I could not put this book down, I loved it. I have read many books by Diane Chamberlain and have loved them all and I was not disappointed with this one. As you read you have a feeling that the characters are going to be linked in some way but it keeps you guessing till the end. Diane wrote the chapters with one main character in one year then the other main character in the other year so as you read about one that then left you wanting more you would then need to read the next to get back to the character, before you know it you are flying through the book.

Big Lies in a Small Town has a dual timeline with the first story taking place in the present day where a young woman Morgan Christopher is released from prison with the second narrative set in 1940 where a 22 year old artist Anna Dale is commissioned to paint a mural in a little town in North Carolina. When I started reading the book I initially preferred Morgan's story, keen to learn how she ended up in prison, but the more I read the more I became hooked on the developments of Anna's story line which started to take unexpected turns. Anna is warmly welcomed to the small town of Edenton, as much as an unmarried female artist in the 40s in the South could be. But when she befriends a 17 year old black boy who shows great talent in art, people become less understanding and the town's prejudice become apparent. Having two different timelines in a book can be tricky, but it worked perfectly here and the two stories came together nicely in the end.

You can tell that Diane Chamberlain has done an incredible amount of research in order to put this mystery together creating an atmospheric novel with vivid descriptions of the place and time. I thoroughly enjoyed finding out more about the life in Nort Carolina in 1940 and the history of Edenton, as well as learning about the artistic elements of the book such as mural painting and restoration. This was my first book by the talented author and I look forward to reading more of ber books.

Many thanks to Pan Macmillan for my review copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was given an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest and independent review.
I am a massive Diane Chamberlain fan and have read most of her books so was super excited to read this.
It certainly did not disappoint- a rich tapestry of stories related over several different eras. Wonderful descriptive narrative and detailed characters.
I was drawn deeply into the two stories and loved the way they linked.
An amazing read which kept me hooked from the start.
5 Stars

Wow what a gripping read. I’ve read a few books by this author & this one did not disappoint would recommend this to anyone.

Diane Chamberlain never disappoints, this is a well researched, original story. Didn’t want it to end, highly recommend.

Absolutely loved this book!

Well written, engaging story and something a bit different too. This deserves the 5 stars.

I read this in a couple of sittings as it had my attention from the beginning. A very easy read with characters that were easy to connect with and understand. A thoroughly enjoyable story.

Highly recommended to all.

Thank you Pam Macmillan and NetGalley.

Wow I loved this book and couldn’t put it sown. From the first page this was a great story and I was desperate to know what was the mystery behind the painter Anna Dale and what happened to her and why Morgan Christopher has been released from prison on parole under the condition that she restore Anna’s missing mural in time for the opening of the new art gallery and in order to allow famous artist Jesse Williams wishes to be fulfilled. Who was Anna Dale and did she really go bad and what happened to her mural and how come Jesse Williams has found it. Morgan also has to understand why she would be the only one chosen to restore the work and learn to forgive herself for what happened to put her in jail. The ending of this story does not disappoint.

I've read many Diane Chamberlain books and they never fail to entertain me. I enjoyed the story told in two time zones and the stories of Morgan and Anna.. Well written and we'll researched I would recommend this book.

Thanks to NetGalley for my copy.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I love this author and wow was this a gripping read, great characters and I can only give this 5 stars,

What an amazing novel from start to finish . Spanning two generations with strong female characters with twists and turns throughout . You will not be disappointed and this is a book for one sitting as you will be unable to put it down until the end .

When ever I’m looking to escape the world of crime/psychological thrillers, there are a couple of authors whose books I turn too. Diane Chamberlain has long been one such author. Big Lies In A Small Town the authors latest offering is a compelling read set in the Deep South, spanning two time periods. Part mystery, part historical fiction this book explores thought provoking issues of racism, bigotry, mental health, and a conspiracy of small town secrets.

Two women separated by time, with two very different story’s and yet there is something that bind the two together. First the reader is introduced to Morgan Christopher, (set in 2018) a young girl who while in prison for a crime she didn’t commit, is commissioned to restore a mural that has been hidden for many years. Then we have Anna Dale, the winner of a competition to create a mural for a small town post office in the South in the 1940s, the very mural Morgan is now working on.

One of the things I admire about this authors writing is her richly detailed historical descriptions of her setting, in this instance it’s a small town North Carolina, you get a sense of an inviting small town, but scratch below the surface and it’s a town that’s home to narrow-minded bigots. A place where misconceptions, and prejudice are rife. There is much mystery surrounding the mural, and its creator Anne,but it’s a mystery that captivates the reader.

The author has a gift for creating characters, that are vivid and beautifully drawn. Both woman face overwhelming challenges, but it’s these very challenges that make these women such strong and likeable characters. Narrated across two timeframes, the author has seamlessly woven both woman’s stories together, creating an emotionally engaging story. I had one tiny niggle I found the ending a little to predictable but never the less I found Big Lies In A Small Town to be a throughly entertaining read

I’ve read all of Diane Chamberlain’s previous works so I’m a self confessed fan already, but I really loved this book.

We first meet Morgan Christopher, a young artist serving time in prison for a crime she didn’t commit. She is asked to restore artwork for a gallery opening, by a artist named Anna Dale. The timeline is split between Anna in the 1940s and Morgan in the present. I found both of these characters likeable and realistic, but I particularly loved Anna. I enjoyed her view of the world in 1940 and found her brave and exciting.

I have no intention of spoiling this magnificent book by ruining any of the plot, but I will say that the twists were superbly executed and the pace of the book was flawless.

As always, I look forward to reading this fantastic author’s next offering! Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my copy of this book.

I really enjoyed this book so much. It has a really great plot, superb main characters and I read it in one sitting. I would highly recommend this book.

I have been a fan of this author for a long time, so was grateful to receive a copy of this. As with Chamberlain's other books, the story is a blend of twists and turns and human emotion. I was hooked from the start, and this didn't falter throughout. A great read, for anyone who loves mystery and intrigue.

My first ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ of 2020!

In 2018 Morgan Christopher took the blame for a crime she didn’t commit and finds herself serving a three year stint i. a correctional centre. Her dream of a career in art has to be put on hold, bu then she gets an offer she can’t refuse. She can be released immediately, but she has to restore an old post office mural in the sleepy southern town of Edenton. She knows nothing about art restoration, but is desperate to leave prison so she accepts. What she finds under the layers of grime is a painting that tells the story of madness, violence and a conspiracy of secrets.
North Carolina in 1940, Anna Dale an artist from New Jersey wins a national contest to paint a mural for the post office in Edenton. Alone and desperate for work she accepts, bur she soon realises she is in a town where prejudices run deep and where the price of being different might lead to murder.

I love Diane Chamberlains writing so when this appeared on Netgalley I knew I had to read it. It is told in two time frames, one in 2018 by Morgan who is restoring the mural and then in 1940 by Anna who was the original artist. It is really easy to follow and is a fantastic story. I found myself thinking about this book when I wasn’t reading it, I just couldn’t wait to get back to the stories of Morgan and Anna which I found both to be captivating.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Pan Macmillan for an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.

I have enjoyed Diane Chamberlain's work for many years and her latest offering is glorious. "Big Lies in a Small Town" unfolds across two timelines. The characters are incredibly vivid. Chamberlain captures both history and current trends beautifully. On a personal note, Diane supported the campaign to save my local library in Newarthill, Scotland, UK and I never got the chance to thank her so I hope that she sees this and feels my enormous gratitude for that and for this wonderful novel to start off the New Year.

A rivetting read spanning two time periods - the 1940s when a young artist Anna Dale has won a competition to paint a mural for the local Post Office and the present-day when a young convict Jordan Christopher is given the opportunity to complete/renovate a mural in a nearby town ahead of the opening of a new gallery. Jordan was a budding artist and takes on the commission for the obvious reasons - if she succeeds she will get a large lump sum as well as freedom (from a crime which she didn't commit although was involved in). Anna's story covers the prejudices and segregation of small town America at the start of WW2 ending with her disappearance, along with that of a young black man, Jesse Williams, who had been assisting her, before the mural was completed. Jordan immerses herself in the renovation becoming ever more engrossed with Anna's story as more and more little quirks start appearing during the cleaning. How all of the threads come together keeps the reader reading on, the language and attitudes of the 40s feel frighteningly real The only thing that marred it, and it is a pre-publication copy, is the almost complete omission of "fi" ("driving sixty- ve miles" "Lisa nally spoke" throughout. Whether there was a computer gremlin that didn't type them or some problem moving from computer to typeset I know not - but it needs xing before publication! Thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I'm a big fan of Diane Chamberlain and I was so excited to get to read this in advance of its release. Morgan is a young woman serving time in prison for a crime she didn't commit. She's visited by a woman who tells her that they can get her out of prison- on the condition that she completes a mural in a nearby town. The chapters alternate between present day with Morgan and a woman named Anna who started the mural in the 1940's. I found this book completely fascinating and I quite literally couldn't put it down and finished it in just over a day. I loved the setting of the Deep South and found the language so descriptive. I would thoroughly recommend it!

What a book, what an absolutely stunning read it’s so flipping good it took my breath away and I didn’t want it to finish I just wanted it to go on and on, but when it did finish I let out a huge satisfying sigh and oh don’t you just love it when a story makes you feel like that because when a book makes your heart sing then you know this is going to a book that will live with you forever and this is one of those.
Told in two timelines and from two very different women Morgan and Anna , both strong in their own way it’s a completely unique and beautiful story a story like no other in my humble option and I am just awestruck after reading it that I wanted to start it all over again.
I don’t want to describe the storyline I just want everyone to to just read the book as I know 100% that you will love it so please don’t miss out it is honestly that fabulous.
So massive praise to Diane Chamberlain for wonderful writing and such a exceptional read that I guess you can tell I really loved , what a way to end 2019 with a book that goes straight to the top of my favourite reads!!
My thanks also to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

After a bit of a slow start the book suddenly came alive for me and grabbed me like the tentacles of an octopus, it drew me in and I became totally immersed and invested in it. This is the story of two women in the same place at two very different periods of time. We meet Anna Dale first, in the small town of Edenton in 1939/40 where she has been commissioned by a government department to paint a mural for the Post Office. She’s from New Jersey and though not liberal by today’s standards it certainly is when compared to Edenton where views are firm and entrenched. She encounters sexism, prejudice, discrimination and attempts to control her but also conversely life saving kindness. Our second character is Jordan Christopher who in June 2018 is serving a year in prison for a DUI. To her confused delight she can leave prison early if she accepts certain conditions one of which is to restore the badly decayed mural. This commission has been given to her by recently deceased well known black artist Jesse Jameson Williams and she has to complete the task by August. The story is told in alternate storylines by Jordan and Anna and what unfolds is at times magical, at others shocking and horrifying and so it takes you on an emotional journey.

There is a lot to admire in the storytelling and the unlocking of the mystery surrounding the mural. I love the art elements and seeing the mural reveal itself a bit at a time is fascinating. I love the dual storytelling too and this flows from one character to the other very well and gives you a feeling of suspense. Though at times it is perhaps overly detailed there are some wonderful visual images that make Edenton and the characters come to life in front of your eyes. The power in the writing lies in the characters who whilst they aren’t all likeable they are so real. Anna and Jordan are women to admire. They are truthful, honourable, creative and bold. Jesse and Jesse’s family draw you in with their warmth and give you a protective hug. Oliver who helps Jordan at the gallery where the mural will be displayed, is a character you could fall in love with oh, so easily. Some of the characters from 1940 have ugly hate in their hearts and the racial divide is well portrayed and has the power to shock.

The book has so many layers and elements to it and all the ingredients of a good novel. There’s the puzzle and mystery surrounding the mural and working out why Anna painted what she did, there’s a huge mystery surrounding her and what happens in the town while she is there, there is intrigue, there’s bigotry, plenty of shocks, some horror, there’s fear and sorrow but there’s also truth and love, learning to trust again and letting go of the past, reconciling to it in order to recover and move on. Though the end is perhaps a bit contrived I really like it as after the emotional rollercoaster it’s the ending that readers crave and need. The epilogue in which the author explains about Edenton is absolutely fascinating.

Overall, a terrific read that I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend. Easy 5 stars!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan McMillan for the ARC.