Big Lies in a Small Town: A Novel

Book for book club meeting. It was in good shape printing is smaller tha I like but you wouldn’t know that I like that and that’s the way the book is!!

How is this book so darn good???? I'm a little obsessed. I had to give it <b>4.5 Stars.</b><b>SUMMARY</b>This story is told from two points of view; Anna and Morgan. Anna is an artist in 1939, who created a WPA post office mural in Edenton, NC but mysteriously disappeared before completing the mural. Morgan is a former art student, current prisoner in 2018 who was offered the opportunity to restore the mural in return for getting out of jail early. As Morgan works on the restoration, becomes increasingly curious about Anna begins to look for answers about her disappearance.I really don't want to give much detail because it's so amazing to read the story the way the author, Diane Chamberlain, laid it out. Chamberlain certainly knows how to tell a story; slowly doling out little nuggets of information making the reader unable to think about anything but picking the book up again and finishing it ASAP!<b>WHAT I LOVED</b>Diane Chamberlain really knows how to write the South. She understands the nuances and subtle differences that give it it's unique character. She also writes fascinating characters and knows how to portray relatable women.There was a lot packed into this story; alcohol dependency, the prison system, racial injustice, sexual and physical abuse and redemption. The story was based in small town NC, Anna's part taking place in 1939-1940. During Anna's narrative, Edenton was basically run by white men, leaving both women and African Americans bound by the rules and limitations dictated by these men. Anna was from a New Jersey suburb of NYC and was not accustomed to these southern small town mores, her naivety about these conventions played a large role in her story. I absolutely <b>loved</b> Anna, she was so loyal and held onto her beliefs even when it was exceptionally uncomfortable for her to do so.I really loved Morgan. Writing a story with a female ex-con for a main character was an unusual choice for a book like this. I truly didn't think she would be such a sympathetic and fascinating character, but she turned out to be such a great choice.Although I loved all the aforementioned things in this book, the absolute best part of it was the plot. The plot was what help me totally and completely glued to my kindle. I had no choice but to keep reading, I needed to find out what was going to happen next. It was just <b>so darn good</b>!!!!<b>WHAT I DIDN'T LOVE</b>Clearly I loved just about everything about this book but there was one twist near the end that I found a little too coincidental. I mean, it would have explained one mystery, but it was just hard for me to wrap my head around.<b>OVERALL</b>Such an amazing story!!!! I loved it so for that I feel sorry for the next book I read. It's going to be a hard book to follow! I highly recommend reading it, I don't think my review is doing it justice.

Good mystery with art restoration as a backdrop. Reads easy.

I love the way Diane Chamberlain writes. This book is especially good with some unexpected twists and turns. You almost need to read this in one sitting or pay close attention to who’s who. The past meets the future eventually.

Quite a great story this one was!Big Lies in a Small Town has the voices of two women, Ana Dale and Morgan Christopher. One's past and one's present connected in the most unusual way.Morgan Christopher has had a rough time. She is only twenty-two but she has already known tragedy. She has a problem with alcohol and she was involved in a car accident. She not only lost faith in her boyfriend Greg that night, but she also lost her freedom. She has been in prison serving her sentence in Raleigh, NC until she's offered a deal of a lifetime. In his will, a famous artist, Jesse Jameson Williams, has requested for her to restore a post office mural done by a female artist in the 1940s. A new lawyer will work on her release if she accepts the job.In the 1940s, Ana Dale has won a national mural painting in the town of Edenton, NC. As an artist, recently out of school, she’s excited to have won the competition and she can’t wait to begin painting it. Her mother recently committed suicide and a change in venue is something Ana welcomes. What Anna was not expecting is for the "movers and shakers" of Edenton to have their own opinions about what she should draw, or for a local artist to be jealous of her winning the competition instead of him or for racism to be so prevalent around her and her mural.Little by little as the story progresses, we learn more about these two women’s lives in different timelines. Their voices were powerful and demanding of the reader's attention.Diana Chamberlain is a master at threading an interesting story and transporting us to the past and making us live the moment in time.4.5/5 Fangs

Good read

When I read a book that's recommended and that I really like, I am hooked on reading more books written by that author. Big Lies in a Small Town by Diane Chamberlain was one of the best books I've read in a very long time. It was a page turner. I woke up at 5 am to finish the book. The stories of three characters that intertwined throughout the book came together beautifully and left me spellbound at the end. I still have goosebumps! This is the first Diane Chamberlain book I have read. Just like many of my favorite authors (Kristen Hannah, Lisa Scottoline, Mary Kay Andrews to name a few), I will now read every book she has written, just as I have the above mentioned authors. Thank you Ms.Chamberlain! I live in NC and love Edenton. I'm ready to revisit and re-imagine the lives of Anna, Morgan, and Jesse.

Very well written novel by Diane Chamberlain. She writes chapter after chapter building the plot line and increasing the suspense to know what the next chapter will bring. It is easy to follow the plot as she lays out both the present and past timelines of the two main characters, because she labels the chapters for us.! I found this book as good as the other books I have read by Diane!

In 2018, when Morgan was offered a job to restore a mural painted by artist Anna Dale in 1940, she jumped at the chance although she had never done that kind of work before. But since she was in prison and would have to be released on parole to travel to Edenton, North Carolina where the new gallery to showcase the work of Jesse Jameson Williams was and where the mural would eventually be hung, she readily agreed to the terms of the release, that she be finished by the gallery opening date of August 5th. That was only two months away and her lack of experience in conservation and restoration was limited. But staying in prison easily convinced her to accept the challenge.This fascinating story switches between 1940 with Anna painting the original mural, and 2018 with Morgan restoring it. Explaining more would only take away the pleasure of learning about these two women and ruin a great story.I have added other Diane Chamberlain books to my wish list because of the total enjoyment of this book and can't wait to read what else she has written.

In my opinion the title of this book hides what a good story it is .I thoroughly enjoyed the book , it was captivating 😊

There is a lot of intrigue- murder, interaction between the white folk & the coloured.

I found the two story lines intriguing, definitely keeping my interest to the end. From the prologue the reader knows it's not going to end well for someone, in fact you even know when this will happen and gradually as the time neared I could see how it would be. This certainly increased the tension and had me thinking ahead to how the main characters would be effected. Morgan's story is less tense but I was interested in the restoration process. The stories are a bit prolonged, especially initially and the title is a bit too close to Big Little Lies (great book) which I think is a mistake and unnecessary for an established writer like DC (there aren't any big lies anyway), but I would recommend.

<b>**4 stars**I always forget how much I love Diane Chamberlain, until I open up another one! </b>I fell in love with the characters in this book. All of them. They were told beautifully and the story came together so well.This book spans over 65 years, and centres around two women: Anna Dale and Morgan Christopher.2018 North Carolina: Morgan Christoper has destroyed her life. In prison for a crime she didn't commit, kicked out of Art School, her family disowns her, no friends, and no prospects. Suddenly, Morgan is offered a Get Out of Jail Free Card (both literally and figuratively), she is asked to restore a mural by obscure artist Anna Dale. Digging beneath the dirt and grime of the mural, Morgan begins to uncover some strange elements in the mural and she becomes desperate to learn more about Anna Dale...1940 North Carolina: Anna Dale, a young artist from New Jersey, wins a competition and is chosen to create a mural for a sleepy North Carolina post office. Immerse in a town with people she doesn't know, prejudices she doesn't understand, and gender roles she doesn't conform to- it is clear that Anna Dale does not fit in to the sleepy town where secrets are kept, lies are told, and murders occur...This book takes on some interesting looks at:-Mental health-Abusive relationships-Ration discrimination-Sexual abuse-Physical abuse-Gender normsI loved it and would highly recommend it!