This book is split into two stories that are intertwined. It is told from the points of Anna and Morgan.

In 1940 Anna Dale won a contest to paint a mural for the post office in a small town. She uproots her life and moves there to get a feel of the town and the history. She gets mixed reviews from the town, some people are thrilled to have her while others think a local artist should have won. She asks for some of the local high school students for help. Two young men end up being her helpers, one white and one black. Tragedy strikes and it changes all three of their lives.

Morgan is in prison for a crime she didn’t commit. Her art degree is on hold and she is lost. When two women come to visit her in prison. They offer her a deal that she can get out on parole if she can come and restore Anna’s mural. It is to be a focal point in a new art gallery by a recently deceased artist. He specifically requested Morgan to be the one to restore it. When Morgan sees the mural she is completely shocked at the content and also wonders what happened to the original artist.

I really enjoyed this book. I read it in one sitting. It was well written and the characters are well thought out.

Big Lies is my third book by Diane Chamberlain and it's safe to say that she is a go-to author for me at this point.

I want to read her backlist and will definitely look out for her future novels too. She has such a talent for drawing you deeply into a story and caring about the characters. I also always learn something from her. I really appreciate her focus on racial issues too. She doesn't come at you with a forced narrative, but simply sheds light on how things really were/are and she always has a character willing to sacrifice to do the right thing.

The only issue I had with this book is that it goes back and forth between a current day character (Morgan) and a past character in the 1940s (Anna), and sometimes it was confusing because their stories were so similar. But overall, this was another great story by Diane Chamberlain and I absolutely recommend it.

Trigger warnings: alcoholism, drunk driver car accident, rape, murder

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my gifted copy.

Title: Big Lies in a Small Town
Author: Diane Chamberlain
Publisher: St. Martin's Press (January 14, 2020)
400 pages
4⭐s
Description :
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?

My Review:

Wow, just wow!!!!! This book really took my breathe away. I have read a few books by Diane Chamberlain and she sure does not disappoint. As soon as I saw this one I knew I had to read it. Diane Chamberlain writing is very vividly detailed and i always feel like I am there in the story as I read.

This book was about decades-old disappearance,small town secrets, and one woman’s quest to find the Truth. Told from two points of view; Ana Dale and Morgan Christopher. Little by little we learn more about these two women’s lives in different timelines with the story taking place in Edenton, North Carolina.
Anna: who's a artist in 1939-1940 , who created a WPA post office mural in NC but mysteriously disappeared before completing the mural. Morgan ; who is a former art student, current prisoner in 2018. She has a problem with alcohol and she was involved in a bad car accident and lost her freedom. She has been in prison serving her sentence in Raleigh, NC until she's offered a deal. A famous artist, Jesse Williams requested for her to restore a post office mural done by a female artist

This book had it all wrapped in a nice tight bow and touched on alcohol dependency, the prison system, injustice, sexual and physical abuse and redemption.
You just didn’t know what was going to happen next. I was turning the pages as fast I could and was on the edge of my seat waiting to find out what happened next. There were characters in this book that I loved and others I don't like so much. What a twist at the end!!!!! It through me for a loop. What an amazing end to an amazing book. This one will stay with me for a long time.

Between the plot, characters and all the twists in this book it made it an easy and fast read. I would definitely recommend it and happily give it 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.

Thank you to NetGalley ,the publisher and the author for the chance to read for an honest review !

Really enjoyed this small town mystery. It didn't have me frantically turning pages but it was entertaining while I was in it. A little predictable but I feel that way about most books.

Morgan Christopher is in prison for a crime she didn’t actually commit. Two strangers show up offering her a way out of prison that is a bit unconventional. She gets released so she can go to Edenton, North Carolina to restore a mural from the 1940’s. She has no experience restoring art but a famous artist has passed away and stated in his will that she is uniquely qualified for this project. What she discovers in this mural are disturbing images that seem to come from the mind of a mad woman. Who was Anna Dale? Chamberlain offers you glimpses into the life and psyche of Anna Dale during the time period she was painting the mural. She found herself in a small town where prejudice was rampant and you either fit in with everyone or where shunned and outcast. After one of the townspeople is murdered, Anna just vanished. What secrets did this town of Edenton, NC hide and what is the connection between Anna and Morgan?



This was SO good. It always takes me a bit to get into a book that flips from one time period to another. However, Chamberlain did a masterful job of giving you just enough details in each glimpse into time to keep you going and hunting for the next clue or revelation. As a reader, I found myself angry and frustrated over the injustices that both of these women had to endure. Any book that stirs emotions is one that can grip your attention and keep the pages flipping. I have always been a fan of Diane Chamberlain and this is one of my favorites so far. Four out of five stars for me.



Thanks to St Martin’s Press and Netgalley for providing a copy of this work in exchange for an honest review.

I love Chamberlain, and I loved this book. I love the balance of past and present, and I loved the element of suspense that was part of this story. I loved that the past story connected with the present story, and how the characters interconnected with one another. This is a story that will stick with me for a while, and I have already recommended it to many fellow readers.

This was amazing! Such a surprising book! I could not decide what type of novel that was ( romance? Historical? Mystery? ) it was a bit of everything and it was perfect! The only small detail i did not like... is the title! I think it did not make the book attractive enough... i even had doubts before reading it... i tought « this book is going to be boring! » but it was amazing!

My favorite Diane Chamberlain book yet! She just keeps getting better and better, an original plot that just keep untwisting. I didn’t want this one to end. Five stars!

Fantastic! Diane Chamberlain does it again weaving a story from the past in which an artist is painting a mural and the present time in which a different artist is restoring that same mural for a gallery opening. The story weaves together flawlessly. As a reader I was drawn into the differences in the periods of time, discovering family and found families, developing romance and friendships. The narrator Susan Bennett does a wonderful job of setting the tone, telling two different female painters stories.

This book in three words:
Art
Mystery
Redemption
I have been a fan of Diane Chamberlain since I read The Midwife"s Confession years ago. If you haven't read it, you must! I was so excited for the chance to read her upcoming novel courtesy of NetGalley and St. Martin's Press.

In 1940 New Jersey artist Anna Dale is awarded a commission to paint a mural in Edenton, North Carolina. While the small southern town seems charming, Anna unwittingly uncovers a sinister undercurrent.

In 2018 North Carolina, Morgan Christopher is serving time in a women's correctional center for a series of poor decisions that end in tragedy.

A complete stranger offers Morgan a job that will allow her early prison release...if she is able to restore the long forgotten mural before an art gallery opens.

Why was Morgan specifically chosen for this task? What happened to Anna Dale? As she uncovers disturbing images hidden in the mural, Morgan begins to unravel the mystery and discover herself.

I loved the past-present storyline and how deftly Chamberlain built tension and suspense, especially in the past storyline. I did find Anna's story more compelling than Morgan's, which can happen with this plot structure.

I appreciated Morgan's growth--gaining confidence in her skills and abilities and moving toward self-forgiveness. It's minor, but I didn't find the romance between her and Oliver particularly interesting or necessary.

I loved how the author intertwined these decades apart stories and brought them together in a satisfying conclusion. Anna and Morgan's stories remind us we are not defined by one poor decision. And we have the power to change our direction.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the complimentary digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

What a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful story.

Heroes and likable, lovely, well-written, got-too-attached-to characters:
Anna Dale, Jesse Jameson Williams, Judith Shipley, Peter Thomas, Lisa Williams and the entire town of 1940s Edenton (even Mr. and Mrs. Drapple).

Irritants:
Morgan Christopher and the entire Oliver romantic angle.

Also, I thought Anna Dale was extremely foolish to not understand / ignore the cultural mores / nuance of Edenton as a foreigner / visitor. That was extremely dumb of her, careless and disrespectful too, and I shook my head every time she ignored the advice of good-natured people (even that ham-handed bank president). They were all right considering the environment they lived in and big mouths around. There was nothing wrong in being extra careful.

Hard-to-believe:
The art restoration, and the 2 months it took for a novice art student and a novice art curator to do the job.

Missed boats:
I really wished I knew what happened to each and every one from 1940s Edenton who appeared in the book. That is how much invested I was in the story.

Lovely touch:
Iris, the Iris flower.

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. Lovely story and write-up.

This was my first book I've read by Chamberlain & it won't be my last!

I love stories with dual time lines and multiple narrators.

In 1940 Anna a 17 year old wins a contest to paint a mural for a post office in Edenton, NC. Anna is dealing with the death of her mother & the resentment of her winning the contest navigating the small southern town prejudice and it's secrets, Anna throws herself into her work her wanting to make this an extraordinary mural.

In present day Morgan in 22 serving time in prison is presented an offer to be released if she agrees to restore an old mural for a new art museum in Edenton,NC. Morgan has no idea why she was chosen for such a task since she struggled in art school. Taking on this project has a short schedule to complete the mural restoration. As she begins Morgan starts to research the artist trying to make sense of why she was chosen. & what happened to the artist who created the mural.

There were times when the story slowed down a bit for me but I'm glad i stuck with it, it's a great story that's definitely worth the read.

It’s rare that a book completely blows me away to the point that, several days after finishing it, I am still thinking about the characters. Well, that has happened with Big Lies in a Small Town, by Diane Chamberlain. I read the ARC of this outstanding book courtesy of St. Martin’s Press.

In 1940, a young artist named Anna Dale from New Jersey wins a national contest to paint a mural in the post office of Edenton, North Carolina. Having just lost her mother, Anna is alone in the world, and new in the small seaside town. Unprepared for the small-town culture and deeply ingrained prejudices, Anna soon finds her life in danger.

After working diligently on the mural, Anna seems to “go crazy” and disappears. The mural is never finished, and it, too, disappears.

In 2018, another young art student, Morgan Christopher, finds her life completely derailed when she takes the blame for her boyfriend’s drunk-driving accident that left a young girl paralyzed. For this she goes to prison; and the boyfriend goes to law school on a full scholarship.

After serving one year of her three-year sentence, visitors come to the prison with a proposal for her: accept an art restoration job and earn her freedom plus $50,000. Her lodging and art supplies will be provided. The job? Clean and repair an old mural for the Edenton, NC, post office. Underneath the dirt, grime, and cracked paint, the canvas reveals clues to Anna’s disappearance and to a murder.

With Big Lies in a Small Town, Ms. Chamberlain has woven a mesmerizing story of sadness, joy, fear, gender bias, racial prejudice, abuses of many types, and a little romance, too. This is truly one of the best books I have read in a long time. You have to read this book.

What made The Grumpy Book Reviewer grumpy?
The usual things, multiple split infinitives, misplacement of the word only within sentences, using “bring” in place of “take” .

I received this ARC from NetGalley for my review. WOW. That is the fastest I have finished a book in a long time. Love how it goes past to present, very smooth. Great stories, Highly recommend picking this one up for a summer read!

The story is narrated from the past and future from two women's points of view a beautifully told and developed story. The story takes place in Edenton North Caroline where we follow two artists in two different time periods. A lovely piece of literary fiction. Truly Enjoyable. Thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for my advance copy. All opinions are my own.

This book was a weird one for me. I had a hard time getting into it and didn't feel connected to any of the characters. The mystery was interesting, but the ending seemed a bit over the top. I have loved so many of Diane Chamberlain's books in the past, so maybe this is because I hold her to a high standard, but this one was just OK to me.

This book took me a long time to read and I really struggled at times with staying engaged in the story. I have read other books by Diane Chamberlain and loved them, but this one just didn't fully work for me. Overall, it was good, but I didn't love it. My opinion doesn't seem to be the popular one though and I generally enjoy Chamberlain's writing, so I would still suggest giving it a read if the burb interests you.

“Big lies in a small town” his is a genre bending book mixing historical fiction, mystery, drama, art, romance and race.

The story is centered around the "48 State Mural Competition" which through open competition, commissioned artists to paint murals for the United States post offices in the mid 30s. Around 1400 murals were created depicting American scenes.

Through alternating chapters, the reader is following both the story of Anna Dale who in 1940 is painting a mural for North Carolina town of Edenton, and Morgan Christopher who in 2018 is restoring the mural.
The South seems backward to Anna with both segregation and the role of women in society. She underestimate the subtleties of prejudice hidden under the very Southern charm.

Diane Chamberlain is a great successful writer because her prose is flawless, she always ties all end in her stories, her characters are engaging and well developed.
I truly enjoyed this read

Special thanks to St. Martin’s Press and the talented Diane Chamberlain for sharing this ARC COPY in exchange my honest review. I truly enjoyed it.

I greatly enjoyed reading this story. You are bouncing back between two different time frames, but its done in a way that easy to follow and understand.

Morgan was forced to do the right thing. Forced to do something that would ruin her future in order for another's to be saved. There is suddenly a light at the end of the tunnel when she is approached with an offer. An offer that would include her freedom, but at a cost she isn't sure she can come up with.

While Morgan attempts the job that secures her freedom she is thrust into a past that she doesn't understand and that at times can be frightening. Who was Anna Dale and what frame of mind was she in to have produced something so visually alarming and mind boggling.

A great story that involves equal levels of mystery and self discovery.

Rife with engaging intrigue, this small town isn't all it seems to be on the surface.  With a dual timeline narrative and extraordinary conclusion, this novel balances a heart wrenching commentary on social disparity and racial injustice with the hope of new beginnings.  Decades old mystery,  picturesque art, a gentle romance - each aspect layered to create a captivating story.  I flew through it, each page more fascinating than the last with vivid prose and true-to-life characters.