Thank you NetGalley for an ARC edition.

This book had me from the very beginning. The story follows two artists from two different times and how their lives intersect. Both women are flawed and troubled but through their art they overcome their challenges. Anna's story is set in 1940 having been selected as one of the 48 muralists to create art for a Post Office, one in each state. Morgan's story takes place in 2018 in the same small town in North Carolina where she is tasked to restore Anna's mural. While I was more drawn to Morgan's story, Anna's really depicts the challenges of small town south with its racial prejudice and women should be at home making babies. I have never read any of Ms. Chamberlain's books but now I need to look into her others.

I am a huge Diane Chamberlain fan and have read all of her books! I was thrilled to be invited by the publisher to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. This story does not disappoint.. Full of romance, intrigue, and mystery. A very beautifully interwoven story of 2 women artists, 1 in the 1940's and one from present day. Their involvement with a government sponsored mural in a small town in North Carolina. Definitely a page turner!

Diane Chamberlain is sure to have a hit on her hands with Big Lies in a small Town!
In this book, Morgan is a young woman who goes to prison for a crime that she did not commit, and was offered early parole in exchange for restoring an art mural by a set time. Morgan didn't know why she was specifically sought after for this special project but getting out of prison early was certainly a very high incentive for her to comply with the terms of the agreement that were set forth.Morgan needed to do extensive research on art restoration and partner with another worker Oliver in order to complete the project within the time constraints.
This book offers mystery, intrigue, and romance all rolled together and the story ties together beautifully in the end when all of the pieces of the puzzle fall into place.
You will surely find yourself racing to the end of the book, as this is definitely a page turner that will keep you on the edge of your seat!
Many thanks to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my review.

First book by this author but definitely won't be the last! She pulled me in to the small Southern town of Edenton and I became immersed in unraveling the secrets of Anna's life, right along with Morgan. The alternating timelines worked well and weren't confusing, as is sometimes the case. Very well written, well paced, and the plot unfolded in such a way that I didn't want to put the book down when life's demands intruded. There was a plot line left dangling at the end, which frustrates me a little bit, but it's not something that will affect my rating, as I understand why it was left that way.

I picked up this book on a whim because the blurb sounded very intriguing with its past and present narratives and a small mystery at it’s centre.
Anna Dale gets a commission to do a mural for Edenton Post Office in 1939, something which captures the essence of the town. In 2018, Morgan Christopher gets out on parole on the condition that she help restore an old uncompleted mural for the opening of world renowned artist Jesse Williams art gallery. The rest of the book slowly unravels the secrets behind the mysterious mural and the artist who created it.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It had a nice steady pace and kept me guessing till the end. I was able to predict part of the ending but there was still enough twists at the end to catch me unawares. Definitely recommended for fans of art, historical fiction and light mysteries.

Full disclosure, I love Diane Chamberlain's books. I have been reading her novels for years. She was the reason for my vacation to the Outer Banks, her descriptions of those beautiful barrier islands had me dreaming of historical houses and stormy weather. This,her newest novel was available on Netgalley and I thank them for this ARC. This will be an honest review.
Another corker from Chamberlain, I like how she is adapting her writing style to true out new ways to tell her tales. The duel stories across different eras is beautifully done, no confusion and the timelines work so well together. Anna Dale is a forward thinking girl thrown into the conservative South by a painting competition. Her enthusiasm and strong ways both woo and repel the locals and after a tragedy it all starts to fall apart for her. Morgan's life has already fallen apart but then a strange encounter gives her a second chance and she jumps at it even though she is woefully unprepared for what's ahead. Her connection to Anna through Anna's painting that Morgan has been asked to refinish grows stronger every day. Why would Anna have drawn skulls and drops of blood in her mural of Edenton, North Carolina? What happened to the artist who people said went crazy and disappeared?
Read on to find out!

Thank you for the early copy from NetGalley.

This book was so great. Truly unputdownable and it kept me up all night reading.

I devoured this book! I needed something to occupy my time as I flew to Italy from the southwestern USA. This was perfect. I didn’t want to stop reading when we landed in Philadelphia, and I picked it up as soon as possible when I had changed planes and was in the air again. The story is told from two perspectives. In 2018, Morgan, down on her luck and unhappy, is told that she has been chosen by a great artist who has passed away to restore an old mural that he possessed for many years. She has no idea why this artist, who she has always admired, wanted her in particular, as she has never done this sort of thing before. When she sees the mural, she’s even more perplexed by what she finds underneath the grime that has accumulated since 1939. Anna was the original painter, and her story has many twists and turns. Where has she been since the mural was done all those years ago? Why did she paint what she did? As Morgan learns more about Anna, we follow along and uncover Anna’s story too. Morgan’s life is changing all along as well. By the middle of the book, you can’t wait to find out how things came to be as they are and where they’re going from here. Both for Anna and Morgan. Mystery, intrigue, and even a bit of romance makes this book a great read to savor on a rainy afternoon or two.

Diane Chamberlain is one of my favorite authors and this new book doesn’t disappoint. Her writing is crisp and clear, evoking not only present day but the early 1940s. The story goes back and forth between the present and the past with two young women artists whose lives have changed by their work on a government sponsored mural project in a small town in North Carolina.
I am so happy to recommend this book highly!

Told in split time, this is the story of two artists, both of whom were helped in some way by a recently deceased famous artist. Morgan gets out of jail on parole on the condition that she restore a badly damaged mural in time for a gallery opening. She has a lot to do to put her life back together, but can't help becoming intrigued by what she can find out about Anna, the mural's original artist who added disturbing elements to the mural at the last minute. The author intertwines the stories beautifully, with just the right amount of plot twists and suspense.

A bit slow in the beginning, “Big Lies in a Small Town”, Diane Chamberlain (St. Martin’s Press), turns out to be a compelling story about two women and two different time periods, delving into issues of racial relations and prejudices, crime, punishment, guilt and expiation.
Set in a small town in North Carolina, the book also shows how friendship, solidarity and human bonds can arise in the most unexpected circumstances and places.
Some parts were more captivating than others, but I was intrigued until the end.
I loved the beautiful, meaningful romantic relationship, even if its resolution feelt like a beginning happening only at the very end of the story. When I finished, I felt I had to reread it in a whole new light. Totally worth it!

This was a fascinating story told in two voices...one in the present, one from the past. Historically interesting with the Great Mural competition during the Great Depression. Anna Dale and Morgan have nothing and everything in common. A very real villain keeps this story interesting. Highly recommended

One of the best books I’ve read in a long time.I hope to see it on the bestseller lists.
The story follows two parallel story lines that merge together to an absolutely glorious ending .Reading this book will have you sitting on the edge of you seat waiting to see what happens next.
Thankyou Netgalley and St Martins press for this ARC

I absolutely loved this book!
The chapters alternate between 1940 and 2018 .
In 1940 an artist is chosen to paint a mural for a small town in North Carolina. In 2018, an artist is chosen to restore the mural.
It is a complex story of the 2 artists who are involved. It was fascinating.
I have read many books by Diane Chamberlain and this was one of the best. You don’t want it to end and at the same time, you need to know what’s happening

Diane Chamberlain has done it again! This is a heart-breaking story that will ultimately leave you with a few tears of satisfaction. Morgan, wrongly imprisoned for a DUI, is suddenly paroled and tasked with the job of restoring a centuries-old mural that Anna Dale painted to hang in the post office. But while Morgan is an art student, she knows nothing about restoration and must fake her way through to avoid returning to prison. But what the book is really about is the history of the mural. Going back and forth from present to past, Chamberlain slowly unfolds the story of Anna and the prejudice she faces in the small Southern town. And what is the connection between Anna and Morgan? It's such an intricate and layered novel that will suck you in and keep ahold of you until the end! I loved every minute of it!

I received this book before its publication date through NetGalley.

I loved this book. As I was reading, I was hopeful that the ending would be as good as the rest, and it lived up to my expectations. The story is told from the point of view of two characters in alternating chapters, separated by almost 80 years. I loved all of the characters, whose motivations were clear and believable, and treated with such care and humanity. It’s rare to find a book that feels so perfect. So enjoyable!

Loved this 2 setting story . Showing that once again women are strong and resilient even in the face of discrimination.

I read this book this afternoon, once I started I couldn’t put it down. I’ve read Diane Chamberlain before and this one didn’t disappoint. I loved Anna and Morgan and the difference between their lives. I’m not a fan of art at all but quickly was entranced with the restoration work and was intrigued with the storyline. A jolly good sunny day read.

North Carolina, 2018: Morgan Christopher is serving a three-year sentence in the North Carolina Women's Correctional Center for a crime that she didn't commit. She took the fall for her law student boyfriend, the man of her dreams, while he left her at the scene of the crime and ran away. All of her plans are on hold while she tries to survive prison life. Her life takes a change for the better when a woman and her lawyer show up with an offer that Morgan can't refuse. If Morgan agrees to restore an old post office mural, she will be immediately released from prison. Morgan knows nothing about art restoration, but desperate to leave prison, she accepts.

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. Her mother recently died and Anna accepts. Anna soon finds herself immersed in the norms of the South and life in a small town. Prejudice runs deep and Anna naively thinks she can mentor a talented young black man and potential artist. The townspeople believe that a local portrait artist should have been chosen to paint the mural and resentments build until violence erupts and changes the course of Anna's life.

Told in the alternating voices of Morgan and Anna, Chamberlain weaves a spellbinding, disturbing story of betrayal, love, and friendship. I was immediately drawn into the book and loved every second of the story. Definitely a story that I will recommend to family and friends. Chamberlain gets better and better at her masterful plot lines. The characters came to life for me and I didn't want the book to end. Bravo!

This is a fascinating story that goes back and forth between 1940 and the present time. Anna Dale, a talented artist is the winner of a 48-States Mural Competition.where her mural will be hung in the Edenton, North Carolina Post Office. Anna, age 22, goes to Edenton to become familliar with the area to determine what should be on the mural that will represent the town. She ends up staying and painting the mural there. The town welcomes her with mixed emotions; excited about the mural, surprised a woman won the competition, and very upset a local male artist didn't win. Anna finds a place to live, the mayor of the town shows her a large warehouse that she can use for her studio, so she begins. She gets some help from students interested in art, from the local high school. One of the very talented students is a young black boy. There is much controversy over his presence at the studio, This is the South in 1940, and many don't think young Jesse Jameson Williams should be in the studio with a white woman. Anna recognized a tremendous artistic talent and does what she can to encourage and teach him. Fast forward to the present time, when Morgan, a young women who had been an art at major in college ended up in prison for a terrible car accident when both she and her boyfriend were drunk. She is sentenced to three years, and has served one when she is unexpectedly released into the custody of Lisa Williams, the adult daughter of Jesse Jameson Williams, who recently died but specified in his will that Morgan would restore the mural that had never hung in the Post Office, but was to be hung in Jesse Jameson William's art Gallery. The situations that both Anna and Morgan encountered kept me up, turning the pages of this book. It's one of the most amazing, imaginative stories I have read.