Diane Chamberlain is one of my favourite authors. Her books are sensational. Big Lies in a Small Town is now my most favourite book by her. It is a two timelines story that takes place in 1939-40 and 2018. Anna Dale, a young artist, won a government-sponsored contest to paint a mural in a small town called Edenton, North Carolina. Morgan Christopher, an in-mate with artistic talent, is bailed out of jail with a tight condition to restore a mural created by Anna Dale. The link between the two women will reveal a story of violence, secrets, friendship, and forgiveness.

This book is so well written. The panoply of emotions that is given in this tale incites the readers to fall in love with the characters and their stories. This book will keep you enthralled with each page turn so you can find out what is coming next.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for sending me an eARC of this extraordinary novel.

Thanks to Net Galley and St Martin’s Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.
Does a Diane Chamberlain book even need a review? Her followers will not be disappointed by her latest book, it’s an excellent read, I was immersed in the story from page one. A skill fully written story of two woman from the past and the present.
In 1940 Anna Dale, a young artist wins a national competition to paint a mural for a post office in Edenton, North Carolina which is very different from her home town, there is racial discrimination and lots of ideas on how woman should dress and conduct themselves. She is made welcome but causes tongues to wag when she wears trousers to paint in and one of the young art students who is helping with her large project is African American.
2018 Morgan Christopher, is in jail for a crime she did not commit. She is released on parole, with the understanding that she will restore the mural that was never finished. Morgan is small, slight, not overly talented and knows nothing about restoration work, and wonders why she has been chosen specifically for this task.
I loved both Anna and Morgan, the dual timeline weaves together perfectly, the book comes alive in both eras., and I felt like I was right there.
Both of the two woman’s stories are emotional and thought provoking.
A truly brilliant read.

Big Lies in a Small Town by Diane Chamberlain. A author who has always been a favorite of mine.
A Book of the past and the present. A book that has you wondering.

Big Lies in a Small Town is a stunning, beautifully crafted story that held me enthralled from page 1 through the end. Through dual points of view and dual timelines, the author weaves the story of two women born decades apart, their fates intertwined by one mysterious, 1940 painted mural commissioned to hang on the post office wall of small town Edenton, N.C. - although it never did. In 2018, former art student Morgan Christopher is serving time for a crime she didn't commit, but was foolish enough to confess to in the name of love. She is afforded one opportunity to get out of prison early . . . agree to restore an old, badly damaged post office mural by a certain date, and she'll be a free woman. As she meticulously strips years of grime from the painted mural, a dark, mysterious tale of the original artist begins to surface. Who was the woman who painted the mural and what happened to her?

The story that flows from the points of view of both women is totally captivating, revealing the sometimes ugly truth of the time period including racism, mental health, and preconceived notions about women and their abilities and place in society. An ominous mystery unfolds as the old mural is cleaned, leading Morgan on a mission to discover the fate of the original artist Anna Dale. A strong support cast of secondary characters add depth and realism to the plot as relationships form and shocking events are revealed. I can't say enough about the brilliant way this author delivers this riveting, dark, gritty story as it brims with emotion, heartache, and suspense. This was my first read by the multi-talented Diane Chamberlain, and I've already added more of her work to my to be read list. Big Lies in a Small Town is a compelling mystery with heart, perservance, suspense, and hope. I was simply blown away by the story and the obvious talent of Chamberlain and highly recommend it to all readers! One of my favorite reads of 2019!

Diane Chamberlain weaves the stories of two women- modern times Morgan Christopher, and Anna Dale from the 30s. Both women are tied together through Jesse Jameson a recently deceased artist, who called Edenton, NC home for a portion of his life.

Morgan has called a women’s correctional facility home the past year of her life, and is surprised when Jameson’s daughter “springs” her, so she can restore Anna Dale’s mural for Edenton, all as a portion of Jameson’s will. But WHY?

Dale won a contest to create a mural for Edenton’s Post Office, much to the chagrin of many Edenton residents. She heads to the small town to learn more about the history, the town, and its people, all the while in the midst of her own personal grief over the loss of her mother. But WHY?

Chamberlain deftly develops this page turning story, as we very quickly become connected with both Morgan and Anna’s stories, wanting to know why Dale’s painting doesn’t grace the walls of the post office, why she would deny herself the accolade, why Morgan was selected for restoring the painting, and WHY Jameson has carried this painting in his possession for a number of years, only choosing to restore it posthumously, as a portion of his will quickly becoming the contingency to executing the remaining will decrees.

I really enjoyed reading this page turning novel, as I just kept needing to read the next chapter to know what’s going to happen! I highly recommend readers that enjoy historical fiction, as well as mystery read this!

A fantastic story. I love this author and this book didn’t disappoint. For fans of Lianne Moriarity. Fantastic. Will not reveal too much. Just read this book.

I really liked the back and forth chapters between Morgan and Anna...Morgan’s repeated internal shock at her attraction to Oliver gets pretty old pretty fast (as does Morgan’s general character overall), but I liked Anna’s storyline enough that I wanted to find out how it fit together...there are definite leaps to make this story come together but I enjoyed it as a quick winter read.

I really enjoyed this book. The middle got a little slow in parts for me but I really loved the messsge of this story and loved the ending. Thank for you letting me read this book!

Thanks #NetGalley and #St.Martin'sPress for the opportunity to read #BigLiesinaSmallTown by #DianeChamberlain.
This book kept me up way past my bed-time and was worth every minute of it! I was attracted to the piece because of the art theme but was quickly drawn to the (mostly) likable characters and their personal experiences.
The style of past and current related stories kept me reading to discover the connection between the two (right to the end!).
The book spoke to the similarities of the two main characters, their determination, resilience and close friendships. A lovely story that would make a great movie!

Loved the dual timelines! This is a story that will grab readers in the beginning and keep their interest to the end. The characters are likeable and believable. Love how the two stories are woven together to create an unforeseeable outcome. The only thing I found lacking was the epilogue - I wanted more. Recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.
I enjoyed this book so much more than I thought I would. The story itself was so good; it was honestly what I want when I read. It moved fast, it was intriguing and unique, and I connected with the characters and was really involved with the story itself.
I loved the different points of view and how the stories were connected between the same town even after so many years. The most fun was becoming more interested in Anna's story the longer we were involved in Morgan's, to the point where when we finally start to get answers I feel like I was the same level of excited as Morgan was to learn more. That was really cool. I also of course loved how it all came together in the end.
I've never read any of Diane Chamberlain's books, and I wasn't sure what to expect. However, like I said, it ended up being so much more than I would've imagined and I"m so glad I was given the opportunity to read it and check out something new. I would completely recommend, and I can't wait to check out more of Ms. Chamberlain's books!

Based off of the synopsis, I wasn’t sure if I was going to enjoy the newest Diane Chamberlain. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised! And dare I say...this may be her best work yet!⁣
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This beautifully woven story was a delight to read! The dual timelines flowed seamlessly and both storylines are well crafted. I was completely caught up as the mystery unfolded and the truth came to light. Big Lies in a Small Town hooked me at the beginning and kept me captivated until the final reveal. 4⭐️ Thank you @stmartinspress for the advance reader in exchange for my honest review.

Diane Chamberlain is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors! Her newest story, Big Lies in a Small Town, features dual timelines that are equally fascinating. The ties binding the two together are interwoven perfectly throughout the story. It also features a mystery that will keep you turning the pages! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This is a story that is unlike anything I have read. I thoroughly enjoyed the plot twists, and how it all came together in the end.
The book follows the lives of two young women in two different time periods. Anna is a young artist in the early 1900s, and Morgan is an artist who is hired to restore oe of Anna's old murals. Both women are working to overcome troubles in their lives, in one way or another, and both of them are growing up and maturing as artists. In the end they both meet people that change their lives, both in good ways and in bad; and both women find a way to persevere through all life's challenges.
I have read other books by this author, and she always seems to give an easy read with a good plot attached. I will definitely read more!

Big Lies in a Small Town by Diane Chamberlain is a split time novel set in North Carolina in the 1940‘s and 2018. What a story of art, mystery, secrets, lies, racial strife, life and love. It is a story of how lives are changed and restored. The characters influence each life they touch for good or evil. There is so much depth to this book and what comes to light in the end is unbelievable. I think it will touch most hearts.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I appreciate the opportunity and thank the author and publisher for allowing me to read, enjoy and review this book. 5 Stars

Diane Chamberlin sucks me in everytime. As soon as I heard the terms of Morgan’s release from prison, I had to know why she was given this opportunity. Although at times I felt the story revealed itself slowly, it may have been my impatience to connect all the dots. Morgan and Anna were both compelling characters and I really enjoyed each of their storylines. Perhaps a sequel to learn more about Anna’s life after she left town?

Big Lies in a Small Town by Diane Chamberlain is a light, entertaining story. Although the writing is fast-paced and easy to read, there are meaningful concepts and important ideas about self-forgiveness and the power of hope to change lives. Big Lies in a Small Town would appeal to most female young-adult and adult readers. I would definitely recommend this title.

I thought this was a fantastic book by Diane Chamberlain. I love her books and this was no exception. Both women who were the focus of the book were very well written. Morgan's story takes place in 2018. She is in prison for a crime she didn't commit and she is confused when she is approached about receiving an early parole for restoring an old mural. She was an art major in school, but has no experience with art restoration, so she feels she is in over her head. I loved how much she grew over the course of those months while restoring the mural and how much she was willing to take responsibility for the mistakes she did make in her youth. She becomes obsessed with the artist of the mural, Anna Denton. The mural has some oddities that makes it seem as though she was starting to lose her mind.

Anna Dale is the other character that Chamberlain focuses on throughout the story. Anna Denton comes to a small town, Edenton, in 1940 so that she can work on a mural for the city's post office. She encountered sexism because no one can possibly believe that a girl artist could be better than the main artist of the town. There is racism as well when she allows a young black man who is an aspiring artist to help her out. There were so many small minds she encountered, as well as some generosity. I became so invested in finding out what happened to Anna Dale and why she started making such drastic and unusual changes to the mural. The author did a good job if both timelines and the buildup to what happened was wonderfully done and the secret was one I could not have guessed.

This was yet another great read from this author and I highly recommend it.

A stunning and magnificent piece of literary work. The story is told in the present from two vastly different eras. The author chronicles the life of Anna and Morgan through there challenges. It is a journey of actions and consequences and how they can affect generations to come. It mixes history, mystery and love to form a perfect mosaic. The depth of emotions tied in with the characters stories as they discover all the things they didn’t know about themselves or other connected to them is tangible. This will definitely a book you want on your bookshelf to read several times.

This was my first Diane Chamberlain book and it was enjoyable, but I didn't love it. It started off slow and took me awhile to get into it .There are many issues that are addressed including racism and drunk driving. This was an interesting mystery. Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and Diane Chamberlain for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.