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.

The historical context for Big Lies in a Small Town by Diane Chamberlain is a 1930s Works Progress Administration program to produce artwork for government buildings. Anna Dale is selected to paint a mural for Edenton, North Carolina. Decades later, Morgan Christopher is hired to restore the mural. The story is slow to build, but there is an "aha" moment when it comes together. The book keeps me reading until the very last page to see every connection. In fact, I turn the last page to see if there is more. That, for me, is the sign of a great read.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2020/06/big-lies-in-small-town.html

Reviewed for NetGalley.

I was totally captivated by this split-time story by Diane Chamberlain. It tells the separate stories of an artist and an art restorer. Morgan Christopher has been given the daunting task of restoring a mural in a matter of a few weeks. As she struggles to meet the challenge of having it restored quickly, she starts to uncover some of its history. The mystery surrounding the mural's creation and the disappearance of its artist was an instant hook for me. I was invested in both stories, which is unusual for me. Usually I enjoy the historical setting more than the contemporary setting. Ms.Chamberlain skillfully handles topics of abuse and violence with a delicate pen. Her research into the historical setting of a small North Carolina town and race relations in 1940 as well as art restoration is impeccable. I loved the author's message of making amends for the mistakes in the past, and then looking forward to the future.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author/publisher. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

There were a lot of family dynamics in this book, shrouded in a little mystery which is the signature style of this author. She did not disappoint. This book pulls you in and is a real page turner.

I haven't read many books by Diane Chamberlain, but very much liked the ones I have read. This one was no exception. These are the stories of two young women living in very different times, yet with a mysterious bond that's revealed as we learn their stories. Chamberlain takes us back and forth in time in Edenton, NC, a small coastal town that does, indeed, have its share of secrets and lies. She gives us a feel for what small town life might've been like in 1940, the good and the bad. And there's a nice mystery involving the young woman who disappeared after moving from New Jersey to North Carolina in late 1939 to paint a historical mural for the post office in Edenton, and disappears before she can complete it. I very much enjoyed this book and look forward to many more reads from Diane Chamberlain.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing a copy for an unbiased review.

Diane Chamberlain takes us back in time where we meet Anna who has won a contest to produce a mural for the post office in a small southern town. Then she brings us forward to meet Morgan who is consigned to restore the old mural for exhibit in a current-day gallery. Both of the characters are so clearly defined by the author that it is easy to engage with them through their interwoven stories. Throughout the novel, historical and artistic aspects of the mural project, hints of racial tensions in a small town as well as the details of the two women's lives are carefully drawn into an engrossing plot which never flags and has an ending that doesn't disappoint.

Thank you to the author, St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for offering me an opportunity to read and honestly review this work. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will miss Edenton and these characters!

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for an ARC. All opinions are my own.

This was a fascinating read. Chamberlain does a wonderful job creating characters and delevoping a plot line with twists and turns. I enjoyed the art element of the story and the time the story took place in. The chapters alternate between past and present. I really fell into this story and was so satisfied with the ending, but still wanting more. I recommend this for those who love Kristen Hannah and Kate White.

This is the second novel that I read by Diane Chamberlaine and I definitely enjoyed this one so much more. This story was told in a dual timeline, present time and in the past (trying to decipher what happened). I honestly enjoyed the historical part of the book the most. I wanted more of Anne Dale, that portion of the book was fascinating. To relive the 1940's in what was an early glimpse of feminism, a woman teaching art and following their dreams (I am all for it). The present time story, Morgan Christopher, an artist trying to start over was just okay. The story line with a romance twist was a bit too much, but again I was fascinated by Anne Dale's story.

I loved this book. The 2 different points of view really flowed well together. I loved all the characters. This author has an amazing story telling ability and I'm excited to check out more from her. I will definitely recommend this book.

I loved the way the author alternated between 2018 and 1940. She was very descriptive and the characters were well developed. I just wanted this to be more of a mystery. It really reads like literary fiction rather than a mystery. The outcome was a bit predictable as well. I will seek out more books from this writer merely because she writes so well but I will be skeptical if the book is classified as a mystery.

Told from two women’s perspectives and two different time periods: Anna, an artist, in 1940 and Morgan in 2018 who has taken the fall for a crime she didn’t commit. As the story weaves between these two characters and their time periods, we see the challenges they face. Bit by bit as Morgan uncovers the mural physically, we are given glimpses into Anna’s life as she painted the mural in 1940. Ms. Chamberlain’s writing makes it easy for readers to follow each character in their time period. She has a way of keeping you guessing until the very end!

Anna and Morgan live years apart, and Chamberlain artfully weaves their two narratives together. This is one of the writer's strongest books, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

In 2018 twenty-two-year-old Morgan Christopher was sitting in prison for when a stranger pays her a visit with an opportunity to get out of jail. But there is a catch, she is willing to help Morgan get out on parole, but in exchange, Morgan must move to Edenton, North Carolina to restore a mural that is to be hung in the art gallery funded by Lisa's recently deceased father, the great artist, Jesse Jameson Williams. Morgan has no idea why Jesse Jameson Williams chose her for this project, she had completed three years of art school before the accident that sent her to jail, but she does not understand how he even knows her name. She has an unrealistic deadline, but she is going to do her best to meet it or face the consequences.

In 1940 twenty-two-year-old Anna Dale is floating through life after her mother's suicide. She was just as surprised as anybody when her submission for a mural contest was selected and she finds herself in Edenton, North Carolina to paint a mural for the post office wall. Edenton is a quaint little town, but it is a far way from the progressive hometown Anna left behind in New Jersey. She is working hard and putting in a lot of hours to get the mural finished. But then something tragic happens that will change Anna's life forever.

Two women decades apart have one thing in common -finishing the mural. Anna Dale was a strong, independent, progressive young woman looking for ways to work through her grief. Morgan is the complete opposite of Anna. She was raised by people who didn't know how to love her and betrayed by a boyfriend she trusted. I liked and respected both women immensely, they both had challenges in their lives unique to their time. Like Anna having issues because of her gender. And Morgan having to deal with an ankle monitor that monitored her alcohol consumption. The story moves back and forth between the two women and you get lost in their stories. I spent most of the book trying to figure out their connection between the two women because you knew there would be one. However, even I was surprised by the way things played out. CLICK HERE FOR SPOILERS

Bottom Line - I have said for years that Diane Chamberlain is just as good, if not better, than Jodi Picoult. Big Lies In A Small Town just backs up my statement. It is smartly written and tackles topics that are, unfortunately, just as relevant today as they were in 1940.

Details:

Big Lies In A Small Town by Diane Chamberlain
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Pages: 400
Publisher: St. Martin's
Publication Date: 1/14/2020
Buy it Here!
Thank you to NetGalley the book in exchange for a review.

I have been a huge fan of Diane Chamberlain for over ten years now, but I found that with this novel, the characters felt very one-dimensional.

I loved this new story by Diane Chamberlain. I think this book will appeal to anyone who is familiar with Chamberlain's work and anyone who hasn't read her.
The story is told alternating between Anna and Morgan's point of view between the now and then. It's a wonderful story about friendship and what people will do for family and friends.

It's spring in North Carolina 1940. The children head to the creek . They come across a dead man. They wouldn't tell anyone because it would mean trouble,they are black and the dead man white. Then it goes to a jail in North Carolina 2018.Morgans been in for two summers for a DUI. She is to be released if she restores a mural. Anna is the original artist. I liked the going back and forth between Anna and Morgan. It was mystery what happened to Anna,why never finished mural and why Jesse had the mural.

Once again Diane Chamberlain does not disappoint. I have read all her books and have loved all of them even though they are all different. From the first page to the last I was totally engrossed and did not want the novel to end. I highly recommend this novel as a must read.

I’ve read and enjoyed quite a few Diane Chamberlain novels over the years but I think this one is my new favourite of hers. I’ve been in a reading slump in recent weeks but this book grabbed my attention from the first chapter and I got swept up in this story. The novel follows two women in two different timelines and we gradually learn each of their stories. Often in a novel with two timelines I feel more invested in one than the other but this book had me equally gripped by both, the pacing is perfect and each story is gripping. I loved leaning about Anna, a young artist in the 1940s who moves to a small town to paint a mural after winning a contest. She has to battle prejudice from being female, and the way the locals think she’s ousted their entrant in the contest. In the present day Morgan is released from prison early in order to restore a mural, even though she knows very little about art restoration. This was such a good read and I definitely recommend it.