March 10, 2022
Dear Mr. Hemingway,
I am so thrilled to be writing to you about a brilliant debut novel that completely captivated me. Truth and Other Lies by Maggie Smith is Women’s Fiction at its finest. Politics, journalism, and family dynamics line the pages of Smith’s book and I happily read every word. Let’s take a peek, shall we?
Twenty-five-year-old Megan Barnes is the leading lady of Smith’s debut tale. After losing her job at an NYC newspaper and finding her boyfriend in bed with another woman, she heads back to Chicago and reunites with her mother who surprisingly is running for congress. Because Megan and her mom have opposing political views, supporting her campaign is not only frustrating but hinders her from getting a job at virtually any newspaper during election season. However, once in Chicago, Megan meets her professional idol, Jocelyn Jones, an award-winning journalist. This twist of fate encounter lands her a job working for Jones and promoting her upcoming memoir. A job like this may not exactly be in Megan’s wheelhouse, but this connection to the world of high-stakes journalism is just what she needs to move forward with her career. Things take a wild turn when an anonymous TWEET is exposed jeopardizing Jone’s reputation. Megan’s investigation into this allegation reveals more than she bargained for and before she can catch her breath, she finds herself in a snarled mess of lies, secrets, and scandal involving her mentor and her mother’s campaign. Can she discover the real truth and will it, in the end, set everyone free?
Smith’s debut novel was an absolute delight to read. I loved how this story was simultaneously dripping in ambition and soiled with secrets. With each page I turned, a new layer was slowly peeled away leaving me happily swimming in muddy water questioning everything. Truth and Other Lies is a relevant story that showcases highly driven women and hot topics galore. Abortion, political views, sexual assault, and feminism are all touched upon with dignity and grace. As a daughter, wife, mother, and friend (who is in her late forties), it was refreshing that I could relate to the different generations of women represented in Smith’s book. In addition to being progressive women with agendas to finalize, Smith’s characters were carriers of complicated pasts that were difficult to outrun. As the story unfolds, I enjoyed watching Megan and her mom develop and blossom as women while their relationship matured. I adored Megan’s loyalty to her best friend and her ability to make toilsome decisions in order to protect her. Most of all, I love how the ending of this book left me with a craving for a deep conversation about what the future holds for these characters. To me…that is perfection! Cheers to a fabulous book!
Until next time my friend!
Your Biggest Fan,
Kelly
P.S. Check out Maggie Smith and all her fabulousness RIGHT HERE!
