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...
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reviews
Mar 15, 2009
Kim
rated it: 
I just picked this up at the library on a whim...the kids were done and ready to go and I still had not picked out a book...so I ran to an aile and just picked one...and this was it...isn't it funny I didn't even notice the author's last name until I was almost done with the book....weird...anyway....it was an okay read. It had some swearing in it...and just one scene I skipped through. It's about three women all named Margaret..Peggy, Lil Bit and Maggie. They are all around 10 years apart in
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Apr 16, 2011
Three elderly white Georgia women, all named Margaret, share a deep friendship and a dark secret in this winning debut by actress and television writer Shaffer. For reasons not entirely clear even to her, Laurel Selene McCready has inherited her mother's grudge against "the three Miss Margarets," upstanding icons in rural Charles Valley. Returning home drunk late one night, she spies the three ladies congregating unaccountably in a deserted cabin. The body of Vashti Johnson, a renowned
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Jan 10, 2010
Jan
rated it: 
This book started a little slower than I like but the characters were
interesting enough for me to want to continue. Very good character
development. I wanted to be friends with almost all of them. The
'troubled' young white trash character was not likeable at all; in fact
I didn't care what happened with her. She is supposed to be an integral
part of the story, and perhaps she is, but I didn't like her; she added
nothing to the story. The author tries to build More...
interesting enough for me to want to continue. Very good character
development. I wanted to be friends with almost all of them. The
'troubled' young white trash character was not likeable at all; in fact
I didn't care what happened with her. She is supposed to be an integral
part of the story, and perhaps she is, but I didn't like her; she added
nothing to the story. The author tries to build More...
Jul 23, 2008
Maggie
rated it: 
I actually listened to this book read by Linda Stephens. She was excellent as a reader and I will definitely listen to books read by her again.
The book was a study of characters. The three Miss Margarets have colluded in the misdirection of a crime which occurred years before. Now, it's all about to come out.
Takes a bit to follow the characters at first but well worth it.
The book was a study of characters. The three Miss Margarets have colluded in the misdirection of a crime which occurred years before. Now, it's all about to come out.
Takes a bit to follow the characters at first but well worth it.
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Oct 24, 2007
Miss
rated it:
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.
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Aug 07, 2011
Suzyberry
rated it:
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
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Jan 23, 2011
Debra
rated it:
A wonderfully written tale of three very different Southern women bound together, first by their friendship, and second by their orchestration and subsequent cover-up of an illegal incident. The incident has far reaching consequences on the lives of the innocent as well as the guilty in Charles Valley, Georgia. Shaffer does not use the stereotypical image of Steel Magnolias in her invention of Dr. Maggie, Miss Peggy, and Lil' Bit. Instead, she constructs three very real, likable, if not perfect
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Nov 19, 2008
Kellie
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Jan 20, 2011
KateSpears
rated it:
I wanted to read this because I enjoyed Shaffer's other book, Serendipity....but I think it was better. The story is about three southern ladies named Margaret and the things they have done over the years to achieve certain ends in their small Georgia community. It had many elements of a great book and teetered on the edge several times, but all in all it was just good. I didn't love the ending and some of the characters just weren't likeable enough to hold the story together.
Apr 27, 2009
Kristi
rated it:
wonderful, wow
I love the way it was written with the flashbacks, lots of suspense, great characters, soooooo sad.
I don't know how to pronounce Vashti and i have to say i didn't really like her at all, her actual story was probably the only part of the book that made me want to put it down long enought to grab a snack. The ladies individual secrets were real shockers to me and very well written. big thumbs up this one will stay with me for a long time.
I love the way it was written with the flashbacks, lots of suspense, great characters, soooooo sad.
I don't know how to pronounce Vashti and i have to say i didn't really like her at all, her actual story was probably the only part of the book that made me want to put it down long enought to grab a snack. The ladies individual secrets were real shockers to me and very well written. big thumbs up this one will stay with me for a long time.
Sep 01, 2009
Vonnie
rated it:
This book was a fun pick up and read in a weekend type of book. I would have given it 4 stars, but it was rough around the edges. A bit too much immorality, drinking, etc. It was an easy light read about 3 female friends spanning 3 generations. They had a secret to keep for many years, which is finally revealed inthe end. I think I was in the mood for an easy book I didn't have to think about, but reader beware it was trashy.
Aug 16, 2011
Amy
rated it: 
2.5 stars. I almost quit reading this a few times near the beginning, but then I got drawn in to the story enough that I was very interested to find out the end and uncover all the secrets. It did get a little confusing at times with all the switching back and forth between the three different women and the past and present. There was also quite a bit of language. It was okay, but definitely not a favorite.
May 17, 2011
Kathy
rated it:
I'm always surprised by the books my book club picks. They seem to end up as real treasures. I read it in 4 days and must say it held my interest with suspense from chapter to chapter. The story is about 3 women, named Margaret in a Georgia town and how their lives intertwined from after WW II to the present and the secrets they kept that affected others in the town. It was a good read and I lost myself in the book each time I picked it up.
Aug 27, 2011
Sara
rated it:
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 More...
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 More...
Oct 10, 2011
Jo
rated it:
definitely a 3.5... She is a great story teller, and it's a winding story that makes you think about choices we make, and the ripple effects that occur because of that one choice. Tough issues: racism, rape, murder, injustice in the south... but it is also filled with hope of the human spirit, and the courage involved in doing the right thing, even when it doesn't seem right...
Aug 02, 2009
Carole
rated it:
Despite my efforts at recordkeeping, this was an accidental re-read. I checked out CD's from the library, and by the time I realize that I had already read it, I was engrossed in it again. It contains many of my favorite elements for a good read: portraits of southern ladies, historical setting, and mystery. It kept my interest even though I knew how it would end.
Jun 16, 2009
Cali
rated it: 
So, technically this book isn't "read" since I didn't finish it--the language was horrible, the storyline dull, and the development uncomfortable and slow. I checked this book out thinking it was by Mary Ann Shaffer (I should have looked more closely!) who wrote another book I wanted to read but the library didn't have. Unfortunately, it was not a pleasant book to dive into.
Jan 04, 2012
"oh what tangled webs we weave, when first we practice to deceive". No truer words were ever spoken. These three, amazing, women hold a life long secret that threatens to destroy them. Joining them on their journey to reveal what they know they must, was an exciting, interesting ride.
Apr 19, 2010
Ruth
rated it:
Small town drama managed by Maggie, Peggy and Lil' Bit. Laurel decides to get the truth about her murdering/murdered father. And it all seems to take place in a town very similar to Pine Mountain and Callaway Gardens. Interesting, well written read.
Apr 20, 2010
Amy
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Jul 05, 2009
Kathanne
rated it:
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.
Dec 18, 2011
Richard
rated it:
I enjoyed this story very much. It had a nice surprise ending. It was pretty good with relationships and the price we pay for each of them. The story is well told, with enough characters to make it most enjoyable.
Aug 22, 2011
Pam
rated it:
Three elderly southern women named Peggy aged about 10 years apart have kept a secret for years and this book tells each of their stories. It is a bit of a mystery; race plays a part. It is rather sad in a way.
Oct 19, 2009
Debb
rated it:
The three Grande Dames of this locale find secrets of their pasts poking them as a new mystery surfaces. Interesting characters with well-developed history and motivations. Going to check out others by this author.
Sep 30, 2011
Hoover Public Library
rated it:
The Three Miss Margarets deals with secrets, how they hold relationships together and tear others apart. It's about friendships between women, crossing the boundaries of age and experience. The story re-aquaints the reader with a time in Georgia when wealthy families' transgressions were overlooked because of their place in society, however as the book reveals sometimes status can't keep your past from catching up with you.
The three main characters (all named Margaret but only one g More...
The three main characters (all named Margaret but only one g More...
Sep 19, 2011
Kathy
rated it:
Loved the suspense, always making you want to read a little further. Thought the ending didn't quite complete the story, but that's the way life is sometimes. Great examples of true friendship.
Jun 22, 2009
Melea
rated it:
It took me about 130 pages or so to get into this book, which is longer than I normally give a book to grab me. It reminded me of Fried Green Tomatoes in some ways, except not as lovable for me.
Jun 24, 2011
Laura
rated it:
It was very readable and trying to find out "what happened", kept the pages turning, but over all it was just ok. I didn't really like the ending and the whole thing was a bit too tragic.
Feb 03, 2010
Lisa
rated it:
I was hoping for another can't-put-it-down story like "Serendipity" but this one was... well, not the same.
For about 3/4 of the book I was completely lost thinking, Peggy, Lil Bit, Maggie, Lottie, Laurel, Nella - who ARE these women?? I couldn't keep anything straight and the elephant in the room, otherwise known as "what happened that night" was driving me insane. Finally, about 1/4 from the end, all of the "what happened that night" started to be re More...
For about 3/4 of the book I was completely lost thinking, Peggy, Lil Bit, Maggie, Lottie, Laurel, Nella - who ARE these women?? I couldn't keep anything straight and the elephant in the room, otherwise known as "what happened that night" was driving me insane. Finally, about 1/4 from the end, all of the "what happened that night" started to be re More...
Nov 17, 2011
Laura
rated it:
Whose doesn't love novels about Southern women and secrets? Although about 60 pages in I realized I had read this book bpreviously, I continued on happy to soak it all up again.
