Big Lies in a Small Town
by Diane Chamberlain
From New York Times bestselling author Diane Chamberlain comes a novel of chilling intrigue, a decades-old disappearance, and one woman’s quest to find the truth…
North Carolina, 2018:
Morgan Christopher's life has been derailed. Taking the fall for a crime she did not commit, her dream of a career in art is put on hold—until a mysterious visitor makes her an offer that will get her released from prison immediately. Her assignment: restore an old post office mural in a sleepy southern town. Morgan knows nothing about art restoration, but desperate to be free, 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.
Morgan Christopher's life has been derailed. Taking the fall for a crime she did not commit, her dream of a career in art is put on hold—until a mysterious visitor makes her an offer that will get her released from prison immediately. Her assignment: restore an old post office mural in a sleepy southern town. Morgan knows nothing about art restoration, but desperate to be free, 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 in great need of 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.
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 in great need of 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?
Momma Says: 4 stars⭐⭐⭐⭐
Big Lies in a Small Town is a brilliant mix of historical and contemporary fiction. It's told in dual points of view, one in the past and one in the present. It also switches back and forth between first and third person, and in a lot of cases, that switch back and forth is distracting at best. However, it somehow works with this story. Another thing that impressed me was that I was equally interested in both women's stories. A lot of times, when I read a book done like this one, I'll tend to lean toward one character or another and will anxiously rush through the other parts to get back to that character, but I didn't have that problem with this book, not even once. Diane Chamberlain certainly knows how to weave a tale, and I found this one thoroughly captivating. I won't go into the details of this book because it's one of those that if I start saying anything, I'll want to go on, and you'll get no spoilers from me. What I will say is this is a story that I won't soon forget and I highly recommend it.
❃❃ARC courtesy of NetGalley and St. Martin's Press
Big Lies in a Small Town is a brilliant mix of historical and contemporary fiction. It's told in dual points of view, one in the past and one in the present. It also switches back and forth between first and third person, and in a lot of cases, that switch back and forth is distracting at best. However, it somehow works with this story. Another thing that impressed me was that I was equally interested in both women's stories. A lot of times, when I read a book done like this one, I'll tend to lean toward one character or another and will anxiously rush through the other parts to get back to that character, but I didn't have that problem with this book, not even once. Diane Chamberlain certainly knows how to weave a tale, and I found this one thoroughly captivating. I won't go into the details of this book because it's one of those that if I start saying anything, I'll want to go on, and you'll get no spoilers from me. What I will say is this is a story that I won't soon forget and I highly recommend it.
❃❃ARC courtesy of NetGalley and St. Martin's Press
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