This is an alternating timeline story told from dual perspectives and woven around a mural commissioned as part of the New Deal Federal Art program. In 1940, Anna from New Jersey was commissioned to create a mural for the southern, small-town Edenton post office. Years later in 2018, a troubled young convict named Morgan is selected to restore the mural to it's original glory. The story follows the lives of these two women and the mystery surrounding the decades old mural that was abandoned and seemingly forgotten. It was fascinating to learn about the Post Office murals of the 30s and 40s. I also really liked how the stories were cleverly intertwined and the discoveries made along the way didn't disappoint. I'm already looking for my next Diane Chamberlain book!

Diane Chamberlain's Big Lies in a Small Town is a story that alternates between the past (1940) and the present (2018). It features dual first person narrators in Anna Dale and Morgan Christopher. The story begins with Morgan who has spent the past year in the NC Correctional Facility for Women after being involved in a crash that permanently injured Emily Maxwell. She gets surprise visitors who claim they want to help her if she helps them. One of them, Lisa Williams, is the daughter the famous artist Jesse Williams, telling her his will stipulated she must restore a Depression-era mural within two months.

If Morgan is successful, she will be paid $50,000 and will be freed from prison. Jesse recently passed away and in his will he strictly emphasized he requested an old mural’s restoration to give back to the talented and neglected people in the area. And the person who wanted to do this job is: Morgan. Morgan who is an average at best artist who had her life upturned. Morgan who has never trained as a restorer. Desperate to get out of jail, she agrees to the strange transaction. As she began to work on cleaning the mural, Morgan discovers strange things in the mural leaving her to wonder if Anna had become insane. As more and more of the mural is revealed, what happened to Anna Dale is always on Morgan's mind.

In 1939 twenty-two year old Anna Dale is chosen by the US government's 48 State Mural Competition to paint a post office mural in the little town of Edenton, North Carolina. The project is supposed to be completed on June 3, 1940. Anna is a recent graduate of art school who is looking to create something unforgettable. After a few days in Edenton, Anna is encouraged to move there. While the initial reaction to her arrival and her mural goes over well, not everyone is happy that she was chosen or that she ends up taking on a young black teen by the name of Jesse Williams who may be even more gifted than she is.

But, when townspeople start spreading false rumors of Anna and Jesse's relationship, things go badly very quickly. Anna's story is truly heart breaking and emotional. From being adored by most of the citizens, to be scorned because of her relationship with Jesse, to encountering a jealous artist who take his frustrations out on her, to murder, and the disappearance of both Jesse and Anna. One can literally ask oneself if Anna lost her mind while painting the mural. Was it equal to what happened to her own mother who she still mourns, or something even more darker? The most despicable people are those with small minds. Small minds in small towns. They can only see a tiny part of a person, not the entire story. For Anna, rumors about her mental illness and whether or not she may have suffered from emotional breakdown during her working process, continues to Morgan's present day.

Overall, this story is satisfying. The ending is brilliant and emotional. The mysteries are put together nicely by the time the mural is set for reveal. Morgan's relationship with Lisa isn't at all fair to her. Lisa is a perfectionist and when her father leaves her an almost impossible task, it is Morgan who bears the brunt of the hurt. I do like that Morgan finds a bit of her own peace in this story. One only has to look at what happened to Morgan and ask yourselves if you would have done the same thing in the name of love.

This book was easy to read and held my interest from the first page! The author weaved the lives of two twenty something persons in different eras together into a beautiful touching and sometimes upsetting story. The story compelled you to turn the page to uncover the next truth!

This was my second read by Diane Chamberlain and I really enjoyed it! As always, I connected with/enjoyed one timeline (Anna's) more than the other but I enjoyed the way the story was told. I grew a little bored with the details about restoring the mural, but a great read overall!

So I haven’t read many books by Diane Chamberlain, and I’m honestly wondering why I haven’t, especially after this book. I was completely drawn in almost immediately by main character Morgan and the unexpected offer that falls at her feet. Who, in their right mind, would say no to it?
The story takes place in 2 separate times-Anna in 1940 and Morgan in 2018. Morgan is in prison and is approached with an offer she can’t refuse. The daughter of a famous painter has named her in his will as the person to restore a painting that was never hung due to the original artist (Anna) having some issues. Although Morgan knows nothing about restoration, she jumps on the offer.
The way the women’s stories intertwine make this a fascinating and mysterious read. The plot isn’t completely original and they were things that occur that are expected but overall the way it was written makes the reader feel like they are actually watching the two women living in the two different decades.
Thank you to #netgalley for the e-book to review.

My first Diane Chamberlain but this won’t be my last! I absolutely loved the two stories in this- the themes that felt very relevant, even today. It was a surprising mystery, filled with lots of drama, and so so hopeful. Loved this!

Masterfully woven tale told from the perspective of two women Anna and Morgan. The chapters alternate between the two woman but it somehow seems To Work seemlessly. I couldn’t wait for all the secrets to unfold. I wanted to know all about Anna Dale and how she was tied to Jesse Williamson. And then I needed to know why Morgan was chose to restore Anna’s mural. and whose body was that in the introduction page?
I would recommend this to everyone. It’s a beautiful story about second chances and relationships. I couldn’t put it down and I finished it in two days. It would have been less but unfortunately I needed sleep. Lol I can’t wait to
Read more from Diane chamberlain.

First, let me thank netgalley and the publishers for approving my request for an early release of this book. All reviews of my netgalley books can be found on goodreads and youtube. Please be sure to check out the links attached.

I have tried a few books by this author and they never really worked for me. I heard really good things about this one from multiple people so I decided to try one more. Unfortunately, it just never pulled me in, was not interesting to me, and the characters were not likable.

I really enjoyed this book. Second one by the author and won’t be my last. I loved the way it switched between the two characters without causing confusion to the reader. It was layered together so well and revealed information a little at a time to keep things interesting. I loved the way the story ended and it pulled together the characters in a way that seemed genuine to who the author showed them to be.

I love every book I read/listen to by Chamberlain! She really knows how to develop a story and then she does an excellent job at wrapping everything up...usually with quite a surprise thrown in. This is another excellent story with such wonderful character development that I could not put down! An amazing story with developments that surprised and intrigued me!

I have loved Diane Chamberlain’s books- they are among my favorites. I was so bored with this book,I began skimming after 25% and really couldn’t even finish it. I doubt if I could even write a spoiler other than 400 pages- really!!! I don’t have anything good to say about it. I expected so much and was so disappointed. Still, I’d like to thank NetGalley for giving me an early arc in exchange for my honest opinion. Sorry I was so late in my review. Covid has me in a funk with reading.

Not my genre, but I loved the book a lot, because the author is such as talented story teller!
A story of a crime committed and wrong sentencing. Secrets, twists, ups and downs.
The book was great to read and I am going to definitely keep this author on my favorite list.

Morgan Christopher is serving a 3-year sentence for a crime she didn't commit. She is offered the chance of early release in exchange for restoring a mural done by an artist who disappeared years ago. Who is the missing artist? Can Morgan see through the secrets and lies to discover the truth?

This novel is told in alternating timelines, 2018 and 1940 and from the points of view of our two main protagonists, Morgan and artist Anna Dale. It covers a lot of ground with themes of love, betrayal, assault, secrets and prejudice set against the backdrop of small town North Carolina.

For me this was a slow moving story and I had a hard time connecting with the main characters. Anna was very naive and out of her depth while Morgan's actions made her hard for me to like. I enjoyed all of the art references as well as the dual timeline. Oliver was a real stand-up guy and my favorite supporting character. Wanting to see how the two timelines came together kept me turning pages. Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for an e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Well written story. Kept me engaged the entire time. A page turner for sure! Looking forward to reading more books by this author!

Morgan is in prison for a crime that she didn't commit after trying to save her boyfriend. She is then released on parole on the condition that she moves Edenten to restore a mutual from the thirties..... but why her! In 1940 Anna was chosen to paint a mural for the post office but she is not the most popular choice...... how will she get on in the narrow minded community and will she be safe?

Another great book by this author, as always full of intrigue with a great story line and a book that you can't put down until you finish it

Great story of two friends whose bonds outlasted racial prejudice, a rape, murder and years of separation. It is possible for a white woman who defies the norms of society and black man with talents beyond those of his more privileged peers to trust in each other and love each other as a brother would love a cherished sister. Anna’s courage and Jesse’s loyalty allowed them to defy the limits society placed on them and allowed them to triumph together and apart.

Beautiful story set in the past and present. Mystery, restoration, history - even a little romance. Well research and eloquently written. I even shed a tear. These are characters that will live on in my memory.

I am a big fan of Diane Chamberlain. This book was so good. I love her writing style. I can’t wait for her next book!

First off, I can’t believe I waited so long to read BIG LIES IN A SMALL TOWN! It is one of the best books I’ve read this year so far. The twists and turns just kept on coming and hooked me from the very first chapter!

Diane Chamberlain has always been a favorite author of mine and BIG LIES IN A SMALL TOWN is exactly why! She stole my heart from the very first pages and she never let it go! BIG LIES IN A SMALL TOWN is the story of Morgan Christopher, who is released from prison early, with the stipulation that she restore an old, battered, mural, that is to be the main feature of a new Edenton art museum. But as she cleans away the dirt she reveals a painting of the towns deepest and darkest secrets. and a story that the artist went mad. Morgan is intrigued and as she works she wants to learn more about the artist.

At first, I truly thought I knew where this story was going, but boy was I wrong! Trust me, once you start reading BIG LIES IN A SMALL TOWN you won’t be able to put it down as Diane Chamberlain takes you on one heck of an emotional roller coaster ride! This is an intense story that never slows down. The story is told from the 2018 perspective of Morgan and the 1940 one of Anna Dale, the artist of the mural. The mural is definitely unique and hints at stories untold.

BIG LIES IN A SMALL TOWN is a great heart breaking story that had me up late one night trying to finish. I just had to know what happened to Morgan and Anna. I still can’t believe it took me this long to read this amazing story, I’m kicking myself……..if you haven’t read BIG LIES IN A SMALL TOWN yet, you need to read it very soon. You won’t be sorry and then you can kick yourself for waiting so long! One of the best endings ever!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martins Press through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.