For once, my UK, Irish and Australian readers get to go first! For those of you in North America, your turn will come soon: September 3rd. (That’s the UK cover on the left; the North American cover on the right).

I’d wanted to write this book for many years and I’m thrilled it’s finally seeing the light of day. When I first told my agent about the idea six years ago, she talked me out of it writing it. She may have been right; it wasn’t a good time in my career to tackle such a controversial, weighty topic. But now it is, and I’m so excited to share this story, inspired by real life, with my readers.

I’ll be blogging about Necessary Lies over the next couple of months, but for now I’d just like to share some of the reviews that are pouring in.  I hope they’ll encourage you to lose yourself in Jane and Ivy’s story. And please, let me know what you think.

“Two girls names are carved inside a closet–what could have happened there? Set in the rich and morally complex territory of the rural South in 1960, the plot of this enthralling novel transfixed me from the very first pages, and its vivid and sympathetic characters haunted me long after the last. Chamberlain achieves that rare and irresistible combination: suspense and heart.”
—Christina Schwarz, New York Times bestselling author of Drowning Ruth and The Edge of the Earth

“. . . heart-wrenching historical fiction. . . captivating. . .this engrossing novel digs deep into the moral complexity of a dark period in history and brings it to life.”—Publishers Weekly

“Absorbing and haunting, this should strongly touch Chamberlain’s fans and draw those who enjoy Jodi Picoult and Barbara Delinsky.” —Booklist

“A well-researched page-turner.  The stakes mount to dizzying heights . . . Chamberlain certainly knows how to escalate tension.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“Diane Chamberlain’s Necessary Lies is the most important book she has ever written. Based in truth, you will be reminded how poverty is our enemy and how power is dangerous when it’s in the wrong hands. I don’t think I will ever forget this book or its wonderful cast of characters. Beautifully written, compellingly told. Book clubs will love it.”
—Dorothea Benton Frank, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Original Wife

“Diane Chamberlain gets to the heart of human relationships in her writing . . . An important and gripping story, told with honesty and sympathy.”
—The Little Reader Library  

“This is a stunning novel that will touch your heart and leave you wondering if you would ever have the courage to stand up for what you believe is right.”
—Laura Love Lock Book Reviews 

“If you want a tale that will linger with you long after you’ve finished reading, and a story that will really make you think, then start reading Necessary Lies.”
—Feathered Quill Book Reviews

“Necessary Lies is so well written and the subject matter is so compelling that I could not put the book down. It is a riveting story.”—The Voice of Oma

“This book will stick with you and it should. 5 STARS, a must read for women.”
—KT Book Reviews

“Warning: this novel will steal your time and all commitment to other obligations, too—once you open it, nothing else will matter but seeing it through to the white-knuckle, heart-racing end.”
—Katrina Kittle, author of The Blessings of the Animals

“Ms. Chamberlain brilliantly captures the feel of the early 1960′s in the South. Her characters are authentic and heartfelt, the story is captivating, and her writing is lovely and compassionate. Necessary Lies shines!”
—Lesley Kagen, New York Times bestselling author of Mare’s Nest

“Amazing! Diane Chamberlain’s Necessary Lies is a powerful portrait of courage and redemption teeming with characters you won’t soon forget. In Chamberlain’s most luminous tale to date, Necessary Lies expertly intertwines history and matters of the heart — love, loyalty and choosing what is right, no matter the consequences.”
—Heather Gudenkauf, New York Times bestselling author of The Weight of Silence and One Breath Away

“Emotionally piercing, courageously provocative — Necessary Lies is a story-telling triumph. Diane Chamberlain expertly weaves a beautiful tapestry of rich characters as memorable as they are enchanting, characters so intriguing it requires Herculean efforts to tear oneself away from this riveting tale. Necessary Lies is that rare novel so captivating the reader feels bereft after turning the last page.”
—Elizabeth Flock, New York Times bestselling author of Me & Emma and What Happened To My Sister