I love reading books by Diane Chamberlain and this one didn't fail to impress me! Another great book with great characters by an amazing author. The book was easy to read and the story was easy to follow along with. I highly recommend this to anyone as you will enjoy it as much as I did.

Diane Chamberlain writes a compulsive and gripping novel that skillfully weaves the stories of two women from the past and the present. In 2018, 22 year old Morgan Christopher is serving a prison sentence at the North Carolina Correctional Facility in Raleigh for a crime she did not commit. Out of the blue, she receives a visit from Lisa Williams, whose father, the artist Jesse Jameson, has recently died and the lawyer, Andrea Fuller. He left behind a will in which he makes it clear that he wants Morgan to restore a 70 year old mural canvas. There are conditions attached, but it offers Morgan the opportunity to be free from prison, and whilst she seriously doubts her abilities are up to the task required, she acquiesces to the demanding challenge.

In the past, Anna Dale enters an art competition, this leads to her being offered the opportunity to paint an art mural for the Post Office in Edenton, North Carolina. She goes there to get a feel of the place, and whilst experiencing some Southern hospitality, she encounters hostility too. It is mainly the men that are so unwelcoming and locals who would have preferred the local artist, Martin Drapple, to have been doing the mural. They are many who are not happy with Anna's idea of painting The Tea Party, having their own ideas instead, many of which are self serving. She depicts her own controversial interpretation of The Tea Party based on her perceptions of the truth about the place. However, strangely Anna and the painting both disappear. Morgan is discouraged when she sees how much work the mural needs, but is aided by a museum's art curator. Before long she becomes consumed by the task and by Anna, wanting to do her justice. Can she solve the mystery of Anna and uncover the truth?

Chamberlain writes an emotionally engaging story, richly detailed, of a town with plenty of intrigue, secrets and lies. It is thought provoking in the serious issues it covers of art, abuse, racism, misogyny, justice, prejudice and mental health. Morgan and Anna are connected through time and art, and I became completely immersed in the challenging lives of both women. The characterisation is captivating, and both timelines are equally enthralling. This is another fantastic read from the author, and one which I recommend highly to others. Many thanks to St Martin's Press for an ARC.

In Big Lies in a Small Town, Diane Chamberlain takes an actual event from the past, the '48 State Mural Competition, and brings it to life again. In 1940, Anna Dale wins a contest and is sent to Edenton, NC to paint a mural for their post office. In 2018, Morgan Christopher is freed from jail by a mysterious and recently deceased benefactor. This benefactor, a famous artist, has left explicit instructions that Morgan, and Morgan only, should restore a mural in Edenton, NC. Both Anna and Morgan struggle with their pasts and families, and pressures from the town as they try to complete their assigned tasks. Big Lies in a Small Town brings history to life again, and the past and present unfold simultaneously. If you enjoy reading about history, mystery, friendship, betrayal, and romance, you will love this book.

Diane Chamberlain slays as usual! Her book, Big Lies in a Small Town was so compelling and well-written, I couldn’t put it down!

Anna Dale is such an incredible character; able to overcome naysayers and a terrible incident and still come out on top. All of the twists and connections between her, Jesse, and Morgan I didn’t see coming.

Morgan’s character was so complex, I just loved her and kept rooting for her to complete the mural restoration and for her and Oliver to find love as well.

And Jesse, perhaps the unsung hero of it all. What an incredibly hard working and loyal young man. The lengths he goes to in order to help those he cares for or sees potential in was heart-warming.

5 stars, absolutely loved this book!

This was a really great book. I love the back and forth between the different time settings in this story. The writing was great and kept you hooked. The mystery to this story was amazing and it's definitely different from books I normally read but I'm glad I did.

Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another great read by Diane Chamberlain. Big Lies in a Small Town tells the story of Morgan Christopher and her once in a lifetime chance to start over. Freed from jail early, Morgan is hired to restore a painting. She has never restored a painting before but is assured that she can complete this project and her freedom and payment are more than worth it!
The story flips to 1940 and tells the story of Anna Dale, the artist of the painting Morgan is paid to restore. As these two stories unfold, we learn that these two histories are twisted around each other.

Great story and highly recommended! Diane Chamberlain does it again!

I’ve read more than a dozen of Diane Chamberlain’s books, enjoyed them all, but this one by far is my favorite. Well done with the back and forth in time, great job getting to know all the characters, the period, etc. It was a page turner that kept me intrigued - and guessing - until the very end. Speaking of the ending...

Wow! I really loved this book. Morgan Christopher has had some hard times. She finds herself in prison for a crime she did not commit. She is offered a deal... get out of prison in exchange for art restoration. She finds herself in the middle of a mystery. Who is the original artist who painted this mural, and why would she paint such a bizarre picture?!? Morgan's search for answers leads to personal growth. A great read!

This is an awesome book by an author at the top of her literary powers. I loved the back and forth between time periods and narrators as well as the topic of art. I loved the characters, both current-day and in the past. I loved the descriptions of the town, the people, and the ways of life. I loved how everything worked out in the end. Even though it was a little predictable, that was fine. A completely satisfying read.

I must say, this book captivated me. A small town with all of its charms certainly has a flip side to it, and discovering it in the dual strands of the past and present was masterfully done. Artists and their work, southern race relations of the early 20th century and relationships of every form are accounted for. The characters are varied, interesting and real. The plot takes you back and forth between lives that all seem irrelevant to one another until they no longer are. The art and lives of these people come to life on the pages, and I simply couldn’t stop thinking about them all, even after I put the book down.

"Big Lies in a Small Town" by Diane Chamberlain is the story of two different women, in two different times. In 1940, artist Anna Dale is chosen to paint a mural for the Edenton, North Carolina post office. In present times, Morgan Christopher is given the task of restoring the mural, which was never actually installed at the post office but instead found in storage. I was completely drawn into the book on the first page and the story kept me turning the pages because I couldn't wait to find out more about these two women. This book has everything I could want, strong, well-developed women characters, a little bit of mystery, a little bit of romance, a realistic backdrop of race relations in the 1940s, a believable and compelling plot, and a happy ending. I always greatly enjoy Ms. Chamberlain's novels, and this one was no exception. Thank you so much to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and the author for the privilege of reading an advanced digital copy of this wonderful book in exchange for my honest review. Five stars out of five stars!

The writing of this story is excellent..setting and characterization...the story takes
place in North Carolina in two time
periods and goes back and forth quickly.
There is not one character the reader falls
In love with but is intrigued by many.
The story wraps up with everything coming together in a neat way...almost too much so...this is a pleasant read . Perhaps the vulgarity could have beem left out in one area of the book; the ending is too abrupt unless there is a sequel... and the title doesn’t seem
To fit. Other than those few things, it is a
Good read .

Thank you NetGalley & St Martin Press for the ARC of Big Lies in a Small Town.

Great book from the get go. Storyline is well written and it gets you involved immediately.
Characters are great and realistic.
Superb story.

Another great book by Diane Chamberlain! Loved the way the story went back and forth between the artist in the past and restorer in the present day. Did not expect the surprise near the ending. Highly recommend this book!!!

Four stars for Big Lies in a Small Town by Diane Chamberlain, which was a surprising character driven novel with some mystery, some romance, and characters you root for. Morgan Christopher is in prison for a drunk driving incident when she is unexpectedly paroled in exchange for her help in restoring a mysterious mural. As she strips away the grime and dirt on the art, she begins to unravel an 80 year old mystery. Who was the mysterious painter Anna Dale, and why did she disappear?

I was unexpectedly swept up in this book - I loved the strength of the women at the center of the stories, and I eagerly kept reading to piece together the mystery. This is my first Diane Chamberlain book, and I was blown away by her storytelling skill. An enjoyable read that I look forward to recommending to others.

The was the first novel I've read by Diane Chamberlain, but it will not be my last!

Thank you so much for the privilege of reading this ARC; I absolutely loved this novel. Told in alternating stories of present day Morgan tasked with restoring a mural and Depression era Alice creating this mural in rural North Carolina. Both of these women were so compelling and sympathetic. So many plot twists are revealed as the story unfolds for Morgan. I find myself wanting to look up the murals of the 48 state project funded by the Works Progress Administration. I didn't want this one to end and am having a hard time leaving Alice and Morgan behind. I cannot wait to recommend this one!

Thank you Netgalley for the Arc! I went into reading this book without even reading the synopsis. The writing was incredible and so was the storyline. I loved how the author connected the two characters throughout but then gave us a huge plot twist at the end. The whole time I read this I was wondering what made the artist go crazy and intentionally mess up her mural and I love how it slowly unfolded. I also loved the relationship between Anna and Jesse and how they both stood up for each other.

Fabulous book!! Loved the way the story unfolded! Brilliantly written!!! A must for Diane Chamberlain fans!!!

I had recently been introduced to this author through her book The Dream Daughter and this book also goes back in time but without the fantastical element of time travel that was in The Dream Daughter. Big Lies in a Small Town goes from the Depression era to present time and introduces the reader to the post office murals that were a part of a New Deal Art Project in the 1930’s and 40’s. She weaves an interesting story with racial overtones, murder and even love. The story held my attention but I wished to know more backstory on the characters to make me care about them more. A solid 3 star book that I will recommend to readers who like to read historical fiction.

I have always enjoyed Diane Chamberlain‘s books, and this one did not disappoint! The story goes back-and-forth, from the past to the present in alternating chapters, but that does not make it difficult to read. In fact I found myself looking for details in the present story that would give me clues to the older story and vice versa. There were times when it was obvious what was going to happen, but there were also times that the story presented unexpected twists. Also, I was impressed with the author’s accurate research, which made the story even more realistic. This is easily a five star rating for me, and I appreciate Netgalley providing me with an ARC!