Big Lies in a Small Town was my second Diane Chamberlain book to read. I was fairly confident I would enjoy it, and I was right. My favorite historical fiction are those that take real events or people and create stories around them. Diane does an excellent job fleshing out the characters, the setting, and the plot. Sometimes having two different timelines within a book can become confusing and leave me disinterested, but the opposite happened with this story. The alternating timelines were brief but informative, urging me to keep turning pages. I loved how the story was slowly revealed through both timelines, but I was actually more intrigued by the story of Morgan, the character in the present timeline, which was a surprise. If you're a fan of historical fiction or Diane Chamberlain, you will not want to miss this one!

Where do I start? I truly loved this book. Diane Chamberlain has never disappointed me, and I had a good feeling this book wouldn’t either. I really enjoyed the small town feel. Even when we were in the past, and prejudices came out. It got me angry, but that just shows good writing on her part. I loved the characters so much. This book has a lot hidden, that slowly comes together, like the mural did. I will definitely recommend this book to family and friends. I’m so thankful to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this early.

This book opens with a prologue in which 2 children come across a body. Much later in the book, we find out how the body came to be there. The “much later” part is one of the problems that I had with the book. The first two thirds are painfully slow. My other problem with the book is that it is one of those dual time period things that are all the rage at the moment, despite the fact that one of the time periods is almost certainly a waste of time to read about.

The story is told in alternating chapters. The contemporary story is told by Morgan Christopher, a former art student and current prisoner, who is hired in 2018 by the daughter of a famous African American artist to restore a mural painted in 1940. The historical story is told by Anna Dale who had been selected to paint the mural to be placed in a post office in a small North Carolina town. As Morgan restores the mural, she finds clues in the painting about some dark secrets of Anna, who has disappeared, and of the small town. The book skims over a lot of issues, including alcoholism, mental illness, racism, gender discrimination and rape.

The Morgan story was completely banal and had the obligatory romance. (Please spare me from this: “The softest, quickest of touches, yet it made my knees turn to mush and I held on to the lamppost to keep myself upright”). So I started skimming those chapters. There was no reason for Morgan to be in the book, except that dual time period books seem to sell. Her story also slowed down the pacing of the book. However, I like the Anna story a lot. I was interested in her struggles to design and complete the mural and her conflicts with the townspeople who were not all that welcoming. I was invested in what happened to her and to the teenager who helped her with the painting. If the book had just been about Anna, it would have been 4 stars, but since Morgan was shoehorned into the book, my rating loses one star.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

EXCERPT: Edenton, North Carolina, March 23, 1940

The children knew it was finally spring, so although the air still held the nip of winter and the grass and weeds crunched beneath their feet, they ran through the field and woods, yipping with the anticipation of warmer weather. The two boys and their little sister headed for the creek, drawn to water, as they always were. The girl, only three and not as sure footed as her brothers, tripped over something and landed face-first in the cold water of the creek. Her big brother picked her up before she could start howling, cuddling her close against his thin jacket, a hand-me-down from one cousin or another. He looked down to see what she had stumbled over and leaped back, dropping his sister to the earth. Grabbing his younger brother's arm, he pointed. It was a man, lying there, his rumpled clothes sopping wet and his face as white and waxy as the candles their mother kept around the house for when the electric went out, which was every other day, it seemed.

The younger boy backed away. 'He alive?' he whispered.

The little girl got to her feet and started moving toward the man, but her older brother grabbed her arm and held her back.

'Uh-uh,' he said. 'He dead as a doornail. And look' - he pointed - 'his head all caved in.'

'Let's git outta here,' the younger boy said, turning to run back the way they'd come, and his brother was quick to follow, holding their sister beneath his arm like a football. He knew they wouldn't tell. Wouldn't say nothing to their mama or no one. Because though they were young, one thing they'd already learned. Colored boy found with a dead white body? That didn't look good to nobody.

ABOUT THIS BOOK: North Carolina, 2018: Morgan Christopher's life has been derailed. Taking the fall for a crime she did not commit, she finds herself serving a three-year stint in the North Carolina Women's Correctional Center. Her dream of a career in art is put on hold—until a mysterious visitor makes her an offer that will see her released immediately. Her assignment: restore an old post office mural in a sleepy southern town. Morgan knows nothing about art restoration, but desperate to leave prison, 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 desperate for 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 THOUGHTS: I read this book in two sittings, completely immersed in the story. I don't quite know how to describe my feelings about this book. It is a 'quiet' read. It is not in your face, nor is it shocking. It is not exciting. It is compelling, richly detailed and flows beautifully between two timelines, the 1940s and 2018, gradually weaving disparate threads into a fascinating story connecting the characters of Anna Dale and Morgan Christopher.

While this is a 'quiet', it deals with some serious subjects - racism and other prejudices, rape, spousal abuse, and mental illness. The characters are strongly portrayed, my art education enriched.

This is only my second book by this author, and I am enamored. Big Lies in a Small Town is a compelling and enthralling read. I was heavily invested in the outcome. When I finished I just sat there, book clutched to my chest, smiling.

*****

#NetGalley

THE AUTHOR: Diane Chamberlain is the New York Times, USA Today and (London) Sunday Times best-selling author of 27 novels. The daughter of a school principal who supplied her with a new book almost daily, Diane quickly learned the emotional power of story. Although she wrote many small “books” as a child, she didn’t seriously turn to writing fiction until her early thirties when she was waiting for a delayed doctor’s appointment with nothing more than a pad, a pen, and an idea. She was instantly hooked.

Diane was born and raised in Plainfield, New Jersey and lived for many years in both San Diego and northern Virginia. She received her master’s degree in clinical social work from San Diego State University. Prior to her writing career, she was a hospital social worker in both San Diego and Washington, D.C, and a psychotherapist in private practice in Alexandria, Virginia, working primarily with adolescents.

More than two decades ago, Diane was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, which changed the way she works: She wrote two novels using voice recognition software before new medication allowed her to get back to typing. She feels fortunate that her arthritis is not more severe and that she’s able to enjoy everyday activities as well as keep up with a busy travel schedule.

Diane lives in North Carolina with her significant other, photographer John Pagliuca, and their odd but lovable Shetland Sheepdog, Cole.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you St Martin's Press via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Big Lies in a Small Town by Diane Chamberlain for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinion.

For an explanation of my rating system, please refer to my profile page on Goodreads.com or the about page on Sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon and my webpage.

Diane Chamberlain does it again with her newest book. I just fell in love with the mystery surrounding Anna. While, I liked Morgan and her story; it was Anna that I fell in love the most. She really had to claw her way through all of the male testosterone she encountered. I believe that is part of the reason that she was so willing to stand up for Jesse. He was facing racism due to the color of his skin. Both Jesse and Anna bonded over their love of art.

Morgan was finding her place in the world again after destroying someone else's. There was chemistry between her and Oliver. However, I like that the romance was not a big factor in this story. It was the mystery of the mural. This story is about righting wrongs.

Ms. Chamberlain made me fall in love with the characters in this story as if I had known them all personally. I recommend this book. It is sure to be a bestseller.

I’ve read several of the over two dozen novels that Diane Chamberlain has written. I can’t say I loved them all as much as [book:Necessary Lies|17286747], but in my view, it’s unquestionable after reading them, that Chamberlain knows how to tell a story.

Almost eighty years separates the alternating narratives of two women artists. Anna Dale’s is told in the third person and her story takes place in 1939 in the small town of Edenton, NC, where she travels to from New Jersey. Anna has won a national contest to paint a mural representing the town to be hung in the post office. Morgan Christopher’s chapters are told in the first person and it’s 2018. She has been released from the prison term she is serving for a crime that she did not commit. Her release is made possible by a famous African American artist, Jessie Jameson Williams who designates in his will, that she should be the one to restore the mural painted by Anna Dale years ago. Each one is facing a challenge, each one is carrying a burden.

It’s a mystery of sorts and I’m not much of a fan of mysteries. However, I was taken with wanting to know the secrets that the mural held and with the story of Anna Dale, just as Morgan was. How will the women be connected ? Why did Jessie Williams choose Anna Dale’s painting to be hung in the gallery he charges his daughter to open? How did he get Anna’s mural? Why was Morgan Christopher chosen to restore the painting? The story is more than a story of a mysterious painting, it is a reflection of racism in the south in 1939, a reflection of small town life, and how the lies of the past come full circle to the truth in the present.

I’m usually more drawn to the historical part of the story in these dual narratives, but I found myself pulled in by both of the stories, by both of the artists. The short alternating chapters kept the story moving and held my interest throughout. In spite of a neat ending and that I guessed what the connection between the two women could be, it didn’t diminish my interest in the least. This novel is another example of Diane Chamberlain’s story telling capabilities.

I received an advanced copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley.

I loved the back and forth time frame of this story as we followed Morgan Christopher and Anna Dale. The mystery around the art mural was enough to keep me drawn in and wanting to help solve it also. The setting of North Carolina sounded so beautiful and was great for this small town story.

BIG LIES IN A SMALL TOWN by Diane Chamberlain is the first novel I recall reading by this author although she has written numerous other works of women's fiction which have been well-received. I chose this title because I was intrigued by her obvious popularity and by the "mystery" associated with this story. I liked that the novel took place in two periods, although the physical location, Edenton, North Carolina, was the same.

Chamberlain develops the story of Anna Dale, winner of a federal government sponsored project to create a Post Office mural in the early 1940s. There is tension because a local artist had also submitted a sketch that was rejected. Plus, Anna is a transplant from New Jersey and the townspeople need time to warm up to her. She goes a long way by inviting them to come see her paint and by employing two high school boys, Peter and Jessie, to help with her work creating the mural. The parallel story takes place in 2018 and involves Morgan Christopher, an aspiring artist on parole due to an automobile accident. It is Morgan who faces a tight deadline to restore the mural.

Both women are in their early twenties and trying to find themselves, to develop their talents, and to deal with prejudices in the local community. A bit repetitive at times, BIG LIES IN A SMALL TOWN is certainly a quick and informative read and the ending had a surprising (if convenient) twist. I think the information about art restoration was obviously well-researched and explained clearly, adding to the enjoyment of this novel.

I loved this book. Told in alternating time lines/characters. I love the book was laced with mystery and suspense while being about loyalty and friendship. I don’t think characters always need someone to fall in love with as part of the story, and I don’t think Morgan needed it here, but it was done without being a major focus. 3.5 rounded up to 4. Really enjoyed :)

This is the second Diane Chamberlain novel I have read and it will not be my last! Her novel The Dream Daughter was my number one read for 2019 and might just be my favorite book ever! My review for it is here. Her novels draw you in and you don’t want to put them down! We have two time periods with our two narrators: Morgan in 2018 and Anna in 1940. The chapters alternate between the two time periods. Both ladies are likeable with very different lives in two extremely distinct time periods. Though vastly distinctive women, they become connected through the mural that is at the center of our story despite the nearly 80 year time difference.

I highly enjoyed this novel, and you can’t say too much without giving spoilers, so I say just read it! The reason I gave the novel four stars was the ending: both timelines came together and were packaged like a perfect bow, with a less than realistic and predictable twist. The ending was not a disappointment; I just felt it could have been done differently.

The racism of the time in 1940 is shown throughout Anna’s narrative. Chamberlain researched the real town of Edenton, North Carolina and even spent time there. She portrays that town during 1940 very well. **Be sure to read the author acknowledgments to see how much she researched. Chamberlain also researched art restoration much like Morgan had to, so in some ways Chamberlain was like Morgan in her learning.

I will definitely be reading more of Chamberlain’s novels. Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press for granting me an arc copy to read and review!

Diane Chamberlain’s latest novel, Big Lies in a Small Town, follows two protagonists, Morgan Christopher and Anna Dale. When we meet Morgan, she is serving a three-year prison sentence. Prior to her arrest, Morgan was in school pursuing her dream of a career in art. That dream is on indefinite hold until one day when Lisa Williams, the daughter of Jesse Jameson, one of Morgan’s favorite artists, visits her in prison and presents her with an offer she can’t refuse. If, per Jameson’s request, as expressed in his will, Morgan is willing to help Lisa with a major art restoration project, Morgan will immediately be released from prison. It sounds too good to be true, of course. Morgan knows nothing about art restoration and can’t imagine how she ended up named in Jesse Jameson’s will, but she’s not about to pass up on an offer to get her life back and so she accepts.

The art restoration project, which is a post office mural from a tiny town in North Carolina in 1940, is where the second protagonist, Anna Dale, comes into play. When Morgan begins work on the mural project and starts to remove the layers of dirt and grime that mire the mural’s surface, she makes a shocking discovery. What at first looks like a quaint portrait of small-town southern life soon reveals itself to be something much more disturbing. Hidden throughout the mural are axes, knives, blood, and even skulls. Morgan can’t imagine this was the artist’s original intention for the mural and becomes obsessed with trying to figure out what happened to make the artist go down such a dark path. The artist is Anna Dale.

* * * * *
One of my favorite things about this novel is Chamberlain’s use of the dual timeline. In one timeline, we follow Anna from the time she takes the job to paint the mural and moves to North Carolina to complete her task, all the way through to what caused her to insert those violent images into her art. At the same time, we follow Morgan as she both restores the mural and tries to find out whatever she can about what happened to Anna. I loved how the two timelines parallel one another, revealing secret after secret and lie after lie, until they ultimately merge in the most heart-wrenching way.

I also loved Chamberlain’s portrayal of both of these characters. Both Anna and Morgan are underdogs in their respective timelines and I just adored both of them. They’re strong yet vulnerable, smart and resourceful, and they’re also both just so complex. Morgan is battling some inner demons related to her imprisonment, and as we can see from the mural, Anna had some demons of her own that haunted her. The more I learned about Morgan, the more I was cheering her on every step of the way, and the more I learned about Anna, the more invested I became in learning what happened since that mural looks like it was painted by someone with a very disturbed mind.

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Filled with gorgeous prose, a unique, multi-layered and compelling plot, and unforgettable characters, Big Lies in a Small Town, completely blew me away. I loved every page of it, so much so that it’s my first 5-star review of 2020.

Chamberlain never dissapoints. There isn't a book she has written, that I didn't like. I liked the pace of the book. It made me look forward at the end of each day to continue reading this book.

Two divergent stories set almost 80 years apart
Anna in 1940 won a State competition to paint a mural for the Edenton Post Office.
Morgan in 2019 released from jail on parole to restore Anna's mural.

The story switches seamlessly between Anna and Morgan and lays out their stories. Morgan digs deeper to try uncover the truth about Anna, what happened to her and why there are strange elements in the mural.

A beautifully written book with an ending that leaves you in goosebumps.
This has to be the best read of 2020 so far - this book begs to be made into a movie - I could "see" the scenes so clearly as I read.

Its at its heart, a story about remembering the good things someone did for you, and paying it forward to others.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me the chance to experience this book.

Wow! Not even sure where to start with this book. This was my first time reading a book by Diane Chamberlain, and I must admit it will not be my last! This book is told through the eyes of 2 main characters, Anna and Morgan... however, they are told from 2 completely different time periods. Morgan tells of modern day Edentown, and Anna.... 1940's Edentown. This provides a unique experience to the reader. As I was reading I kept wanting to see how the characters would intertwine... You will find yourself guessing as to what will happen next, you if you are like me you will at times be correct, but not always.


The end is somewhat expected, but honestly there was a lot of suspense, and times when the reader is mad... I devoured this book within 2 days and I will be putting more of Chamberlain's books in my to read pile.

Easy-going, North Carolina charmer with just enough mystery to keep readers turning the pages wondering how everything sorts out. Author Diane Chamberlain is good at scene setting across different time periods as this tale tracks two heroines almost 80 years apart. While there is predictability in this story, it goes down so pleasurably, I have no complaints. I was a big fan of her last novel, THE DREAM DAUGHTER, and BIG LIES IN A SMALL TOWN keeps my interest in work strong. I received my copy from the publisher through Netgalley.

Big Lies In A Small Town is the nineteenth stand-alone novel by award-winning American author, Diane Chamberlain. Two very different twenty-two-year-old women, two very different times. In mid-2018, Morgan Christopher’s literal get-out-of-jail card comes from the estate of well-known African-American artist and philanthropist, Jesse Jameson Williams. A year into her three-year prison sentence, Jesse’s lawyer gets Morgan parole under certain strict conditions, the most important being that Morgan has to complete the restoration of a mural in just under two months.

In late 1939, New Jersey art school graduate, Anna Dale wins a national competition to paint a mural for the Post Office in the small North Carolina town of Edenton. It’s not the commission she’d hoped for, but with her mother recently deceased, Anna doesn’t have the luxury of choice: times are hard and she needs a job.

Anna makes the trip to Edenton, where she learns that, not only is her win resented by some townspeople, but many have firm ideas for the mural’s subject. But, quite contrary to her original intentions, Anna finds herself staying in Edenton, getting to know the townspeople and painting her mural right there with the help of local art students.

As she has no experience with restoring art, Morgan has no idea why she was selected. Jesse’s prickly daughter, Lisa is adamant that the deadline as laid down by Jesse’s will cannot be extended. Jesse is described as “Very passionate about the people he cared for. But demanding. And fussy… a kind man. A very loving man… But he was also very controlling.” Lisa also mentions something about the mural sending the original artist crazy.

When Morgan first sees the mural, she feels overwhelmed by what is expected of her: it is dirty and badly damaged in places. As she cleans it, Morgan uncovers some bizarre features that have her itching to find out more about the enigmatic creator of the work. And all along, Morgan, Lisa and Oliver, the curator of Jesse’s about-to-open gallery, wonder about the significance to Jesse of this strange mural.

Diane Chamberlain is a proven author, and the reader immediately feels in safe hands. Her characters are multi-faceted, her plot is easily believable with plenty of intrigue to keep the pages turning. The story features sexism, racial prejudice and alcoholism, and explores privilege and disadvantage; there are twists and surprises. This is a compelling mystery and a heart-warming read.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and St Martins Press

I finished this book six days ago and have been trying to figure out how to write this review to do this book justice. Ms. Chamberlain has written a novel that intertwines the past and the present. In 1940, Anna Dale was chosen to paint a mural for the Post Office in Edenton, North Carolina. As Anna prepares and begins work on the mural, the town is split between those that love Anna's work and those that believe the local artist should be the one doing painting the mural. In 2018, Morgan is in jail for something she did not do but wanted to protect her then boyfriend. When Lisa arrives at the jail with an offer that Morgan could not refuse, Morgan is smart and take her up on a restoration painting project, something Morgan has never done. As Morgan begins the restoration, the painting comes together square by square but with some really horrific details. As the restoration project is beginning to take shape and closer to completion, the writer tells Anna's story at the same time. Everything comes together in the end nicely and with a wow factor. Thank you to Ms. Chamberlain, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. Just awesome!

This was not the first novel I have read by Diane Chamberlain and I do intend to read more. Big Lies In A Small Town has a duel story line that goes back to 1939 and a more current time period of 2018. There are two main characters, Anna Dale, who decades ago was a young artist commissioned to paint a Post Office Mural of a town in North Carolina. The mural was never hung and was missing for many years. There is a very strange mystery about what actually became of this talented artist. The other more current character, Morgan Christopher, is also a young artist who has experienced many misfortunes in her life and she has paid a dear price. She is given a second chance to get her life back on tract and is hired to restore the mural. She is perplexed and afraid that she is not up to the task and finds herself obsessed with finding out the true story of what happened to Anna Dale so many years ago.
This was a very interesting and suspenseful story. I enjoyed both characters and was not expecting the conclusion of this excellent story. Diane Chamberlain is an author to follow.

This is a great story about 2 women...one in 1940 one in 2018. Diane Chamberlain seamlessly weaves together the 2 stories and timelines. At the center of each is a mural painted by Anna, a young woman 70 years ago. In 2018 another young woman, Morgan, is tasked with the job of restoring it. This book is part history and part mystery. It also tells a story of racism and misogyny. I love art and art history so I was fascinated by details of the restoration of the mural. Anna and
Morgan are compelling well developed characters that I loved.
Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Diane Chamberlain has been one of my favorite authors for years - ever since first discovering her writing. I was thrilled that she so reliably writes and that she had such an extensive backlog for me to catch up on! I have been resisting binging on her books for years, and have instead read or listened to them at a slower pace so that I always have one when I need one! And her latest, this one, is really great!

Like many of her novels, this one is set in North Carolina, in a titular small town. It follows two timelines and two narrators - Morgan in the present is a young woman given an extraordinary second chance, and in 1940, Anna, is a grieving young artist who moves from New Jersey to pursue her art career's first large commission fo the town post office. Both storylines involve art, but also new starts, new relationships and some deeper issues as well - like race relations in 1940 small town North Carolina. It's an engaging read from start to finish - and definitely one that had me reaching for the tissues, as it is definitely an emotional read. I do wish that the epilogue had gone a bit further, and I definitely appreciated some of the plot's more unpredictable turns. I am sure that I would have enjoyed this in an audio format as well! I thoroughly enjoyed it. Some of the characters are harder to identify with than others, but they still all leap off the page - and I didn't want to say goodbye to any of them. I just wanted the story to keep going!