Author: Diane Chamberlain
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Release Date: Jan. 14, 2020
Purchase Link: Amazon
My Rating: 5 Stunning Hearts
*A special thank you to St. Martin's Press for a copy of this arc.
Synopsis:
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 decrepit mural? Can Morgan overcome her own demons to discover what exists beneath the layers of lies?
Review:
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!
My Rating: 5 Stunning Hearts
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!
My Rating: 5 Stunning Hearts
Cross My Heart . . . xxx
♥Sandra♥
No comments:
Post a Comment