Book Review: The First Lie by Diane Chamberlain

The First Lie by Diane Chamberlain

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Publish Date: June 4, 2013

Short Story
eBook, 35 pages
Fiction, Historical
 ISBN: 9781466839403

My Review:
The First Lie is an interesting first look into the world/history behind Necessary Lies by Diane Chamberlain that will release in September.  It's a quick short story, but poignant and it definitely has me intrigued and ready for another one of Diane's wonderful novels.

Character Development:
It's a short story, but in the few pages (~35) we get to know a little bit about Ivy and her family and also about some of the surrounding families.  Again since it's so short, it's not a lot of development, but Ms. Chamberlain does a lot with a short number of pages.  I want to know more about Ivy and Mary, but I get a good feeling for them in the short story.

Plot:
The plot starts off with a bang, where was Ivy and why is she sneaking in late and what is happening to Mary Ellen.  But Ms. Chamberlain quickly explains both things and moves the story along.  A lot happens in 35 pages.  It's a very quick enjoyable read.  I felt like things are setting up well for Necessary Lies, yet I read a nice complete story in The First Lie.

Final Thoughts:
If you enjoy books by Diane Chamberlain, then you will want to read The First Lie and it will have you clamoring for Necessary Lies.  If you haven't read Diane Chamberlain, what are you waiting for?  Dive right in with the short story and get a feel for the world she creates.  I love her fiction, such realistic and heartfelt stories and The First Lie does not disappoint.  Give it a read and let me know what you think!

My Rating: 5.0/5.0


About the Book:
An e-original short story that sets the stage for bestselling author Diane Chamberlain’s upcoming novel Necessary Lies (September 2013).

The First Lie gives readers an early glimpse into the life of thirteen-year-old Ivy Hart. It’s 1958 in rural North Carolina, where Ivy lives with her grandmother and sister on a tobacco farm. As tenant farmers, Ivy and her family don’t have much freedom, though she and her best friend, Henry, often sneak away in search of adventure…and their truest selves. But life on the farm takes a turn when Ivy’s teenage sister gives birth—all the while maintaining her silence about the baby’s father. Soon Ivy finds herself navigating the space between adolescence and adulthood as she tries to unravel a dark web of family secrets and make sense of her ever-evolving life in the segregated South.

About the Author (from Goodreads.com): 
I'm the author of 22 novels published in more than eleven languages. I like to write complex stories about relationships between men and women, parents and children, brothers and sisters, and friends. Although the thematic focus of my books often revolves around family, love, compassion and forgiveness, my stories usually feature a combination of suspense, mystery and intrigue.

I live in North Carolina with my significant other, photographer John Pagliuca, and my shelties, Keeper and Cole--the only non-reading members of the household!

Please visit my website and blog. I look forward to seeing you there!

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***I received this book from the publisher for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any other way except receiving the book for free.  ***