Book Excerpt:
"North Carolina, 2018: Morgan Christopher's life has been derailed. Taking the fall for a crime she did not commit, she finds herself serving a three-year stint in the North Carolina Women's Correctional Center. Her dream of a career in art is put on hold—until a mysterious visitor makes her an offer that will see her released immediately. Her assignment: restore an old post office mural in a sleepy southern town. Morgan knows nothing about art restoration, but desperate to leave prison, 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 desperate for 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 old mural? Can Morgan overcome her own demons to discover what exists beneath the layers of lies?"
Title: Big Lies in a Small Town
Author: Diane Chamberlain
Publisher: St Martin's Press
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"Big Lies in a Small Town" by Diane Chamberlain
My Rationalization:
All I can say is what an excellent compelling, engaging, emotional, riveting, read 'Big Lies in a Small Town' was that this author gives to the reader. I loved how well this author's writing style provides us with a read that presents the past and present [alternating viewpoints, timeline] in this well-written story with some well-developed characters. Indeed Morgan Christopher's [2018] and Anna Dale's story [1940] was very intriguing that will keep you engrossed, turning the pages to see what was coming next as you read, seeing how the story comes together. I like how this connection with the mural on a wall in Edenton, North Caroline that bring out prejudices, small-town secrets, conspiracies, violence, murder and then disappearance.'
I found all of the questions answered as to just why Jesse would seek out Morgan and help her and to why was this 70-year-old mural canvas so significant for the opening of his gallery. I enjoyed seeing how this truth that was present changes her life in the struggles that she has gone through as she does try to make amends.
By the end of this historical fiction story, the reader is given quite exciting read that is centered around art, artists, and its history as we are given a little bit of it all from some 'mystery, art, racial tension, women's equality, abuse, lies, mental illness, family bonds, secrets, love and oh yes, a little bit of romance' involving two strong women.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for an unbiased review.
All I can say is what an excellent compelling, engaging, emotional, riveting, read 'Big Lies in a Small Town' was that this author gives to the reader. I loved how well this author's writing style provides us with a read that presents the past and present [alternating viewpoints, timeline] in this well-written story with some well-developed characters. Indeed Morgan Christopher's [2018] and Anna Dale's story [1940] was very intriguing that will keep you engrossed, turning the pages to see what was coming next as you read, seeing how the story comes together. I like how this connection with the mural on a wall in Edenton, North Caroline that bring out prejudices, small-town secrets, conspiracies, violence, murder and then disappearance.'
I found all of the questions answered as to just why Jesse would seek out Morgan and help her and to why was this 70-year-old mural canvas so significant for the opening of his gallery. I enjoyed seeing how this truth that was present changes her life in the struggles that she has gone through as she does try to make amends.
By the end of this historical fiction story, the reader is given quite exciting read that is centered around art, artists, and its history as we are given a little bit of it all from some 'mystery, art, racial tension, women's equality, abuse, lies, mental illness, family bonds, secrets, love and oh yes, a little bit of romance' involving two strong women.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for an unbiased review.
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