Review: Big Lies in a Small Town: A Novel

Big Lies in a Small Town: A Novel by Diane Chamberlain
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have read quite a few of Chamberlain's books and loved everyone of them. But I must admit this one is now my favorite. I am not a fan of the ending (that's just me) and almost gave it 4 stars because of it. But after pondering it for a while, I realized the story itself was really worth 5 stars.

It hit me in the heart. Such a warm story which switches back and forth between Anna (1940) and Morgan (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.

This description alone got a hold of me. But when the story jumps back to Anna in the 1940s and her part in the mural, what heartaches she went through...I was totally hooked. The story kept me turning pages way past my bedtime to absorb more of this amazing story.

This is a must read. I thank #netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book and Diane Chamberlain for writing such a powerful book that makes you think about love, family, consequences, relationships and the extents people will go through to survive. Place this on your TBR list. (Available January 14, 2020)

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