What a good story ! And, without revealing too much, the accuracy of the description of feelings is absolutely incredible ! What "finesse" ! Everyone has a photo album, and, from now on, I bet all the readers will stare at their pictures with "another" eye ! The book raises many questions about "what if" . The plot could be close to a fairy tale, mixed up with questions we ought to ask sometimes about ourselves. David Rawlings got true talent to slowing compose a picture of our ways to communicate, in time of crisis. This is mind blowing. The quality of the descriptions are a pure joy. This is not a script for a movie, the author, in simple words and very easy to follow narrative, brush a picture of some of our contemporaries. I strongly recommend !

I received a copy in echange for a fair review. All opinions are mine.

The Camera Never Lies by David Rawlings

This book contained a unique concept—a camera that tells the truth in the photographs that it produces. Daniel inherits the camera from his beloved Gramps and is shocked at the images he receives from the photo lab. When faced with the truth about the people and situations in his life, he has a dilemma: continue to hide the truth while risking the debilitating consequences or own up to the truth, facing the painful consequences and escaping the dire predictions of the photographs. His marriage to Kelly and the health and life of their child hang in the balance.

This book was a departure from the type of fiction I normally read, but I enjoyed it. The story was thought-provoking and the plot contained an unexpected surprise. The characters were well-drawn and felt real. The author’s proposition—a camera that tells the truth—was interesting and kept me reading. I am still pondering the book’s message.
A reader who enjoys fiction with an intriguing message and a bit of improbability in the plot, will most likely enjoy this book. I received a free copy from the publisher for this, my honest review.

Truth. What is it? Is it what we see when we look at a person or so buried that it takes a special camera to reveal it? David Rawlings weaves an interesting story answering just those questions. This was not a fun, lighthearted read. In fact, it was quite depressing in parts and the story felt a little like it wasn’t getting very far very fast. But fortunately the end brought healing and a clarity for this little family.

After his beloved grandfather's funeral, Daniel Whitely receives the prized and mysterious camera his grandfather purchased a decade ago. Seeing the photos developed over the next three weeks, and guided by a charismatic - if not slightly mysterious - photo lab technician, Daniel embarks on a journey of discovery and clarity.

The idea for this book felt original and fantastical, but the narrative was very repetitive with poor character development. The characters lacked tangible depth and substance - I had a difficult time feeling compassion for any of them. I would have enjoyed more backstory for each of the main characters, as well. A smattering of quirks or more substantial inner dialogue instead of a constant repetition of action.

I think this novel will find a good consistent three-star "beach read" following, but it just felt a little too choppy and poorly executed for my tastes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I finished this book so that I could review it, however, it was nothing but repetitive with poor character development and conversations that started, stopped and never concluded. I did not connect to the characters or the plot due to the sluggish writing and repetitive details. It seemed to be a vehicle for preaching about a god like figure without any explanation if that is what the mysterious man was. A camera that shows truths....was more like a tattling friend. Really was a waste of my time.

Absolutely loved this book! The story flows, the characters are fascinating and I couldn't tear myself away. Highly recommended.

You start off thinking this book has potential but it quickly lets you down. As you read on there is no rhyme or reason to this story just you can`t keep secrets.

I received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

While this book may seem like a fast and easy read, I suggest you take your time with it. The wisdom found in this book could save you a lot of trouble. The story is about a marriage counselor and his family. He is a successful author but is pressured into writing another book. He has trouble coming up with a new idea. While he struggles with this, his life, his family, and all those around him are spiraling out of control. This book deals with truth and how we handle it. Do you run from it? Try to hide the truth? Deny the truth? I love how the author uses the magic of the surreal to deliver his message. It draws you into the fantasy but leaves you thinking. His study questions at the end are not "homework" as he puts it. Rather suggestions for personal introspection. I look forward to his next book.

I was intrigued by this book when I read the blurb of it. The Camera Never Lies is tells the story of marriage counselor Daniel who inherits an old camera from his late grandfather. As Daniel develops pictures from the camera, the pictures show the true thoughts and actions of the subjects rather than the perfect life that people try to portray to the world.

This was a quick read and an interesting take on the theme of accepting honesty with ourselves and others.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.

4 star
The Camera Never Lies by David Rawlings is a profoundly moving story. The camera is a bequest from Gramps after he passes away. It shows the whole truth of the lives of those whose pictures are taken. Rawlings has written an extraordinary book that grabs you from the first page and doesn’t let go. I have never read another book quite like this, which considering how many books I have read is astounding!
The only negative aspect of this book is the length. It is quite a short book so it doesn’t allow for as much character development as longer books do. Everything just wraps of too neatly at the end leaving the reader to make a number of assumptions.
The flaws are more than made up for in the quality of the book, so I highly recommend it.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. The views given are my own.

This book presents a very clever concept. A very old camera is bequeathed to Daniel by his grandfather, but the camera’s pictures show the hidden truths rather than what is visible through the viewfinder. Daniel’s personal and professional lives are all affected by this discovery. The novel is a very intriguing page-turner that had me considering what this camera’s pictures would show about my own life. Excellent! Thanks to NetGalley for providing a preprint.

The story was interesting and I kept reading to see where the author was going with the premise, however the characters were quite flat and uninteresting.
I received this book free from the publisher for the purpose of an honest review.

In THE CAMERA NEVER LIES, DAVID RAWLINGS has given us another modern day parable with a solid story and a really good message. As was the case in The Baggage Handler, he has given us a great deal to think about. It is well written and we are drawn into the characters' struggles.
The Whiteley family is in a bad way and, although Daniel is a top psychologist with a masters degree in counselling and a best selling book called No Secrets, he can neither "fix" his marriage nor can he "fix" his twelve year old daughter, Milly.
Bring in Gramps' old camera and an unusual photographic shop run by a man called Simon, and Daniel and Kelly have a decision to make - to either see their daughter self destruct, or to come clean and have no secrets. Both Simon and the old camera play a huge part in the story.
This is a really excellent book and one I cannot recommend highly enough.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Thomas Nelson. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

From beginning to end I was intrigued with this book. David Rawlings took a new and unique approach in asking the reader what if cameras captured whats in our soul instead of what we see with our eyes because in this book, Rawlings plays around with what is in our eyes and things might not always be as we see them but when they are shot with a camera, they never lie. This is the first time I have read a book and have been taught a valuable lesson at the same time. I have read many books with strong themes and captivating messages but none that have really stuck with me as The Camera Never Lies. I know our patrons will be very fond of this book and will want to read it right away and I can't wait to share it with them.

We will consider adding this title to our Adult Fiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

The Camera Never Lies is a novel that tells the story of Daniel, a marriage counsellor and bestseller author, who is going through some trouble in his own marriage. One day he inherits an unusual camera from his grandfather. A camera that will show him the truth about his life, his marriage and himself.

The Camera Never Lies is what I would call a “beach read”. It is an entertaining, well-written book with interesting characters, but I’ll forget all about it tomorrow. Definitely recommended if you are in the mood for a fun and easy read.

3 stars.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson and #netgalley for letting me read and review The Camera Never Lies by David Rawlings. This was a fascinating book. Having been a counselor myself it was so interesting to see this profession from a different angle. A man receives his grandfathers camera when he dies and the pictures show the truth. Not how someone really looks but how they FEEL and what their attitudes are. It shows that his marriage and family are in trouble and how he and his wife get back to fixing things. I’ve never read a book quite like it but I really enjoyed it.

I usually don't like magical type books, but this one did intrigue me. As much as you can see a lot of the plot lines coming, the way the story unfolds makes it a fun read. The characters are pretty well drawn, and Daniel is a piece of work.
The mysterious letter from dead grandpa, a antique camera that produces photos of 'amazing clarity' but disturbing content, layers of secrets and deceptions all combine to shatter some carefully constructed pretenses.
Even though `the right things happen and the ending is nicely predictable and satisfying, the process of the unravelling is interesting to follow.

I couldn't finish. I really wanted to because I liked the character of the Grandfather, even though he has passed at the start of this book. The writing felt more like a first draft, and it did not hold my interest.

The writing style was so rough that I just couldn't get into this. I didn't finish it. It seems to be a very immature writing voice.

Daniel Whitely is a successful marriage counselor and bestselling author, yet his own marriage is in crisis and his daughter is drifting further away each day. To make matters worse, the deadline for his second book has come and gone, and he still hasn’t written a single word.

When Daniel inherits an old camera from his grandfather, he notices an inscription on the bottom: “No matter what you think you might see, the camera never lies.”

Daniel begins using the camera, but every time he develops his photos, they threaten to reveal secrets that could sabotage both his marriage and his career—exposing him as a fraud and destroying the life he has worked so hard to build.

He’s faced with a choice: keep his secrets and save his career or come clean and possibly save his family. Which will he choose? Which would you choose?


David Rawlings writes books that challenge one to think. In Unclaimed Baggage, the story stayed with me. I think back to it often and have read it several times.
In The Camera Never Lies, well again you question your lies, others lie, and how you value those lies until you are backed into what lies can cost you. Another amazingly great book by David Rawlings.

Thanks, NetGalley for the advance copy to review.