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Big Lies in a Small Town by Diane Chamberlain

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Big Lies in a Small Town

A Novel

by Diane Chamberlain

Narrator Susan Bennett

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Length 13 hours 18 minutes

Language English

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Bookseller recommendation

“The book opens in 2018 introducing you to one of its main characters, Morgan, who is an inmate of the North Carolina Correctional Facility. She is barely 21 years old and is incarcerated for a DUI - a crime that she didn't commit. During her second summer in prison, Morgan is offered an opportunity of a lifetime. Two women visit her and offer her a deal. She will be released from prison permanently and she will be paid 50K to restore a mural in a Post Office in a small town. The story contains two timelines that are weaved together beautifully. The second timeline is in 1939 which is when Anna Dale begins to paint the mural. Both main characters were multifaceted and engaging. The story is peeled back in layer and expertly laced with intrigue. I highly recommend this page turner. The narrator was a delight and delivered a 5 star performance.”
— Melinda • Buttonwood Books and Toys

Bookseller recommendation

“Big Lies in a Small Town offers an intriguing mystery that caused me to stay up way past my bedtime on several occasions. The author perfectly weaves the 1940 and the 1918 storylines throughout alternating chapters, captivating the reader with main characters Anna and Morgan, as well as a host of fascinating supporting players. The ending offers a surprise twist that catches the reader unaware. A must-read for mystery lovers as well as those who appreciate art.”
— Gayle Lovvorn • Noteworthy Bookstore

Summary
About the author
About the narrator

"Narrator Susan Bennett offers a moving performance of this multilayered story of two women whose lives are affected by a WPA mural...Overall, Bennett adds an exciting dimension to a gripping story of racism, madness, murder, and even romance." — AudioFile Magazine, Earphones Award winner

From New York Times bestselling author Diane Chamberlain comes a novel of chilling intrigue, a decades-old disappearance, and one woman’s quest to find the truth…

North Carolina, 2018:
Morgan Christopher's life has been derailed. Taking the fall for a crime she did not commit, her dream of a career in art is put on hold—until a mysterious visitor makes her an offer that will get her released from prison immediately. Her assignment: restore an old post office mural in a sleepy southern town. Morgan knows nothing about art restoration, but desperate to be free, 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 in great need of 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?

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press

Praise for Big Lies in a Small Town:

"Chamberlain’s depictions of creative beauty and perseverance across time and in the face of inevitable obstacles will keep readers turning the pages."—Publishers Weekly

"Chamberlain’s writing is reminiscent of a quilt made up of pieces from different people, places, and times, stitched together into a single, emotional story."—Booklist

Fiction Mystery & Thriller

DIANE CHAMBERLAIN is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over twenty-five novels published in over fifteen languages. Her books include Big Lies in a Small Town, The Stolen Marriage and The Dream Daughter. She lives in North Carolina with her partner, photographer John Pagliuca, and her sheltie, Cole.

Susan Bennett is known for her radio and television voiceover work. She has narrated a host of audiobooks, including those from bestselling authors Peggy Post, Linda Francis Lee, Dorothea Benton Frank, Emma McLaughlin, and Nicola Kraus. Her reading of Tiger, Tiger by Margaux Fragoso won an AudioFile Earphones Award. In describing Susan’s reading style, Publishers Weekly has said, “Bennett's narration is excellent: she draws the listener into the story... keeping the pacing brisk and entertaining.” Susan also dabbles in the music industry as the singer and keyboardist for The Interactive! Band. Along with her guitarist husband, Rick Hinkle, Bennett is the co-owner of Audiocam Music, a full service recording studio.