Big Lies in a Small Town is a brilliant mix of historical and contemporary fiction. It's told in dual points of view, one in the past and one in the present. It also switches back and forth between first and third person, and in a lot of cases, that switch back and forth is distracting at best. However, it somehow works with this story. Another thing that impressed me was that I was equally interested in both women's stories. A lot of times, when I read a book done like this one, I'll tend to lean toward one character or another and will anxiously rush through the other parts to get back to that character, but I didn't have that problem with this book, not even once. Diane Chamberlain certainly knows how to weave a tale, and I found this one thoroughly captivating. I won't go into the details of this book because it's one of those that if I start saying anything, I'll want to go on, and you'll get no spoilers from me. What I will say is this is a story that I won't soon forget and I highly recommend it.

4.5 *s. I've always been a fan of Diane Chamberlain's books and this one ranks up high with my prior favorite, Necessary Lies. This story alternates between 1940 where a young woman won a contest to create a mural of a town in North Carolina and the present day where another young woman has been brought in to restore the mural in rather bizarre circumstances. This is a compulsive read and I loved the unique story line.

St. Martin's Press and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of Big Lies in a Small Town. It was my choice to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

Told in two perspectives from two different time periods, Big Lies in a Small Town is a well developed story that is both engaging and compelling. In the present day, Morgan Christopher is given an opportunity to restore the mural painted in 1940 by a woman named Anna Dale. Although restoration is not her area of expertise, Morgan is compelled to try due to her unique set of life circumstances. As she begins the process, will Morgan learn both about herself and the elusive artist?

Author Diane Chamberlain has brought to life both the characters and the setting, especially the cultural climate of the 1940's. I am not usually a fan of dual perspective formats, but the way in which the author presented Big Lies in a Small Town made sense. The secrets of the past are uncovered slowly, not unlike one pulling the covers back on a cold winter's day. I enjoyed learning about Anna Dale and the challenges she faced as a woman artist in the 1940's, as well as how her story intersected with Morgan's in an unexpected way. For the reasons listed above, I would highly recommend Big Lies in a Small Town to readers who like to read both Women's and Historical Fiction.

I wish this book would have been more engaging. It's almost like it was too long. It took me awhile to get into, but once I did, I enjoyed the story and the mystery element very much. This is the first book I've read of Chamberlain's so I wasn't totally sure what to expect from her writing. I think I liked it enough to give her another shot, but overall I think I was definitely hoping for more.

3.5 rounded up to 4

Big Lies in a Small Town is an intricately woven story of two women three generations apart with ties neither could fathom. This is the thirtieth novel by American author, Diane Chamberlain.

Treasured Southern artist Jesse Jameson Williams recently passed at the age of 95 leaving very specific stipulations in his will for his only child, Lisa, to carry out to keep the family home. The first is to complete the work begun to create his personal museum in his hometown of Edenton, North Carolina, by a grand opening date of August 5. Also, he has stipulated that a giant mural in his possession be restored and hung in the museum lobby. Next, Lisa and the executor attorney are to get a young woman released on parole to do the restoration of the 1940 ‘48 State Mural that had been created for the Edenton post office. While Lisa understands the first requirement, the other two are a complete mystery to her and also to 22 year old Morgan Christopher, the parolee.

Why would a renown African American artist want to get a young white art student out of prison? And why would he insist that this inexperienced novice do a detailed mural restoration? Plus, why was this mural, that had gone missing in 1940 be in the famous artist’s possession? And what had become of the seemingly mentally unbalanced young artist, Anna Dale, the day the mural had disappeared?

This is one of the very best generational dual timeline novels I have read. The two heroines, current day Morgan and 1940s Anna, have their stories intertwined in a seamless manner until the very surprising conclusion. I did enjoy this book very much and I do wholeheartedly recommend it!

2 stars
Big Lies in a Small Town
By Diane Chamberlain

I had such high hopes for this book. The premise is so interesting as was the first half of the book. The story takes a rather violent and graphic turn filled with a savage rape and extreme 1940’s racism. The book lost its appeal quickly as it was quite easy to see where the plot line was going and how it would all wrap up. The writing is good, the characters start off well but soon become trite and just like every other character from every other book written in this time frame. It went from totally absorbing to extremely disappointing.
I do not recommend this book,
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. The views given are my own.

Seldom do I find a book that will keep me up late at night reading to find the next twist. This book does. Morgan is in prison because she thought she loved the man who actually drove the car in the accident. It seemed the right thing to cover for him and she never thought she would end up in prison because of the accident. Bad decision, alcohol and lack of friend and family left her wondering where her life was headed. A strange request in a famous artist will that she restore a painted mural changed her life forever.

I loved this book. This was the Diane Chamberlain that I love! She crafted a well-written book reflecting both the past and present and interweaving the stories of the two so beautifully. The story stayed with me and will for some time to come. LOVED! Highly recommend!

This was another great book by Diane Chamberlain. The main characters were well developed and the story was good. I’d recommend this!

This is my second book by Diane Chamberlain and she's quickly becoming a favorite author. I am not an artist in the least, but this story of art and art restoration was completely captivating. The mystery also drew me in quickly and kept me guessing till the end. I loved the atmosphere she created in this book, both in 1939 and 2018. Definitely would give this book two thumbs up!

Diane Chamberlain writes stories that take place in the present and the past, intertwining plots where one sets up the other in unexpected ways. In Big Lies in a Small Town, we learn just how the actions of a few individuals can have repercussions decades later. In 1940, was selected to paint a mural in rural North Carolina; she won a contest for aspiring artists to paint a wall that represents the town, even though she was not an NC resident. While there, she faces and observes multiple forms of discrimination, as well as harassment. When circumstances spiral out of control and Ana Dale has to conquer obstacles she could never have imagined. Fast forward to 2018 when artist Morgan Christopher is offered the opportunity to restore Ana’s mural for an art show; Morgan has been in jail for a crime she didn’t commit and the chance to do this art project is her chance for redemption. While restoring the mural, Ana’s secrets are discovered, with a highly unexpected yet satisfying conclusion.

I love duel timeline stories and this was no exception. We start out by meeting Morgan, who is in prison for something that happened a few years ago. She's about to get a second chance though when she is offered to do a restoration on a mural that was painted in 1939 by a young woman by the name of Anna Dale. We go back and forth to Morgan's story and Anna's. Anna's story is filled with mystery because we don't know what became of her. During her time in North Carolina in 1939, there is quite a bit of unrest. People don't believe she deserves the chance to paint this mural nor do they trust her when she befriends a young black student. Morgan gets consumed by the restoration and finding out what happened to Anna. This book will definitely keep you interested. Good story, good characters, and good pacing. Another hit for Diane Chamberlain.

*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Big Lies in a Small Town by Diane Chamberlain is an interesting and intriguing read that takes place both in 1940 and in 2018. The plot revolves around an artist winning a mural contest that involves painting a mural that depicts a small town . The mural is to be put up in the small town’s post office. The present revolves around an artist who has been released from prison by a famous artist’s daughter. The artist has been told to restore the mural from years ago so that it can be put in an art gallery. The present day artist, Morgan, knows nothing about restoring art work and cannot understand why she was chosen for this project and how it could be so important that she has been released from prison early for this restoration task. Not only did I enjoy this novel but I also learned quite a bit about the art world. This novel is written in a very interesting manner. I was up until 1 am finishing it.! I just had to know what was going to happen. This is a novel that will keep you guessing and wanting more! I highly recommend it to others. I received this novel from the publisher and net galley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Masterfully woven tale told from the perspective of two women Anna and Morgan. The chapters alternate between the two woman but it somehow seems To Work seemlessly. I couldn’t wait for all the secrets to unfold. I wanted to know all about Anna Dale and how she was tied to Jesse Williamson. And then I needed to know
Why Morgan was chose to restore Anna’s mural. and whose body was that in the introduction page?
I would recommend this to everyone. It’s a beautiful story about second chances and relationships. I couldn’t put it down and I finished it in two days. It would have been less but unfortunately I needed sleep. Lol I can’t wait to
Read more from Diane chamberlain. 5 stars.

I loved this book. Beautifully written story. Wonderful characters that draw the reader in from the first page.

Diane Chamberlain never disappoints. Another fantastic story that’s beautifully written. Told in two vastly different eras, the author tells the story of Anna and Morgan, their challenges, actions and the consequences of those actions. A great story.

Big Lies In a Small Town by Diane Camberlain was a book that was told by two characters pint of views during two different points in time and as a reader you are not sure how are if they are connected except by a mural one of them is restoring.
I found this book very interesting and also very touching. Also, the deeper I got into the book the more I emotionally got invested with the characters. I loved how Chamberlain tied everything together and the twist that she threw in to make the reader say wow I did not see that coming.
This book gets five out of five stars from me.

I've been a fan of Diane Chamberlain's books for a few years, and Big Lies in a Small Town is just one example of why. The books alternates between the past and present, telling the story of an unfinished mural by a mysterious artist and the artist later hired to restore the mural. The book is wonderfully written, and full of surprises. Thank you to St. Martin's Press, NetGalley, and Diane Chamberlain for the opportunity to review this book.

First of all, thank you so much Netgalley and St. Martins Press, for the arc in exchange for my honest opinion.
Quite frankly, I couldnt believe my luck when I received this book.
I absolutely loved Diane Chamberlain's previous novel "The Dream Daughter"and I was super excited to read her latest work.
All I can say is; Diane Chamberlain has done it again!
She managed to completely transport me to another time and place. I was totally immersed in this unique and beautifully crafted story. Although generations apart, the lives of two troubled young women, get entwined in the most extraordinary way.
A beautiful, heartfelt story dealing with themes like guilt, loss, racism and prejudice.
I love the fact that (most) of the characters are so likeable. It really made me feel connected to them and I was rooting for both women throughout the story. I also didn't expect to learn about art restoration but I did and I found it a very nice feature. Besides, the vivid descriptions of the mural really made me envisage it.

All in all a wonderful read and surely one I will remember for a long time.
Fans of Diane Chamberlain will not be dissapointed.

Big Lies in a Small Town provides a sublimely flawless combination of three of my favorite reading adventures: history, mystery, and love. Through two time periods, and the story of two amazing women, Diane Chamberlain tells a tale that seamlessly integrates two totally different time periods. Connected by one mural, the story of Morgan Christopher in 2018 meshes with the original painter of the mural, Anna Dale in one small town in North Carolina in 1940. The secrets, lies, hidden behavior and conspiracy of a small town makes this book come alive in ways that are just too good to miss. The connections these women share are near perfection and they are each told in a manner that is true to their unique times. Chamberlain is a master storyteller and I never cease to enjoy her magical ability to take hard hitting issues and present them to readers in a manner that is not only accessible but approachable and digestible as well. Highly recommend!