Big Lies in a Small Town
By Diane Chamberlain
- Release Date: 2020-01-14
- Genre: Fiction & Literature
Description
From New York Times bestselling author Diane Chamberlain comes a novel of chilling intrigue, a decades-old disappearance, and one woman’s quest to find the truth…
“A novel about arts and secrets...grippingly told...pulls readers toward a shocking conclusion.”—People magazine, Best New Books
North Carolina, 2018:
Morgan Christopher's life has been derailed. Taking the fall for a crime she did not commit, her dream of a career in art is put on hold—until a mysterious visitor makes her an offer that will get her released from prison immediately. Her assignment: restore an old post office mural in a sleepy southern town. Morgan knows nothing about art restoration, but desperate to be free, she accepts. What she finds under the layers of grime is a painting that tells the story of madness, violence, and a conspiracy of small town secrets.
North Carolina, 1940:
Anna Dale, an artist from New Jersey, wins a national contest to paint a mural for the post office in Edenton, North Carolina. Alone in the world and in great need of work, she accepts. But what she doesn't expect is to find herself immersed in a town where prejudices run deep, where people are hiding secrets behind closed doors, and where the price of being different might just end in murder.
What happened to Anna Dale? Are the clues hidden in the decrepit mural? Can Morgan overcome her own demons to discover what exists beneath the layers of lies?
“Chamberlain, a master storyteller, keeps readers hooked, with a story line that leavens history and social commentary with romance and mystery.”—Lexington Dispatch
Reviews
Exciting thrilling
5By On the hoochFantastic writing.. that time and era.. of course that happenedCaptivating from the first page to the last.
5By woodstock ladyCould not put down. Best book I’ve read in the last two years.Awesome!!
5By lau arLoved this book from beginning to amazing end!Book club choice.
5By lovereadloveReally enjoyed this book. Book was chosen for my book club. I had never read anything by the author. Glad to find her. I read another of her books after this! The Stolen Marriage- both good easy enjoyable reads!Good book
5By Jeanne C.Liked this book and it made me what to read many of Diane’s other writings.Big Lies in a Small Town
5By Bigred-5I love this book! The mysteries and the love are incredible! I could feel the emotion in every word I read!!!A very good book!
5By GaryDizYou will enjoy this book. Characters are well developed and the writing and plot are superb. I’ll look forward to reading her next book.Five stars!!!
5By bobnjguMy favorite book ever! Love Diane Chamberlain.Loved IT!
5By SWM61016Subtle twists. Detailed delivery. Compassion and empathy. I loved everything about this book!Excellent story
5By travelandreadLots of twists and very satisfying ending. Easy to read.Reconnecting through art
5By PaintandlensRighting a wrong and finding a connection to the past through restoring a mural in a small town, creates an engaging story.⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
5By StephieEssI read the prologue as a sample and then immediately bought. I’m not ashamed to say that when I woke up this morning, got my first cup of coffee, I delved in. And didn’t stop until I finished. Literally. I’m not a fan of reviews that read like a synopsis, robotically, I want to know the way a book reaches a reader and the feelings and emotions it evokes. After all, a blurb can tell me the gist. The way I felt about this novel I could liken to the way Morgan felt about Anna: a healthy obsession one has to see through to the end. From loss and sadness, fear and danger, hope and redemption… Diane Chamberlain tells a story like few I’ve known.Loved!
5By BirdhousecoopaninjaCould not put down!Intriguing to the end!
5By SC_girlSuch an overwhelmingly great story! The twists and turns make it so intriguing and the character development is great! I love that we got some answers. And like to think I know the answers to the ones we don’t.Could not put down!
5By Keutey1Awesome!Captivating story!
4By Kris Anderson, The Avid ReaderBig Lies in a Small Town by Diane Chamberlain is an intriguing story. I like how the story is laid out in the two different timelines. As Morgan Christopher works on the mural, we get to follow Anna as she works on creating it. It was interesting learning about the mural competition along with what it took to create a mural and restore one. This is the first novel I have read by Diane Chamberlain and it will not be my last. I thought it was well-written with developed characters and a lovely, Southern setting. The descriptions allowed me to imagine the setting and the characters. I could picture the small Southern town with its “powerful” men (to me they were overweight men who were indulging the little lady) and uptight ladies who did not appreciate Anna’s unique artistic ways. I felt for Morgan who took the rap for a crime she did not commit because love led her astray. I thought the author captured the feel of the south in the 1940s. I found it humorous how scandalized people were when Anna wore trousers. I liked the two mysteries in the story. We wonder what happened to Anna and why was Morgan chosen to restore the mural. I became engrossed in the story because I was eager to learn the answers. There is some offensive language along with violence (murder, violence against a female) as well as racism and alcoholism (so you are forewarned). I enjoyed how it all came together in the end (just as I hoped it would). Big Lies in a Small Town was a fascinating story with an ending that did not disappoint.
