. They are bound to stick together and are soon a force of power themselves. Misdeeds, lies, alcoholism, violence racism and more lies arise in this book dragging you through the lives of the people as they try to make the best of where they live and the lives they've been given.
January 11, 2020
Miss Peggy, Dr. Maggie, and Miss Li’l Bit, friends and confidantes for nearly a lifetime, find it funny and bewildering that they have become icons in Charles Valley, Georgia. Little does the rest of the town know that beneath the irreproachable façades of its three doyennes lies an explosive decades-old secret that is about to be revealed.
Thirty-odd years ago the three Miss Margarets did something extraordinary, clandestine, and very illegal. Although their lives are haunted by the night that changed their lives, they believe that their crime was simply a matter of righting an egregious wrong. But when a stranger’s arrival in town and a tragic death open the floodgate of memory, their loyalty, friendship, and honor are tested in ways they could never have imagined.
Thirty-odd years ago the three Miss Margarets did something extraordinary, clandestine, and very illegal. Although their lives are haunted by the night that changed their lives, they believe that their crime was simply a matter of righting an egregious wrong. But when a stranger’s arrival in town and a tragic death open the floodgate of memory, their loyalty, friendship, and honor are tested in ways they could never have imagined.
December 29, 2021
Most convoluted writing style I have encountered. Weak in content. Author’s lack of warmth, humor and compassion for her characters leaves ALL of them flat and one dimensional and definitely not Southern in style. Also each character was utterly predictable. It eludes to the racism of the south “back then” but it persists and permeates the now of the story. This is about three old Southern women with a deep “dark”. All of the characters feel somehow trapped in life and location. I am telling you, the secret is predictable. The ending, which I won’t share, was just so thoroughly disappointing. And the only take away you get from reading the book is everyone is tired of the south. Blech.
September 1, 2022
I found this to be a well crafted and well told story. Initially I found the frequent back and forth between past and present to be a bit off-putting but as the story unfolded, it seemed the back and forth was necessary to fully understand what had happened. I don't often give a 5 star rating. The stories need to be well crafted, well told, and keep me thinking about them as days go by to rate 5 stars and this one definitely does that for me. I felt I came to know and understand each of the Miss Margarets. The author did a great job of telling their individual stories which helps to understand the bond that was between them. I often read at night till I get sleepy, but reading this book, I did NOT get sleepy and found myself just wanting to read and read. Good job Louise Shaffer!
March 8, 2019
Billed as a “southern novel”, the book was not so much about life in the South as it was life pre-civil rights. Three women, each a decade apart in age, and each named Margaret are bound together by secrets. They thought they were doing the right thing, but secrets have a way of festering and complicating lives. This is the story of what those secrets cost them and another young woman...or two. The author does an excellent job of weaving the past with the present and unfolding each woman’s story and her part in the past. This would make a great book club read, as I could see it sparking a lively discussion.
August 14, 2020
This book grabbed my attention and kept it. I started reading it while flying and ended up staying up late into the night to finish it. It is a book that would make a great book club read because it brings up questions we all would struggle with if we were in similar situations. The author spoke well about the difficult places the Miss Margarets found themselves in, both in their own lives and in the decisions they made together. What I respect most is that the author did not shy away from uncomfortable subjects nor did she allow her characters to take the easy way out of their decisions. The author made her story's reality mesh with the reality of real life.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 268 reviews