Diane Chamberlain’s multi-faceted plot had me engrossed to the end where all the threads were neatly tied up.

The story is written in the dual point-of-view of Anna Dale, charged with creating a post office mural in 1940 Edenton, North Carolina and Morgan Christopher, prison parolee assigned to restore Anna’s mural for a new art gallery in 2018. Morgan wonders at the unusual elements Anna painted into the mural and the cause of Anna’s disappearance. Emotionally invested, Morgan attempts to find out what happened to Anna.

Mental illness, murder, prejudice, and a bit of romance all play roles in this book.

I received this book as an arc from St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley in return for an honest review.

I didn't expect to love this book (restoration of an old grimy painting seemed a bit "meh" even with the promise of madness, violence, and conspiracy), but I was pleasantly surprised and REALLY loved it! I thought the layout of the book where the author alternated between the original artist, Anna Dale, around 1940 and the former inmate-turned-art restorer, Morgan Christopher, in 2018 was great. I kept getting just enough of each woman's story to keep me eagerly wanting more. As a byproduct, I was delighted to learn that art restoration is actually really fascinating!

This book highlighted the meaning of true friendship while showing the reader some of the atrocities that occurred during that time period.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing a copy for review.

Actual rating 4.5⭐

Don't you just love it when a book takes you by the hand, drags you into the story and doesn't let you rest until you have read the last word?

Big Lies in a Small Town by Diane Chamberlain, is a book that weaves its way through two periods of time. The author masterfully managed both time periods with her impeccable research. I could feel myself in the south during the 1940's and in the present day. I found myself reading faster and faster so I could find out what was going to happen next. There were many twists and turns in this story, all of which revolved around a mural that Anna was chosen to paint, but that was never hung at the post office. Anna getting chosen to paint this mural as a woman in 1940 was just the beginning and what happened from there kept me involved, interested and guessing until the end, and that is what made it an amazing read!

I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!

I can’t believe I didn’t know who Diane Chamblerlain was a little over a year ago. She’s become one of my absolute favorite authors and her books are starting to feel a little like coming home.
This one really was as good as the other ones, maybe even better. Morgan and Anna both had me drawn into their stories right away.

I found myself drawn more to Anna’s story, because of the mystery of it all. Like with all Chamberlain works, the mystery drove me nuts throughout the story, but it all comes together really well in the end.

As always, I really loved the relationships. Anna and Jesse’s platonic love for each other brightened my heart. Especially for the time they lived in when it was extremely taboo for a young white woman and a young black man to be friends.

I didn’t guess the twist at the end, which is another reason why I love Chamberlain. Mysteries often are really easy for me to figure out, but with her books I can never guess correctly. Close, but never exactly. I love it.
I’m shaving off half a star because I would have liked to see a little bit more of Morgan and Emily. I would have liked for the scene at the end of the book was a little bit longer. I definitely would have rated it 5 stars.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

A celebrated artist dies and his daughter is compelled to meet his guideline for a gallery opening and mural restoration. The past and present are revealed through the artist of the mural and the restorer of the same.

North Carolina, 1940
Anna Dale's mother has just passed away when she wins a national contest to paint a mural for a post office in Edenton, a small town in North Carolina. She moves temporarily from New Jersey to Edenton to get to know the town and do the mural justice. A couple high school students help her out for credits and experience. One is black and the small town's prejudices don't approve. Plus a local artist had entered the contest and Anna was chosen over him, so there is some resentment.

North Carolina, 2018
Morgan has just spent a year in a woman's prison when she is made an offer she can't refuse. She has been chosen by one of her favourite painters to restore a mural for the gallery his estate is opening. Not know anything about restoration or why she was chosen as the late painter's latest project, she agrees so she can be released early from prison. As she starts cleaning up the mural, which Anna Dale had painted, Morgan discovers some disturbing things that have been painted on it and wants to know what happened to Anna.

I've read many books by this author and liked this one. I liked the writing style and found the story interesting. It bounces around in the two different time periods and voices but the chapters are marked as to what the time period is and whose voice it is. It is written in first person perspective from Morgan's point of view and third person when it's Anna's point of view. I liked the characters. As a head's up, there is some swearing and violence.

It took me awhile to get into this book but once I did I thoroughly enjoyed it.

It's a great story about a friendship between a white girl and black boy for over 70 years. Not only were they friends but they made huge sacrifices for each other through their lives and kept each other's darkest secrets.

Thank you netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC. I will definitely read more of her books going forward.

Morgan Christopher is serving time for a crime she didn't commit. She is surprised when she is released from prison so that she can work to restore a mural from long ago. Anna Dale is a smart, young artist in 1940 who has been commissioned to pain a mural for the local post office in Edenton, NC. She is from a town in New Jersey and faces many challenges while working on the mural in NC. The two stories are told concurrently as we learn about Morgan in 2018 and Anna in 1940. We learn how their lives intersect with a few twists along the way.
I adore Diane Chamberlain's books and never miss one. You shouldn't miss this one either!
I received an advance copy for review. All opinions are my own.

Diane Chamberlain weaves an intriguing, emotional tale centered around a mysterious mural of Edenton, North Carolina.

Morgan Christopher is commanded to restore the mural with little to no information about the mural itself or for that matter how to restore the mural, originally painted by Anna Dale in 1940.

Told in the dual narrative by Morgan in 2018 and Anna in 1940, we begin to learn about Anna and how the mural came to be. Will Morgan be able to restore the mural in the set time-frame for the gallery opening? You’ll have to read Big Lies in a Small Town to find out! I promise you you’ll be surprised by the ending.

I feel like with Chamberlain's previous novel, The Dream Daughter and now with Big Lies in a Small Town, she is branching out from older novels and it's definitely working for her. Big Lies is my new favorite Diane Chamberlain book!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy; all opinions are my own.

This was my second Diane Chamberlain book and color me impressed! What a story - I am in awe of her creativity creating such alluring tales that are always so unique and fresh. The merging of real life aspects - including the town of Edenton and the mural contest, as well as exploring themes of recovery, redemption and racism had me flipping pages to find what clever and shocking surprise I'd find myself at every chapter.

The writing is so comfortable - smooth prose and delicate details that build up so beautifully that you don't see things coming - even though they've been hinted at and teased before. The plot seems so effortless, yet so intricate - I had a hard time putting this one down!

Told in dual narratives - Morgan, fresh from prison, present day - tasked to complete a mural restoration in exchange for early release - and Anna, the mural original painter, in 1940, who faced incredible odds to complete the painting, but has not been seen since - both women's stories had me riveted! Why was Morgan picked to restore it? And what happened to Anna? Why is the painting so weird?!

The painting itself is the third main character. I can see every single detail in my mind. The rich colors, the characters faces, the curious and strange details. As an artist myself, I was taken back to art school with all the elements of design and layout, and preparation of canvas and colors. The descriptions were exquisite and I want someone to paint this so I can see it in real life!

I really enjoyed this one. So many strong and interesting themes, mixed in with characters I really connected with, and a story that held my interest from beginning to end.

I probably sound like a broken record, but Diane Chamberlain has written another fabulous 5 star story. Set again in North Carolina, and told in alternate time periods, which is a big plus for me, we are taken into the world of two artists who are bonded together by a 1940’s era mural. We learn not only of the mural’s beginning, but of its restoration over 75 years later. The author is a master when it comes to weaving the lives of the characters of both time periods together. Not only is this a well researched book about art and restoration, it also delves into the history and lifestyles of the South pre-WW2. Needless to say, I was unable to tear myself away from Anna & Morgan’s story! This is a must read!
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for this wonderful Arc in exchange for my honest review.

The author uses two timelines tell the story; Morgan Christopher (2018) is release from jail to help with restoring a mural and Anna Dale (1940) has just won a competition to create a mural for a post office.
Morgan is on parole for a DUI where she took the blame for her boyfriend. She is hired to restore the mural which she has no experience and a tight deadline. She becomes fascinated with Anna’s story.
I really enjoyed reading back and forth between the two eras and following the two strong women who overcome their adversities. The writing was wonderful, and it flowed smoothly.
Thank you, Net Galley, for an advanced copy for an honest review.

Anna and Morgan are destined to work on the same mural. Morgan is captivated by Anna's journal and finds a new purpose in life in the old historic f2f own of Edenton. Interesting twist at the end.

Diane Chamberlain did a masterful job of weaving two time periods and different, but strong women's stories together in Big Lies in a Small Town. Not only were Morgan and Anna very interesting and strong, but their stories hooked me quickly. I found myself very much looking forward to jumping back into the opposite time line of the one I was reading, longing for the rest of the story.

Big Lies is a unique story and one that was engaging, well told and eye opening. If you've ever read anything by Diane Chamberlain you will enjoy this and if you haven't, pick this up and give her work a try!

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for granting my request for an ARC. My thoughts in this review are my own.

Big Lies in a Small Town is the story of two women born in different times who find themselves in situations beyond their control, In 2018, Morgan Christopher gets early parole from the North Carolina Women's Correctional Institute, where she is serving a three year sentence for a crime she did not commit. Her dreams of an art career were put on hold when she was sentenced until a mysterious visitor tells her she can be released immediately if she agrees to restore a post office mural originally painted by Anna Dale in 1940.
The story develops, alternately between Morgan and Anna and builds slowly. Small town judgement, secrets and lies dog both women. For Anna, who wins the competition to paint the mural over a local artist, does it become too much when both the mural and the artist disappear? Morgan becomes obsessed with restoring the mural anddoing right by Anna and finding out what happened to the young woman.
Chamberlain does a wonderful job of writing a story that is a detailed account of life in a small town and all it's idiosyncrasies and even the pace of the story seems to slow to fit the town in parts. Anna and Morgan experience the same discrimination, mysogeny and prejudice decades apart and their characters are well developed and captivating on their own. The art restoration was a new topic for me and very interestingly presented.

Big Lies in a Small Town is the latest book by Diane Chamberlain. My 1st novel read of hers, now will be reading her other books. Wish that the story never ended. I could have continued reading more about these characters. I was given an early copy to review from netgalley.

I adored this book. So good and made me cry and made me scared and made me angry.... when books make me feel all of the things, they usually get 5 stars from me!

This story flip flops between Anna in the 1940s after moving down south to paint a post office mural and the things she faces in a small town, issues like racism, sexism, etc. and Morgan in the present who has been seemingly plucked out of thin air to be released early from a 3 year max prison sentence to restore the post office mural in Edenton.

When I first started, Morgan’s chapters bored me a bit. But once I got into the groove of a Morgan chapter then an Anna chapter, I flew through it. I loved both women and their respective chapters.

Such a good story. Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this one early!

Let's talk about this Mural - the true protagonist of this book. If this Mural were allowed eyes and a mouth, what it has witnessed, what it has heard through it's seventy plus years would have been the story itself. Since it has neither mouth nor eyes the mystery is pieced together and told beginning with the artist that created it, Anna Dale, culminating to its restoration some eighty years later by ex-convict Morgan Christopher. The story interchanges swiftly between 1940 and 2018 weaving a small town mystery. If the Mural is the protagonist, the town of Edentown, is the mise an scène, a center stage with its rich history, it's closely knit townspeople and it's strange and curious secrets.

Well researched, richly descriptive, a well balance of interesting characters who needed redemption and those who didn't deserve it. Big Lies in a Small Time left me with that American Classic small town feel. A perfect blend of apple pie, sinister undertones, unchecked bigotry, fondness of art, culture and good southern manners. I give this 5 stars.

I was completely invested in both the lead characters - Morgan and Anna and I absolutely needed to read it all the way to find what happened in their lives. I liked the dual timeline narration as it kept me intrigued continuously. It might feel like slow burn but it was pretty fast-paced for me. Initially I wasn’t sure if I would like Morgan as she was just out of prison for a huge issue but later on finding more clarification of her situation, I could empathize with her.

The important thing for me was the importance of the state “ North Carolina” itself as I stay in NC and the cities that are mentioned are the places I daily travel around - Raleigh, Cary, Apex and Chapel Hill. I also went to UNC so that point totally got me hooked in right away. Also the underlying mystery and how the two lead characters are connected was interesting. I loved the characters, the settings of course, and I enjoyed the story and how it all came together at the end. I loved the way the author has described the whole town of Edenton and it makes me visit the place. Even the way the various families in the town are described is amazing and it feels all real, bringing the whole settings to life. Initially there was a lot of art related stuff mentioned and I thought I will not find it interesting but I was totally wrong as the plot kept up its level of intrigue all the way.

It’s a fantastic read from the author and I recommend highly to others. All 5 stars for sure!

Thanks to St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy to review!

Written in dual timelines, Morgan Christopher (2018) is incarcerated for a crime she didn't commit and Anna Dale (1940) has just won a competition that will showcase her artwork at a post office.

Morgan has taken the fall for her boyfriend and finds herself in prison. Haunted by the events of the night and self blame for a bright career put on hold, she has unexpected visitors that make her an offer of a lifetime. The proposal is that she restore a painting to be showcased at a famous painter's open house on a tight timeline and she will be free. If she doesn't meet the deadline she will go back to prison. She's a decent artist, but doesn't know a thing about restoration. She will do whatever it takes not to go back, but at the back of her mind the recurring question of, why me?

Anna's artwork has won a competition that will have her traveling to a part of the country that she knows nothing about. Her time in the south is met with many obstacles and etiquette that is sharply different from New Jersey. She is a strong, independent young woman and won't be set back from her goal of finishing the painting.

I'm crazy about Diane Chamberlain's ability to write a novel with characters that walk off the page. It's easy to favor one time period over the other, but not here. Each character was equally as interesting as the other. The two storylines are woven together like only a master at her craft can do it. The ending was satisfying icing on the cake.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and the author for an advance copy.