This book packs a powerful punch. Two women separated by 70+ years in time tell us the story of a mural that was to grace the Edenton, North Carolina post office wall. In 1940, Anna Dale wins a national contest and is selected to paint the mural. Morgan Christopher is awarded early parole in 2018 to restore that same mural as a condition of her release; chosen for the task as the dying wish of a famous artist whose museum is set to open in just two months. Setting a book south of the Mason Dixon line makes racism a given. Both Anna and Morgan struggle with family issues of their own and the underlying currents of Edenton bring new challenges into their lives. As the mural is cleaned and restored questions multiply. Edenton may be a small town, but big lies are lurking beneath the surface. Fans of Susan Meissner will enjoy this title as well.

Thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What Is It About?
Full of twists and turns, this book tells the story of two women, Anna Dale and Morgan Christopher. A time-hopper novel, this book takes place in present day, and 1940 as it tells a gripping story of two women whose lives have been forever changed by a mural.
Let’s start with Anna Dale. As an artist, Anna Dale, has been selected to paint a mural depicting the history of the town, that will be hung in the post office. She takes the job very seriously, enlisting the helping of several people within the town. However, the mural never gets hung, and makes it way to the hands of Morgan Christopher.
Morgan is serving time on her three year prison sentence, when she is given an unbelievable opportunity. She is paroled on the caveat that she must work to restore a mural in an ridiculously short amount of time. Morgan has no experience restoring murals, and is unsure why she was chosen.
Two women, separated by decades, have their lives changed forever because of this mural. One, charged with the task of painting it, seems to have lost her mind and disappeared. The other, charged with the task of restoring it, has been given a second chance.
What Did I Think?
First of all, the plot of this story kept me in suspense, the second half of the book. Just when I think I would figure something out, I was forced to regroup. The ending was a complete surprise for me. I didn’t see it coming at all, which is very rare for me. The first half of the story was hard for me to get through, however one I did, I read quickly and was on the edge of me seat.
I am normally not a fan of time-hopping novels, however, Diane Chamberlain did a great job of tying the two stories together. The writing was amazing, however, I did notice one error while reading the story. At the beginning of chapter 42, it mentions that it was the anniversary of her mother’s death, however, the actual occasion that left Anna feeling upset was her mother’s birthday. It was a minor detail, however, these things tend to bother me.
The characters, regardless if they were main character or supporting characters, were well developed. I connected with both women, for various reasons, and this connection helped keep my invested in the storyline.
“Big Lies in a Small Town” has a publication date of January 2020. I gave it 4 stars.

Diane Chamberlain has done it again! There are a lot of secrets to uncover in Big Lies in a Small Town! You will be up reading all night to uncover all the secrets and lies. Chamberlain decided to write this book when visiting the town of Edenton, South Carolina. She learned about the State Mural Competition in Edenton which was sponsored by the Treasury Department during the Great Depression. She decided to base her novel around this competition. I LOVED the story, I LOVED the characters and I LOVED the ending! Jesse Williams is a black, teenager in 1940. He dislikes school but is a child prodigy when it comes to art. Anna is a white, artist who is chosen in 1940 to paint a mural for the Edenton Post Office. Morgan is in prison and is released early to restore the mural in 2018. You will stay up all night reading, wanting to make sure all three characters find happiness and end up in a good place. Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Diane Chamberlain for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Diane Chamberlain don’t ever stop writing, you are a master storyteller! Big Lies in a Small Town will be out January 14, 2020. It is a MUST read!

I'm not usually one for historical fiction, so when I realized this story featured both present-day perspective and a POV from the 1940's, I was feeling meh about picking it up. I loved The Silent Sister, though, so I finally picked this one up and MAN, I was missing out! This was so, so good.

The premise surrounds two women and their journey working on a mural. The original artist wins an art contest to work on the piece, then another woman in 2018 is released from prison in exchange for working on restoring the mural. It was so interesting and engaging to see the town and the work surrounding this piece of art throughout time, and the artist's story was so good and also so challenging to read.

My grievances: I wanted details about Morgan's interaction with the victim of her accident! I also wanted more time with Judith/Anna in present day. Neither of these are real grievances, of course, but things that I left the book wanting!

Big Lies in a Small Town was my first Diane Chamberlain novel, but it will certainly not be the last! Set in a small town in North Carolina and jumping between 2018 and 1940, BLST tells the story of two artists dealing with their pasts and struggling to find their places in a not-so-friendly world. The narrative effectively uses split perspective to advance each storyline. Both were distinctive but beautifully written. I was captivated and quickly invested in both women's journeys. Usually, when reading narratives with multiple perspectives, I'll come to prefer one over others, but both storylines were equally captivating in BLST. The stories seamlessly converged for a satisfying but not saccharine conclusion and remind us that we "have to make peace with the past or you can never move into the future." ALL. THE. STARS.

I have had a few Diane Chamberlin books on my list for a while. Never got around to them. That is why I requested to review this ARC at #NetGalley. This book is due out in January of 2020.

I was in love with the book from the beginning. It starts in North Carolina with some kids having found a dead body in 1940. Then jumps to a prison in North Carolina in 2018. The book fantastically tells the story of 2 young women. Anna in 1940, the other Morgan in 2018. Morgan's story is quite straightforward. Not the same with Anna's. It is intriguing to Morgan as well as the reader. Throughout the entire book, the reader is trying to find a connection between the two women.

In the end, it is fully resolved and very fulfilling. It did not disappoint. I will probably be going through the whole Diane Chamberlin library very soon!

Another wonderful read from Diane Chamberlain.
Diane weaves the tales of Morgan and Anne together to create a compelling read.
Told in alternate chapters from both Morgan and Anne, we find out more about each character and what their connection to recently deceased artist Jesse.
Anne won a competition in 1939 to design and paint a mural for the Edenton Post office which she undertakes but never completes. What happened to Anne, what happened to her mural and why did she disappear?
We also meet Morgan Christopher who is currently serving time following a DUI when 2 strangers appear and inform her that she could be released on parole if she agrees to complete a restoration of Anne’s mural. She has been named in Jesse’s will and must complete the work in time for the opening of his new gallery on 5th Aug. Why has he chosen her, how did he get the mural? So many questions.
I loved the way Diane told both women’s stories and was totally drawn into them both.
Would highly recommend.
Thanks go to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review

Morgan is in jail for a crime she didn’t commit when she is offered an opportunity to get out early. She is approached by the daughter of a well known artist and philanthropist. In his will he specified that Morgan should restore an old mural. The deadline is tight to get the work finished and Morgan has no experience but can’t pass up the opportunity to get out of prison early. As Morgan works on the mural she becomes curious about the painter.

This book goes from the past to the present with the chapters telling the stories of Anna in the past and Morgan in the present. There are a lot of interesting characters in the book. I liked how the author brought the two stories come together in the end. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I have become a big fan of Diane Chamberlain over the past few years, so I was so excited to receive an early copy of Big Lies in a Small Town. This book alternates seamlessly between two women's point of view and time periods. In 1940, Anna Dale has won an art competition to paint a post office mural in the small town of Edenton. She decides to move there for the time it takes to paint the mural in order to immerse herself in the town's life and history. Most townspeople are welcoming, but others are openly hostile, feeling that the mural should be painted by a local artist. Anna's career and life are threatened in an incident that will change her life forever.
2018- Morgan Christopher is a young woman serving a prison sentence for a crime she didn't commit. When a woman named Lisa presents an offer to get out of jail if she will restore an old painting for her father's gallery, Morgan jumps at the chance. The catch is that the restoration has to be finished by a deadline or she will be returned to prison to finish her sentence...and she has no experience in art restoration!
This is such a good book! As Morgan started the restoration and more of the painting is revealed, I could actually picture it in my mind. I really didn't like Lisa so I was glad she wasn't a central character in the book. I loved the small town feel of the book, past and present. I think this author could take any topic and build a fascinating story around it! Thank you so much for the opportunity to read it.

In the present day, Morgan has found herself serving time for a crime her boyfriend committed. When the daughter of an eccentric artist visits her with an offer to restore an old post office mural in exchange for her freedom, she jumps at the opportunity. In 1940, New Jersey artist Anna has won a national contest to paint a mural for a post office in North Carolina. When she arrives in town, she is shocked by the prejudice and local politics that she encounters. Back in the present day, Morgan discovers that the mural was never installed in the post office, in large part because the artist went mad.

This was an interesting and quick paced read. The two storylines worked very well together. My only criticism is that everything came together a bit too easily at the end. Overall, this is a book well worth reading, 4 out of 5 stars.

This book was interesting from the very beginning and kept me deeply engaged! Wow I didn’t see that end coming. I have read a lot of Diane Chamberlain books and once again she didn’t not disappoint! Thank you for the opportunity to read this early!

Diane Chamberlain has done it again. She writes book that suck you and keep you until the end (and you are always sad for the book to end). Morgan's story and Anna's story were so intriguing. How would this two stories combine? Why would Jesse Jameson Williams seek Morgan out and help her? What was his motivation for helping young artists throughout his career? Why is a mural from 1960 so important for the opening of his gallery? Would we even get the answer to these question since not even the artists he helps know the answer? I enjoyed my time with these characters and was sad to bid them farewell when I got to the last page.

I loved this book! I feel like I become so invested in the lives of Morgan and Anna. I was rooting for both of them. I was so afraid that Anna's ending was going to gut me. She had been through so much and I didn't know if she didn't get the life I hoped for her if I would be able to cope. Without giving anything away if was a better outcome than even I had wanted.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press. Opinions are my own

Diane Chamberlain is a master at interweaving the past and present in her historical fiction. You can tell how thoroughly she researches the background for each novel. I really enjoyed Big Lies in a Small Town for those two reasons and because the characters were well-formed. I would give this 5 stars but I felt like it had a slow start and then tied things up a little too neatly. 4 stars.
Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and the author Diane Chamberlan for an advanced digital review copy. This book will be published January 14, 2020.

Wow! What an engrossing and well written book! This is possibly my first Chamberlain book, but definitely not my last. She knows how to write a compelling, riveting book that had me very engrossed and was absolutely unputdownable. The characters were developed so well, I felt as though I really knew them and that made me needing to find out what happens. I highly recommend!
Will make sure I let everyone know to grab a copy of this book!

First, thank you so much to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for the chance of reading this book. It will be a top read for me this year.

Big Lies in a Small Town was such a treat to read. Each chapter and the details included were very intentional. It was a slow build up of a mystery that had never been solved. Not only did we have questions of a mystery, but we had a bit of history as well. It was fantastically done and the characters were superb. I found myself totally intrigued with the small town and the characters that surrounded the "main" characters.

This book is told in two character's POV. Anna's POV is from the 1940's. She was a talented, albeit young (and a woman) artist that had been picked to create a Post Office mural for a place that was not her home. Her art spoke for itself and she was chosen from many entrants. Unfortunately, the fact that she isn't a resident of the town and she is a woman does not sit well with some of the local townfolk. While there she becomes close to a few locals and takes on a couple high school students as her "interns". One of those interns is a man by the name of Jesse Jameson Williams. He is a man of color, but she sees the talent in him. Their friendship and their connection absolutely touched me. Especially told from this time in America.

-'She didn't want to save him. She just wanted him to have the same chance as everyone else.'

The second POV is in the present from a woman named Morgan. She is a woman that has made some poor decisions in life, but ended up in a place she never thought she would be. She had been wronged my many people in life. But when she is given the chance at freedom by a famous artist that is recently deceased, she can't help but take it. Even if it means diving into a project that is so beyond her talent. She has been picked for a reason, but how was she chosen? Why her? Why now?

"You have to make peace with the past or you can never move into the future."

This story is beautiful, even in it's darkness. It's about two women and their redemption in life. It's about a man that could give others a second chance. It's about the people you surround yourself with and the goodness in people. I was completely drawn in from the beginning of chapter one. I was invested in learning more about Morgan, more about Anna and more about Jesse. What was their connection? How was art going to play a role in everyone's life? It wasn't a heart pounding page turner, but a page turner where you wanted to know answers. Where you wanted to put the connections together and understand the history. Where you wanted everyone to find their peace.

Diane Chamberlain told this story from the past and present and focused on two females and their lives. She held me captive and made me a part of these character's lives for a few hours. The story flowed well and it worked within the scope of the timeline. I loved the side characters and I enjoyed everyone's side stories. The good, the bad and the ugly. It all made up them.
I would definitely recommend this book to others. It has a little bit of everything. From mystery, history, art and even a bit of romance. There is something for everyone in this book and it is all written well. Come take a chance on this small town book that will leave you feeling a part of the story.

This is another great book by this author. In this book, Morgan Christopher, a young lady who was wrongly incarcerated, is released from prison on the condition that she restore a mural in a short amount of time. She has no experience in this kind of work but her name was part of a conditional will. She sets to work learning all she can about restoration but also gets drawn into the mystery for why certain disturbing images are present in the mural. She works on both the mystery and the mural until she finds out the truth about the artist Anna Dale. This truth changes Morgan's life. Reading about Morgan's struggles as she tries to make amends for her guilt while she tries to uncover the mystery surrounding the mural was engrossing.

I had an ARC of this book from Netgalley. I’ve read her work before and I love this author. This book sucked me in on the first few pages. It was a ebook copy and I usually steer clear of those because I like a book in my hands.
This book was centered around art and artists and history. It was about your behavior in the past and redemption. I enjoyed most of the characters with the exception of Martin. The main characters Morgan is great and you learn to go from feeling bad for her to being proud of her.

As ever, Diane Chamberlain writes a compelling story that kept me reading.
Spanning 1940 to 2018, two woman, Morgan Christopher/Anna Dale, connect through a mural on a wall in Edenton, North Carolina to discover prejudices, small town secrets conspiracies, and violence that led to murder and the sudden disappearance of Morgan.
Morgan in order to get out if jail accepts an assignment ment to restore the mural on the post office wall. Anna painted. What clues are found hidden in the mural that tells what happened to Anna Dale in 1940.

What I love about Diane Chamberlain @diane.chamberlain.author is she quite literally transports me into a different time and in a different life. For this new novel of hers, I was transported to two different timelines in a very industrious small town. It's full of town politics, adversaries and love of the arts. The writing is fantastic which is why I felt like I wasn't even in my house in 2019 LOL. One of the best books I've read this year! In fact, it's definitely in my top two favorite Diane Chamberlain books! The other one is The Secret Sister which I absolutely adored as well. Thank you again @stmartinspress for this wonderful ARC for review! Mark your calendar guys for January 14th!

Diane Chamberlain is fast becoming one of my favorites. I can't help but become engrossed in her novels that seem to transport me to other places and times like a trance. Readers will be thrilled to come across a book written by this author.