Morgan Christopher had her art education cut short when she’s convicted on the aftermath of a terrible accident. When two women - Lisa, the daughter of a famous painter, Jesse Jameson (recently deceased), and her attorney, Andrea Fuller - come to visit Morgan, they have a bizarre proposition for Morgan. They want her to restore a mural that had been painted for a post office in 1940 by artist Anna Dale. It’s been hidden by Jesse for all these decades and the restoration getting completed in a tight timeframe is a condition in his will. No one is sure why he’s picked Morgan be the one to do the restoration work – she has zero experience, and really wasn’t even an exceptionally talented artist. Even though she has never done any work of this type she of course wants to be released from prison. Morgan goes to live Lisa and proceeds to restore the mural which is badly damaged and soon Morgan realizes something horrible happened when Anna was in Edenton, NC to create the mural. Anna, in 1940, and Morgan, in 2018, alternate chapters as the story unfolds. Struggling to complete the restoration as Jesse demanded, the truth and history of a small Southern town comes through. The mystery of Anna and the mural’s strange depictions start a bit slow at the beginning, but really have some great description of racial and gender issues from the era (many of which are still with us today).

Note: This book is completely different than Dream Daughter, so if that book wasn't your cup of tea don't pass this one over.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and am sharing my opinion of this book.

Really good story spoken by two artists in two different time periods. In 1940, Anna Dale wins a competition to paint a 12 by 6 feet mural for the post office of the little town of Edenton NC, beating out all competitors including a man living in the town. She enlists the help of students and one Jesse is especially talented. Something happens and the mural is never hung in the post office and Anna and Jesse disappear from town. In 2018, Morgan Christopher is an art student selected to restore a 12 by 6 foot mural to hang in a new art gallery. Morgan gets a lot of help from the curator. The stories of these 2 artists is a recommended read.

I received an advance readers copy of Big Lies in a Small Town by Diane Chamberlain from NetGalley to facilitate my review.

In 1940, New Jersey artist Anna Dale arrives in Edenton NC to paint a mural for the post office. As she struggles to deal with small southern town's secrets and racism, she finds a bright spot in young artist Jesse Williams. One violent night changes the directions of both their lives.

Decades later, artist Morgan Christopher is in jail for her part in a tragic accident. She is given an opportunity to restore Anna's post office mural. While doing so she is drawn into the legacies of both Anna and Jesse.

This is the first book by Ms Chamberlain that I have read and I enjoyed it. The plot line held some genuine surprises and twists, but they weren't contrived. The characters were portrayed realistically.

Recommend - 4 stars

This is goes back and forth between two main characters Morgan of 2018 and Anna of 1940. Anna creating a mural back in 1940 and Morgan of present day has been requested to restore the mural. The story goes between the timelines with a big question of what happened to Anna through out the story. Even though the book was fairly predictable, I was compelled to find out what happened to Anna and was interested enough to keep reading until the end. I reckon fans of Diane Chamberlain will enjoy this one if they've enjoyed her past books.

***Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with this book early to review.

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book. It was my second Diane Chamberlain novel and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
It’s fascinating story and the author’s writing is mesmerising and vivid. It was a bit slow at the start, but I was soon drawn into the mystery that somehow tied the two main characters - Anna in 1940 and Morgan in 2018 - together and I found it very hard to put it down.
I will certainly be reading more by Diane Chamberlain.

Morgan Christopher, an artist, is in jail serving a sentence for a DUI. She receives an unexpected visit from the daughter of the famous artist, Jesse Williams. An art gallery is opening in Edenton, North Carolina. A mural needs to be restored for the gallery, and Jesse Williams has stipulated in his will that Morgan Christopher complete the restoration.

The mural was originally completed by artist, Anna Dale.
As Morgan works on the restoration, and her sobriety, she also investigates the elusive painter, Dale.

The story moves back and forth fluidly between Morgan's restoration and the original painter Anna Dale's creation of the mural. Eventually the present and past collide with tension and shocking twists.

I am a fan of Diane Chamberlain. I was so excited to see a new book! I love the way the she told the story between Anna in 1940 and Morgan in 2018. Morgan is released from prison to repair a mural painted by Anna Dale. She has no idea why she was chosen. She has a deadline. Will she make it? What happened to Anna? The expectations for women in the 1940s was interesting. Did Anna face the same fate as her mother? I loved meeting Jesse's family. I loved how all three people tied together. This is the kind of book that has you saying "just one more chapter" and next thing you know it's 3 a.m. Now I need to visit Edenton, NC, the story's setting.

Two women....both young. In 1940's North Carolina, Anna Dale wins a nationwide art contest to create a mural for the wall of the Edenton Post Office. She's young and talented and it's amazing that someone like Anna has won the contest, but it's a life changing event. Almost 40 years later, a young woman is released from prison after receiving an amazing offer....restore a mural that had been intended to hang on the wall of the Edenton Post Office. But it comes with a stipulation...it must be completed in just two months. It is literally a lifesaving offer for Morgan Christopher, UNC art student who is serving her sentence for injuring someone while under the influence. Just what is the connection between the two women? And how does famous artist Jesse Jameson Williams figure into things?

When Anna Dale arrives in Edenton North Carolina she finds a bucolic town filled with lovely people. But under the surface there is racism and violence, as well as seething resentment at Anna, a woman, having won the opportunity to paint the mural, beating out a local portrait painter. As Morgan works on restoring her work, strange and bizarre things show up in the mural. Morgan begins to research Anna, to learn more about her and understand why she created the mural she did....and then disappeared.

Big Lies in a Small Town is an edge of your seat, can't put it down kind of story (I know because I tried to put it down, and could not resist picking it up and reading til the end!). Told by alternating between Anna and Morgan we are drawn in to the dark things that simmer just beneath the surface of lovely not-so-innocent Edenton. With a stunning surprise ending and a wonderful cast of characters, Big Lies in a Small Town is an absolute must read! Great for book clubs too!

I received an ARC of this book for an honest review of this book.

Oh. my. goodness. I will start this review by saying that I am a HUGE Diane Chamberlain fan and let me tell you, this book DID NOT DISAPPOINT! In my opinion, this is hands down her best novel. I literally could not put it down. My house looks like a natural disaster hit it, my children are running around like wild animals and supper has yet to be cooked because I had one priority today and it was to read this book.

I rarely find a book where I "mesh" with most of the main characters, but this one hit that checkmark for me. The four main characters are so incredible likable that I found myself wishing they were real people so I could invite them over for coffee.....but wait, my house is a total wreck because I did NOTHING today but read this book. ;) The characters are amazing. Seriously, amazing. Without going into much detail, many of them have overcome insurmountable odds to make something of their lives. They could have spent their lives wallowing in their own misfortune, but they didn't!

I can't wait for this book to be released. I will be telling everyone who will listen that they MUST read it!

Great story! From the first page I was hooked and fell in love with the characters. You will feel despair for Anna when she begins mentally declining. At this point I was sure her involvement in the story was over. But I was quite surprised. Morgan had me feeling sympathy for her and the circumstances that led her to jail but again surprised with the story line. Another excellent read by Diane Chamberlain.

Diane Chamberlain has done it again! She drew me so tightly into the story, it was hard to let go of it in the end.

North Carolina, 2018: Morgan Christopher is 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.

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.

The story is two-fold and told in alternating timelines. I spent time wondering how the two stories would converge, but I shouldn’t have worried because Chamberlain pulled it together masterfully. Each story is told so that you know these characters. Each character you meet is believable and the reader is made to feel as if we are right there with them. Big Lies in a Small Town is full of surprises, mystery and emotion! It’s so many things I can’t find words for all rolled into a story. Add this one to your list. It releases in January 2020 and will a great way to start off your reading in the new year.

Despite a slow start, Big Lies in a Small Town picked up the speed BIG time around the halfway mark. I was able to successfully guess each of the twists. But the story was written in an interesting way that kept me engaged. I very much enjoyed this novel..

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...

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for a fair review.

While I found many parts of this book unrealistic (Trey really got away with nothing? Why did participating in an art project get Morgan out of prison?) I did enjoy it and found the mystery to be entertaining. I enjoyed how the story went back and forth between Anna and Morgan although I didn’t quite get why Anna’s changed completely to a journal POV near the end. The art details got a bit tedious but I appreciate the author’s attention to detail and how much she researched the process. I found a lot of Morgan’s dialogue (internal and with others) to be kind of childlike. Anna was a much more enjoyable character. Despite my criticisms it was a fun read.