The Lie

TWO SISTERS, ONE DANGEROUS LIE,
AND A DEVASTATING TRUTH.

Joan, once a singing star of the 1940s and 1950s, now ekes out a lonely, impoverished existence – until a chance encounter promises a comeback concert and an album. Her sister Kathleen is a successful medical researcher who has been offered the directorship of a prestigious institute in Los Angeles as she contemplates the recent break-up with the love of her life.

Over the years, Joan and Kathleen draw closer together until a figure from Joan’s past threatens everything they’ve built. As the sisters excavate the lies that bind them, a more profound truth threatens to drive them apart.


Genre: Historical

"I galloped through this beautifully written epic tale, unable to put it down. The Lie is full of tension and twists, but it's also a poignant portrait of what it means to be a mother. We follow the plights of two sisters from WW2 until the 2000's, very different women, both struggling to survive in a world that refuses or begrudges them power and agency because of their sex. The Lie is a fascinating look at women's evolving role in history, and an emotional, heart-stopping read." - Saskia Sarginson

"In The Lie, Mary Chamberlain expertly weaves together the different timelines, whilst simultaneously unpicking the nature of women's relationships. Chamberlain is a brilliant storyteller and this tightly-plotted tale of tough choices and hard truths doesn't disappoint.'" - Sonia Velton