A mesmerizing story surrounding a large mural and two artists living decades apart. Anna Dale is creating the initial piece in 1940 after winning a competition and art student Morgan Christopher, newly released from prison, is restoring the historic work in 2018. I loved these two strong women and how they faced their respective challenges head on.

Chamberlain’s inspiration comes from a real competition created in the Depression era titled ‘The 48-State Mural’. Her development of characters and storyline representing this historic event are extremely well done. The mystery surrounding Anna’s disappearance and the scattered twists were most compelling. I am a big fan of Chamberlain’s and this book is one of her best.

*will post this to online venues upon publication and add link below. A great read!.

In typical Chamberlain fashion, Big Lies in a Small Town is big drama in an everyday setting. This novel alternates timelines, between an artist in 1940s North Carolina trying to create a mural a small town will be proud of, and a different artist in 2018, trying to restore the same mural.
Chamberlain explores the social mores and pitfalls of a small Southern town very well, but the main draw of this work is the characters. 1940s artist Anna Dale is spunky and funny and wry, and 2018 Morgan Christopher is her opposite, carrying heavy guilt and a past she'd rather forget. An assorted cast of supporting characters make this book a must read.

Set in alternating perspectives between 1940 and 2018, Big Lies in a Small Town follows two women, Morgan and Anna, as their stories intersect through a mural. Morgan is serving time at a correctional facility in North Carolina when she gets a dream offer: to be released from prison and paid to restore a post office mural in the small coastal town of Edenton, N.C. Although she knows nothing about art restoration, she jumps at her chance for freedom and becomes fascinated with the history of the mural and its painter, Anna Dale.

In 1940, Anna wins a national contest for artists and is commissioned to paint a mural for the post office in Edenton. Determined to paint a mural that is fitting of the town it will display, Anna heads to North Carolina. Before long Anna finds herself absorbed in small-town politics and drama. But what happened to Anna? As Morgan restores the painting she finds out just that, and what she finds is a tale of madness, murder, and small-town secrets.

Chamberlain made me fall in love with her characters and the charming town of Edenton, NC. I became very attached to the mystery of Anna and her mural. I desperately wanted to know what became of her. I found her perspective particularly interesting. I had never heard of post office murals before reading this story, but now I’m genuinely intrigued.

Big Lies in a Small Town is a gorgeous story and I thoroughly recommend it to fans of historical fiction and mysteries.

This was the first book I have read by Diane Chamberlain and it definitely did not disappoint! Big Lies in a Small Town is the story of 2 women in a small town set in different times. The story focuses on secrets hidden in a 1940s mural that is being restored. The first half of the book was a little slow with some details that drug on and an easily predictable ending. Overall I enjoyed it and would recommend

Linda’s Book Obsession Reviews “Big Lies In A Small Town” by Diane Chamberlain, St. Martin’s Press, January 14, 2020

Diane Chamberlain, author of “Big Lies In a Small Town” has written a captivating, intriguing, suspenseful, intense and thought-provoking novel. The Genres for this novel are Fiction, Historical Fiction, and Suspense and Mystery. The story takes place in North Carolina, and there are two different time-lines 1940 and 2019. The author describes her characters as complex and complicated.

In the present, Morgan Christopher is in prison for a crime that she is not directly responsible for. She has a short time left on her sentence when she has 2 visitors make her an offer that is hard to refuse. Morgan has to restore a painting of a mural that an artist, Anna Dale had created in 1940 to go be placed in the Post Office.

Morgan really knows nothing of art restoration but is given funds for materials, and is free from prison. The mural that Anna Dale had painted is in terrible shape and is dirty and first requires cleaning. There is a mystery as to what had happened to Anna Dale. There are rumors and secrets in this town, but it seems that she just disappeared.

The visitors that came to the prison are an attorney and the daughter of a well known black artist, who is now deceased but has given generous opportunities to other North Carolina artists. In order for this artist’s daughter to get her inheritance, the mural must be finished by a certain date. How is Morgan Christopher going to be able to accomplish this? What is the importance of this mural, and who and where is Anna Dale?

I appreciate that the author discusses how prejudice, dark secrets, rumors can destroy. Diane Chamberlain is an amazing writer and storyteller and vividly describes the mysterious artistic clues. Also mentioned is the importance of communication, self-worth, love, and hope. I would highly recommend this wonderful thought-provoking novel to readers who like to ponder, question and think.

Pendleton, Indiana – population 4,000 on a good day, maybe. I never dreamed I would live in a small town. Actually, I thought my city of 60000 was a small town. How wrong I was. Adapting to the habits of these towns, actions embedded for centuries, can be daunting. Diane Chamberlain has captured these nuances, the whispers and innuendo, perfectly in her newest book Big Lies in a Small Town.

Morgan Christopher is serving time for a crime she didn’t commit, putting her dreams of being an artist into limbo until a mysterious visitor shows up at the prison offering her a chance for freedom and a job she cannot refuse.

The concept of the book is gripping from its opening pages and keeps you hooked until the very end. It is a mystery within a mystery with its dual timeline, set in both the present, with Morgan’s and her mysterious benefactor, and the past with the artist and the painting whose work Morgan has been hired to restore. This is very much a story of two women whose lives have been altered by fate and the town in which they are living, by lies, rumors and mental illness. It is a story of redemption for one in the present timeline and redemption of the other through her work.

I’m new to Chamberlain’s work, unsure how I survived for so long without reading it and I’m grateful to whomever pointed out her to writing to me. She is a beautiful story teller who has a gift for bringing words to life. Her characters are extremely authentic, women we know and whom we come to care about deeply. In this instance, I immediately walked down to my historical post office to see if we had one of the commissioned paintings on the wall. And, yes, there it was. How had I never noticed it there before!? Now I look at it every time I go in side and think of the artists who painted these wonderful reflections of nation’s past. Big Lies in a Small Town is a beautiful story and one I highly recommend to readers of cross genres. It’s a work of fiction that defies specific classification.

I really enjoyed Diane Chamberlain's Big Lies in a Small Town. I was captivated with the characters, plot setting. I give this tale four and a half stars.

*4.5 stars rounded up! This book was a slow-burner for me at first but I got more involved in the plot as the story unfolded. It is a wonderful story full of mystery centering around two girls, both artists and both 22 years old, who work on the same mural 70 years apart.

In December of 1939, Anna Dale of Princeton, New Jersey is one of the winners in a special 48-States Mural Competition, a contest held by the United States Treasury Department's Section of Fine Arts. She is to paint a 12' x 6' mural to be hung in the Edenton, North Carolina post office, which is to be finished by June 3, 1940.

In June of 2018, Morgan Christopher has served a year of a 3-year sentence in the North Carolina Correctional Center for Women in Raleigh, North Carolina, when she is visited by two African-American women offering her a chance of early release. One of the women is the daughter of the late famous painter Jesse Jameson Williams; the other is his lawyer. Morgan has been named in Jesse's will as the artist he wanted to restore Anna Dale's mural which will then hang in the lobby of the gallery being built in his honor which MUST be ready to open by August 5, 2018. Morgan has never done any restoration work and has no clue why Jesse would name her--but she'll agree to do anything to get out of prison!

Anna Dale's mural was never hung in the Edenton post office but has now been revealed to be in a closet in Jesse's home. The rumors in the past were that Anna Dale went crazy and disappeared along with the mural. When Morgan sees the mural for the first time, it is enormous and so dirty and damaged that she knows no one could restore it by the deadline, not even a team of experts. But with the help of a more-knowledgeable friend, she pitches in. What else can she do? Go back to prison?

The story is told in two timelines as both artists work on the mural and it is fascinating stuff. Diane Chamberlain delves into the prejudices of the 1940s in this small southern town--especially what a young woman can and cannot do and just whom she can associate with. Morgan, in modern times, deals with her own problems--wearing an ankle bracelet, seeing a probation officer, dealing with her guilt and shame. I was drawn to both these young women and their situations but found the past most fascinating. Diane Chamberlain has written another winner with this story; I enjoyed how she drew all the plot threads together for a satisfying conclusion.

I received an arc of this new book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the dream daughter and was really looking forward to reading Big Lies in a Small Town. The first two-thirds had a slower pace for me but I enjoyed the plot lines and it kept me wanting to finish. Towards the end the pace zoomed along and I absolutely adored the last third of the book. Diane Chamberlain is a gifted story-teller.

Told along two timelines we follow the path of Morgan in the present day who has been released from prison to work on an art restoration project and Anna in the 1940s who was the original artist of the mural that Morgan is restoring. The mural has been badly damaged and as Morgan cleans and restores it, she uncovers clues to solve the mystery of what happened to Anna. This novel is a mix of historical fiction and mystery with just a sprinkle of romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Saint Martin's Press for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

There were definitely things I liked about this: the historical period of the past tense narrative was really interesting. I remember learning about the WPA mural program and I enjoyed reading about a young female artist who's sent to a small southern town in the 1940s to do a mural.

The plotting is cleverly done and all the strands of the book are neatly woven together. But I also would have preferred a lighter hand and some more nuance. The fact that this young woman in prison, who knows nothing about art restoration, was chosen to restore the mural for no apparent reason was hit on over and over again, which led me to connect all the dots of the reveals pretty easily.

Alternating timelines tell the stories of artists Anna Dale (1940) and Morgan Christopher (2018). As their stories are told, they begin to meld into one. There are many surprises and unexpected revelations along the way in both women’s stories. I do hope there is a sequel though because many of the storylines feel unfinished. Chamberlain's research is very evident throughout this novel.

🎨Two artistic women connected through time and a mysteriously macabre mural!😮
4.5🌟stars
Diane Chamberlain has created a fascinating tale with two female artists, both damaged by recent tragic events, yet united by a work of art that's survived in the shadows for almost 80 years. It took me a while to get comfortable with the constant back and forth between 1940 and 2018 in this story, but by the second half of the book I was hooked and really could not stop reading. Anna, the young artist who wins a competition and earns a commission to design a mural for Edenton, North Carolina's post office in 1940 was the more interesting of the two heroines for me. Her fearless defense of a young black student's artistic dreams in a small southern town in the late Depression era when Jim Crow dominated made her heroic. But her actions were also reckless for the time and place with tragic results. After getting accustomed to the frequent time changes in the telling of the story, I really liked the continuous, slow build-up to the revelations at the end.

Thanks to publishers St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

This book had alternating chapters going from the past (1940s in the south with lots of racial issues) where a young artist is selected to design an art mural, and to the present, where the art mural is being restored by a young lady with a past. Finding out how these two ladies are connected, why the young artist disappeared with her mural, and why they were even chosen for this is what keeps you reading. If art isn’t your thing, don’t let that deter you from picking this up. Excellent story and loved the ending.

I absolutely loved this fantastic novel. I love each of Chamberlain's books and this is no different. I'm in a fabulous book coma of history, art, relationships, past, present and a huge wonderful twist that literally had me gasp. I pulled the book to my chest and sighed at how wonderful it is. Unputdownable goodness, 5 fabulous stars and very highly recommended. Brava! Excellent. Wow!

Publication Info: Expected publication date: January 14, 2020 by St. Martin’s Press. Pre-Pub Kindle edition courtesy of NetGalley. Other editions will be available at publication.

Summary: A year ago, Morgan Christopher never expected she’d be sitting in a jail cell, charged with a DUI when she wasn’t the driver. Her boyfriend ran off, leaving her to face the consequences. Now, her dream of a career in art shattered, she lives day to day in fear for her life.

Her nightmare gets an unexpected reprieve when she is visited by Lisa Williams, the daughter of the recently deceased artist, Jesse Jameson Williams. Before his death, Jesse had been known for his charitable support of young artists. He left a stipulation in his will that Morgan should restore a mural, and that it be done within a very short time period. Lisa was required to execute the will according to her father’s instructions or risk losing her full inheritance.

The mural was painted by an unknown artist named Anna Dale, who won a contest sponsored by the WPA in the 1940’s. Her mural, a depiction of life in a small southern town, was to have been hung in the Edenton, North Carolina Post office. It was never installed, but was found in very poor condition among Jesse’s belongings. As Morgan begins the restoration process, she discovers some very peculiar and disturbing objects in the painting and is determined to learn more about Anna Dale. The answers to her questions will shake up more than one family.

Comments: This book greatly exceeded my expectations. There are trends in publishing and one of the current ones is books with a version of Lies, Lying or Liar in the title. These are meant to grab attention, sometimes like a cheap trick. Big Lies in a Small Town is far, far better than its title.

The book takes place in two time periods — the 1940’s and present day. The author drew me into both with nary a misstep. The process of creating the original mural and its restoration are described with enough detail to feel realistic. The characters, both major and minor, are complex and compelling.

This is the first book I’ve read by Diane Chamberlain. I’m so sorry I’ve overlooked her previous novels. I’ll have to remedy that soon!

Highly recommended for readers of General Fiction, Historical Fiction (especially the 1940’s), Southern Fiction, Mysteries and those with an interest in art.

My rating: 5 STARS

I’ve never read a Diane Chamberlain book before but I’ve always heard amazing things about her books. I requested this book immediately and was so excited when I received an advanced copy. Unfortunately I just couldn’t get into this book. It has to do with a subject I just don’t care a lot about (art) but I thought I would still enjoy it. I just didn’t. I’ve talked to so many people who love this book though so I think it’s just me. Thank you #netgalley for an advanced copy of this book.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martins Press, and Diane Chamberlain for the opportunity to read and review her latest novel - 5 glowing stars for a wonderful book that I just didn't want to put down.

Told in two voices and two different timeframes, this is a beautifully written story about prejudice and secrets. In 2018, Morgan Christopher is in jail in North Carolina for a crime she didn't commit. Only 22 years old, she lost everything - her boyfriend, her future in art school, and her freedom. A mysterious pair of women show up one day and offer her a deal - a get out of jail free card for restoring an old mural by a very short deadline. Knowing nothing about art restoration but desperate for freedom, she accepts and is driven to Edenton to begin work.

In 1940, Anna Dale, from New Jersey, won a national contest to paint a mural for the post office in Edenton. When she arrives, she is faced with pushback from the men in town that the local portrait artist was passed over for a young girl from New Jersey. Armed with determination, Anna begins work on her mural, enlisting local high school students to assist her.

The melding of these two stories is so wonderfully written. The prejudices of the day and time when Anna was working were very different yet still somewhat present in Morgan's world and both women had much to prove to others and themselves. Highly recommended - don't miss this read!

R E V I E W - Big Lies in a Small Town - Diane Chamberlain
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

In 1940, Anna, a New Jersey artist wins a government-backed competition to paint a mural in North Carolina's Edmonton town. When she arrives, some Edmontonians are curious and supportive of this modern artist, while others write her off immediately. She isn't from there. What does she know about the way the town works?

In 2018, Morgan, has been released from prison so she can restore a mural in Edmonton. She has zero experience in art restoration.

What happened in 1940? Why was Morgan chosen to restore this mural? When she begins to clear away the layers of grime, what secrets will she find of this small, Southern town?

What a read! Chamberlain successfully combines the past and present to create a well written novel. The inner and outer dialogue gave the characters their voices in a very realistic manner and I felt like I knew them really well. And they were likeable! The events and twists were emotional, enjoyable and realistic and the story unfolded in an authentic way, appropriate to the time periods it was set in.

This book is a must read. Chamberlain is a master of her craft and Big Lies in a Small Town reflects this completely.

Thank you @netgalley & St Martin's Press for this ARC.

5 brilliant dual-storyline stars

Chamberlain brilliantly uses the dual-storyline technique with this book, and I thought it worked beautifully. I enjoyed both storylines equally – the 1940s storyline with mural artist Anna Dale and the present-day storyline with Morgan Christopher, a young woman trying to get her life back on track.

Back in the ‘40s, there was a nation-wide contest for murals in post offices and other public places. Anna enters and wins the runner-up prize of a mural in North Carolina, not her hometown in New Jersey. The story tracks her time visiting the town to meet people, deciding what to paint, and then actually painting the mural. There’s tension as a local artist wasn’t picked to paint the mural – it doesn’t help that Anna is a woman and a Yankee! She finds a very different race relations situation in North Carolina.

The alternate storyline with Morgan is intriguing as she’s conditionally released from jail in time to restore the mural – we don’t know what happened, but the mural was never finished and has been rolled up for years. Morgan doesn’t know anything about restoration, she was attending art school, but now she has to learn in a hurry. There’s a time crunch as the mural needs to be hung when a gallery opens in a few months.

As the stories roll along, we learn about both women and slowly we find out the details of what happened with Anna and Morgan. The pieces all come together, with a few surprises along the way. I think the title of the book tells you a lot – big lies in this small North Carolina town. I think they all come out by the end of this one! I thought the first half was a slow burn but I appreciated getting all the backstory on the characters and found myself rooting for them!

This is my first read by Diane Chamberlain, but it won’t be my last! I own a few and they are moving up my 2020 backlog list. I finished this one with a sense of amazement. One of my favorites early reads of 2020.

*One interesting note, if you enjoyed the mural portion of the story, you might also like B.A. Shapiro’s “The Muralist.”

Thank you to Diane Chamberlain, NetGalley, and St. Martin's Press for a copy of this one to read and review. This one is released on 1.14.20 -- I highly recommend it.

This was my first time to read a book by Diane Chamberlin. I am SO glad I gave it a try. The story line was engrossing as it traveled back and forth in time with the protagonists Anna and Morgan. They are tied together across time by a mural. But how exactly? I couldn't wait to find out their secrets. A very good read that inspired me to read more of the author's books.
Thank you to Netgalley, St Martins Press and the author, Diane Chamberlain, for the opportunity to read and review this ARC