Diane Chamberlain does it again with another unputdownable novel. . Morgan is in prison taking a fall for a crime she did not commit . One day she is approached by her favorite artists daughter with an offer she can’t refuse. Restore an old post office mural for the grand opening of an art galley in a small southern town . We go back and forth between Morgan’s story and Anna Dale the original artist of the mural. Twist and turns galore with a spectacular ending . Cannot wait For Ms. Chamberlain’s next one !

Have you ever read a book where you read through all of the acknowledgements and author's notes? Big Lies in a Small Town, was so good, that I wanted to know absolutely everything that went into the book, including every person that helped in the creation of it. This is a novel where every character came alive, and where I wanted to know absolutely everything about every singe one of them.

Big Little Lies takes place in the small town of Edenton, North Carolina. It is told in the present day, by Morgan Christopher, an ex-con, who was tapped by a recently deceased artist, for some reason unknown to everyone, to restore a painting that was done in 1940, by Anna Dale, the other voice telling the story. Chapter by chapter, we watch us a mural painted long ago, is restored by Morgan, and while that same painting is painted in real time by Anna. Each character is living their life, while doing the works of art. Morgan, a 20-something, whose life was derailed from being an art student at UNC, to taking the fall for a car accident that seriously injured another young woman. Her boyfriend, a law student, was the drunk driver during the crash, took off, leaving her to take the blame, and go to jail for the crime he committed. However, she feels responsible as well, having also been drunk in the car, and lives every day with the guilt and shame of what occurred. After a long year in jail, she has visitors who tell her that she is being sprung, to restore a mural, at the behest of Jessie Jameson Williams, one of her favorite artists. In his will, he stated that she needed to do the restoration to a very old, very dirty, mural, and has just a few months to complete the task, as the gallery that the mural is to hang in, must be opened on a particular date, or his daughter, Lisa, will lose her house, as it will go to charity if she cannot have the gallery opened to his specifications. So, the clock starts to tick down, and as it does, Morgan learns a lot about the painting she is restoring, how to do restoration work, as she walked into this job knowing absolutely nothing about how to restore anything, and ultimately, the artist, Anna Dale, who painted the the mural almost 80 years earlier. Along the way, we learn more about Anna Dale from her account, as well as Jessie Jamison Williams, and how the two individuals were connect, and the joys and tragedy that befell them both. All of the main characters in this novel learn how to leave the past behind them so they can move into the future. A lesson we all need to learn at some point in our lives.

I began this book before leaving for vacation a week ago, as I was reading it on my kindle, I took a different book to read while on the beach, but came back to this book every night upon my return. I could not let my week of vacation end, without knowing how this books ends. Just like Morgan, I hit that goal just before the deadline, and I loved every minute I spent reading it. Absolutely one of the best books I have read this year.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for giving me the pleasure of reading this e-galley in exchange for my honest opinion. I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to read and review this excellent novel.

Diane Chamberlain has been one of my favorite authors for some time, so I was thrilled when I was given the opportunity to read this. Big Lies in a Small Town is a remarkable book. Chamberlain touches on several historical social issues while telling Anna’s story and she does so extremely well. Both Anna and Morgan are strong, yet vulnerable and flawed women. Chamberlain tells their stories in such a way that you can’t help but feel invested in them. You want to see what happens to them. You want them to succeed, to come out on top. I truly enjoyed this and I was sad to see it end..

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Four and a half solid stars.

Diane Chamberlain is one of my very favorite authors and I always highly anticipate her new book publications. Her 2018 release, The Dream Daughter, ranks as one of my favorite books ever and was a tough act to follow.
It made my week when I was recently sent an advanced reader's copy of her upcoming 2020 release, Big Lies in a Small Town and I just couldn't resist reading it right away!

Chamberlin is gifted at writing engaging and compelling novels that tackle tough topics with such awareness of others. Her topics are thought-provoking and always cause great self-reflection for myself as the reader. Chamberlain's vividly detailed plotlines and multifaceted characters bring you inside the story and you can feel the emotions of the characters she shares. In Big Lies in a Small Town, Chamberlain shares a dual narrative as well as a past and present timeline with ease.

She introduces us to the worlds of Morgan Christopher and Anna Dale and the events who made and changed them. I don't know how she does it, but I can connect personally with every one of her characters, even if our lives and worlds are so different. There are many "heavier" themes including alcoholism, sexual assault, racial issues of the 1940s, and many family secrets which she handles both sensitively and eloquently.

Not only does she make you feel but she makes you think when read her novels. I really enjoyed reading this one but I kept thinking about it long after I was finished which is the sign of a great book for me. I highly recommend adding this to your winter reading list and in the mean time, catch up on some of Chamberlain many other amazing reads, there are so many to choose from!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

As a big fan of Diane Chamberlain I couldn’t wait to read this book The beginning of the book started out strong and then I felt there was to much on restoring murals and I got a little board, although the book did pick up about halfway through and I loved the ending. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Another fantastic book by Diane Chamberlain, I read the last quarter slowly as I didn’t want it to end! Her characters are so well written, I always miss them when I finish her books. 5*

I really enjoyed this novel, thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. The story flips back and forth between two timelines and two main characters. I appreciated the historic ties the author provided for the differences between the two time periods and between the North and the South. Since I lived close to the hometown of one main character and now live close to the setting of the second I felt a closer connection. I was disappointed to finish the book, I'd like to see a sequel!

I would like to express gratitude to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this ARC. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and cheered for the characters. I was proud of them by the end.

I honestly think I may have found a new author for my favorites list. This is only the second book I have read by this author but both have proved impossible to put down.

This book bounces back and forth between artist Anna Dale in 1940 and Morgan Christopher in 2018. It took me about five chapters to figure out which time I was in but by chapter six I honestly couldn’t put this book down. I needed the answers that would only come from completing this book.

The author did a great job creating a story that was historically believe able and very intriguing. I loved how the ending of this story produced answers but still leaves the reader wanting to know more.

I can’t wait to see what this author does next!

I am so grateful to netgalley and the publisher for making this available for me to read an advanced copy. The review is my honest opinion.

This book was beautifully written. Set in two different times, the past and future weave themselves together for a beautifully told story. Anna gets the chance of a lifetime. After losing her mother, she has the chance to paint a mural in a small town. Times are different in the south. After befriending two boys to help her with her mural, rumors fly and the town is quickly divided. Things get heated and Anna gets more than she bargained for. Morgan, hasn't had the greatest life and after getting an unexpected get out of jail free card she is thrown into a different life than she pictured for herself. Restoring Anna's mural restores Morgan's faith in herself and life. Bringing the past and future together in an unexpected twist. This book was flawlessly written with amazing characters that were true to the time of their stories. I absolutely loved this book.

I’ve long been a fan of Diane Chamberlain’s novels. There are just too many to list here but my favorites include The Stolen Marriage and Necessary Lies, you really can’t go wrong with any of her books.

2020 brings us her newest, Big Lies in a Small Town. Here’s the scoop:

North Carolina, 2018: Morgan Christopher’s life has been derailed. Taking the fall for a crime she did not commit, she finds herself 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. Her assignment: restore an old post office mural in a sleepy southern town. Morgan knows nothing about art restoration, but desperate to leave prison, she accepts. What she finds under the layers of grime is a painting that tells the story of madness, violence, and a conspiracy of small town secrets.

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. But what she doesn’t expect is to find herself immersed in a town where prejudices run deep, where people are hiding secrets behind closed doors, and where the price of being different might just end in murder.

What happened to Anna Dale? Are the clues hidden in the decrepit mural? Can Morgan overcome her own demons to discover what exists beneath the layers of lies?

This will be published in January 2020.

Talk about sucking you in! I have to say I’ve ready all of Diane Chamberlain’s books. Some, I’ve enjoyed more than others, but I’ve liked all of them. But Big Lies in a Small Town really knocked it out of the park. The books switches between the past and present from the viewpoints of two women. Anna, who won a contest to paint a post office mural during the Great Depression, and Morgan, a young woman serving time in prison for a crime she didn’t commit. When Morgan is offered a chance to get out of prison under the condition of restoring the mural Anna began so many years before, she is grateful to be out of prison, but unsure if she’ll be able to complete the project. As she delves deeper into the mural, she begins to learn things she never expected. Reading Anna’s story shows how different times were back then and finally the reader will come to understand the secrets of the mural. By the end of the book, you’ll be hanging on to every word. Excellent story and excellent work by Ms. Chamberlain.

I always look forward to Diane Chamberlain's books and I was delighted to receive an ARC of her new book Big Lies In A Small Town.
This story is told in two time frames.
In 1940 Anna Dale wins an art competition to paint a mural for post office building in a small town. When she arrives to work on the painting she feels that she is not welcome because everyone is unhappy that the towns resident painter was not chosen as the winner.
In 2018 Morgan Christopher is let out on parole from prison to restore the mural that has never been put up in the town and has been in storage since it was finished.
I liked both of these characters and thought that the dual timeline worked very well.
I really enjoyed this story and can't wait for this author next book.
Thank you NetGalley and St Martin's Press for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

So SO SO excited to get an Arc of this book! Another 5 star book from Diane Chamberlain! Loved the story and loved the writing style. Each chapter jumps from present day to the past and beautifully tells the way the characters lives are interwoven. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

What can I possibly say... there is not a Diane Chamberlain book that I didn’t like ... this is no exception, I loved this book!
The book is two stories in one ,
Anna Dale moves to a small town in 1939 to paint a mural for the post office , part of a government grant, she is met with resentment, distrust, bigotry and small town ways she isn’t used to . However the mural never gets to be hung .

Morgan is doing time in prison for a crime she didn’t commit , she is released on early parole to restore the mural so it can be hung in a gallery .
What happened to the mural, what happened to Anna, what will happen to Morgan ?
This author weaves the past and the present in a way that completely captivates the reader , how can these two stories possibly be connected ?
These two stories held my attention and I couldn’t put this book down. I fully recommend it!
I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review .

This was a compelling read! It's told from two different perspectives from the past to present.

Morgan Christopher is serving time in the North Carolina Correctional Facility for women, when she is told she has visitors. Morgan is greeted by two women, Lisa Williams and Andrea Fuller. Lisa has a proposition for Morgan, Lisa's father, Jesse Jameson Williams, was a famous artist who had passed away. Jesse left strict instructions for his daughter involving Morgan. Morgan accepts the challenge to restore a mural from the 1940's, but there is a catch, Morgan has until August 5th.

Morgan had to live in Edenton, and live with Lisa Williams. She has no experience in restoration, but learning how to is better than the alternative of going back to prison. As she works on the mural, she gets curious about the artist, Anna Dale. As the mural is cleaned, it reveals tidbits that appear out of place, and rumor is that Anna Dale went nuts then disappeared.

Anna Dale is twenty-two years old, who entered into the 48-States Mural Competition, although her entry was for the post office in New Jersey, the judges awarded her to create a mural for the Edenton post office. A small town, that wasn't enthusiastic about having an outsider, and female create a painting of their town. Anna encounters segregation, which doesn't go well with her. Anna, also encounters opposition from the big wigs of the town, who are all male, regarding her choice of what to include in the mural.

I loved how this story was revealed through the retelling of Anna Dale, and Morgan's curiosity that lead her to dig up information. There was several times reading that I gasped as something was revealed. I, especially loved how the ending tied everything together. This is one you wouldn't want to miss reading.

I received an ARC from NetGalley via St Martin's Press and I have voluntarily reviewed this book.

Once again this author does not disappoint. Riveting from beginning to end. I never saw some of the twists coming. Without giving spoilers, I highly recommend this book as a good escape..fabulous story teller.

Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!! Fantastic read in one sitting. Loved the whole Anna Dale story and the twists and turns in the book. Great writing from a seasoned professional like Diane Chamberlain. Loved and read all her books looking forward to the next one.

Thank you to NetGalley, Diane Chamberlain and St. Martin's Press for this ARC.

Oooh, I love all of Diane Chamberlain's books and this one was no exception! I loved how the story was being told by both Anna in the past and Morgan in the present. The ending was a nice touch, but I wish she had expanded more in the epilogue.

Another fabulous book by the amazing Diane Chamberlain.

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for a honest review.

I was so excited when I saw that Diane Chamberlain had written a new book but was really disappointed to see that its only coming out next year. I took a chance and requested it and I was so excited to be approved.

This is an amazing book. This is one author who never disappoints. The book alternates chapters with the modern days and the past. Diane always tackles difficult topics in her books and I always go away feeling like I've learnt a great deal. The author creates such wonderful and unique characters and when you finish the book, its like you are bidding farewell to good friends. This is how I felt about this book. I loved the main characters and how she portrayed them. She writes with such sensitivty and wisdom. I practically devoured this book and it made me sad as I know I will have a long wait before the next one.

I highly recommend this book as well ad the author's previous works. Diane Chamberlain's books are a a real treat to be savoured and enjoyed.