Truth & Lies

Whether exploring the consequences of concealing the truth or excavating the mysterious nature of truth itself, the titles in this collection discuss the intersections among honesty, factualness, legitimacy, deception, falsehood, and lies.

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Food


Publication year 2013

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger

Tags Crime / Legal, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World, Biography, Health / Medicine, History: U.S., Depression / Suicide, Mental Illness, Trauma / Abuse / Violence

The Good Nurse: A True Story of Medicine, Madness, and Murder by Charles Graeber is a true crime biography of the life of Charles Cullen, one of the most prolific serial killers in US history. Graeber is an American journalist who spent time as a medical student before moving on to journalism, writing for many prolific news outlets. His joint history in medicine and writing provides him with the necessary expertise to explain the intimacies... Read The Good Nurse Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Diversity, Grief / Death, Mental Illness, Parenting, Relationships, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1836

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Play: Comedy / Satire, Classic Fiction, Russian Literature

The Government Inspector is a satirical stage play by Russian-Ukrainian author Nikolai Gogol, originally published in 1836 and later revised in 1842. Also known as The Inspector General, the play is a comedy of errors based on a supposed anecdote relayed to Gogol by the Russian poet Alexander Pushkin. In a small unnamed Russian town, a young dissolute government clerk, Khlestakov, is mistaken for an awaited government inspector. Khlestakov uses the situation to his advantage... Read The Government Inspector Summary


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction


Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Realistic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Humor, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Arts / Culture, Modern Classic Fiction

The Great Greene Heist is a middle grade novel by Varian Johnson that follows Jackson Greene, a middle school boy and nearly reformed prankster, who tries to win his crush through hijinks. The novel was named Publisher’s Best Summer Book of 2014, ALA ALSC Notable Children’s Book in 2015, and received a Kirkus Star Review. Johnson published the sequel To Catch a Cheat in 2016. Johnson is also the author of The Parker Inheritance, which... Read The Great Greene Heist Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Crime / Legal, Social Justice, Race / Racism, Incarceration, Politics / Government


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Psychological Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Class, Gender / Feminism, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Fantasy, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Magical Realism


Publication year 1948

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, British Literature, Military / War, Irish Literature


Publication year 2000

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Birth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Children's Literature, Animals, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, Fantasy


Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Food, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, History: U.S.

The Heretic’s Daughter (2008) is the debut novel of author Kathleen Kent. Upon publication, it immediately made the New York Times bestseller list. Kent followed this title with two other best-selling historical fiction works: The Traitor’s Wife (2010) and The Outcasts (2013). She also wrote a crime fiction trilogy that was nominated for an Edgar Award. A resident of Texas, Kent was inducted into the Texas Institute of Letters in 2020 for her contribution to... Read The Heretic's Daughter Summary


Publication year 1991

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Society: Education, Society: Community, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Satire, Narrative / Epic Poem, Modernism, Humor


Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Education, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Realistic Fiction, Humor, Science / Nature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Relationships: Family

Tags Realistic Fiction, Grief / Death, Children's Literature, Animals, Modern Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure

The Honest Truth is a middle-grade coming-of-age novel by Dan Gemeinhart, a former elementary school teacher and librarian who won the Parents’ Choice Award Gold Medal for another one of his five novels. The book was published on January 23, 2015. The novel incorporates drama and a bit of poetry to narrate the story of twelve-year-old protagonist Mark who has spent most of his life in hospitals receiving cancer treatments. Now, Mark takes his fate... Read The Honest Truth Summary


Publication year 1977

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Sexuality, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Latin American Literature, Poverty, Gender / Feminism, Existentialism, History: World, Classic Fiction

Clarice Lispector’s novel The Hour of the Star was originally published in Portuguese as A hora da estrela, by The Heirs in 1977. New Directions Paperbook published the original English translation of the novel in 1992. The novel is Lispector’s final publication during her life; her novel A Breath of Life was published posthumously. The Hour of the Star is set in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and follows the first-person narrator, Rodrigo S. M., as... Read The Hour of the Star Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Literature, Natural World: Place, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Fear

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Mental Illness, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Grief / Death, Addiction / Substance Abuse


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Class

Tags Historical Fiction, Race / Racism, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction