Bestselling author Diane Chamberlain delivers a breakout book about a small southern town fifty years ago, and the darkest—and most hopeful—places in the human heartAfter losing her parents, fifteen-year-old Ivy Hart is left to care for her grandmother, older sister and nephew as tenants on a small tobacco farm. As she struggles with her grandmother’s aging, her sister’s mental illness and her … illness and her own epilepsy, she realizes they might need more than she can give.
When Jane Forrester takes a position as Grace County’s newest social worker, she doesn’t realize just how much her help is needed. She quickly becomes emotionally invested in her clients’ lives, causing tension with her boss and her new husband. But as Jane is drawn in by the Hart women, she begins to discover the secrets of the small farm—secrets much darker than she would have guessed. Soon, she must decide whether to take drastic action to help them, or risk losing the battle against everything she believes is wrong.
Set in rural Grace County, North Carolina in a time of state-mandated sterilizations and racial tension, Necessary Lies tells the story of these two young women, seemingly worlds apart, but both haunted by tragedy. Jane and Ivy are thrown together and must ask themselves: how can you know what you believe is right, when everyone is telling you it’s wrong?
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Necessary Lies is amazing! This story is set in rural Grace County, North Carolina in a time of state-mandated sterilizations. Although Necessary Lies is a fictional story, North Carolina’s Eugenics Sterilization Program was very real and it was in effect from 1929 to 1975. The amount of control given to welfare social workers over their clients’ …
Necessary Lies definitely met and exceeded my expectations. Diane Chamberlain accurately portrayed a historical event that many of us, including myself, had little to no knowledge of happening beforehand.
North Carolina’s Eugenics Program is shown by both sides in this novel. One side follows the individuals implementing this program, the social …
Things we didn’t know that went on in Appalachia in the 60’s!! A real eye opener. A great book and a surprise ending
I liked the book and could see these characters clearly as I read the book. I did enjoy it.
I couldn’t put this book down. I can’t imagine either living like Ivy and her family or being in Jane, the social worker’s shoes. I loved the relationships that were built and the way that Jane fought for what was right. I had no idea that this type of sterilization occurred and that it was arranged by those who were supposed to be helping those …
What an amazing story. Truly hard to put down. Jane and Ivy are too very different and courageous young women, and this story will make you angry at the injustice of what women like Ivy were subjected to. However, in the hands Ms. Chamberlain, you’ll be like Jane and be unable to turn your back because it’s impossible not to care, even when so …
Diane Chamberlain never disappoints me! This novel deals with a situation about which I was completely ignorant, the practice of eugenics with the poor, uneducated populace in America. More than worth the read…fascinating.
This book was very good, it touches the heart. Engaging characters, interesting subject and story.
You can never go wrong with a diane chamberlain book loved this book couldn’t put it down a must read
It was very enlightening about our country and our racial and political values.
Empathy and knowledge is so important for all.
AMAZING! Wonderful story, great characters, loved the time period and the interesting topic of eugenics woven throughout the story.
This book was a bit shocking to me- I grew up in the 60’s and lived a pretty sheltered life in the suburbs. I had no idea how poor people lived. Today I know more than most what happens to poor families, especially children but I had no idea about the extremes that society had taken to try and “solve’ issues of poverty. It is like no one knew …
A historical novel about an actual situation, eugenics in the US in the 1960’s. Very sympathetic characters.
Extremely real especially for a nc social worker with experience in the 1960s and 1970s.
For me, a book that you think about when you’re not reading it is a sign of a good book. This is told in two views, Jane a new social worker and Ivy a 15 year old girl whose poor family are Jane’s clients in the 1960’s. It is a wonderful historical fiction book. I don’t want to give much away, so I won’t tell the plot. I will just leave it at I …
It was interesting to read about the welfare workers in that time period. The story flowed well. And held my interest.
This is wonderful story based on actual events that happened in history,very sad but true events . There is a prequel to this story,it’s short but introduces you to this rural family .
Outstanding…. incredible page turning gripping storytelling based on a true story many will be shocked to learn.
Gave me a new perspective on the issue.
Read this book!! It is a very well written story that mixes the past with the present. Based in factual history, the story is about a social worker in rural North Carolina and some of her very poor clients. Some of the clients were tricked sterilization without giving their customers consent.