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 1943

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

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

The Lady in the Lake, by Raymond Chandler, is a detective novel originally published in 1943. Chandler was born in Chicago but later moved to California, and he drew on his experiences living there when writing his Philip Marlowe novels. Marlowe, a down-on-his-luck Los Angeles detective, first appears in Chandler’s novel The Big Sleep, which was adapted into a film noir in 1946 with Marlowe played by Humphrey Bogart. In the 1946 adaptation of The... Read The Lady in the Lake Summary


Publication year 1999

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Teams, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Realistic Fiction, Journalism, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Humor

The Landry News is a young adult novel by Andrew Clements, published in 1998. It centers on a school newspaper and the lives it touches, the lessons it teaches, and the power it gives people to stand up for their beliefs. The book received the William Allen White Children's Book Award in 2002 and has been translated into five languages. American author Andrew Clements (1949-2019) penned many books for young readers, including his most famous work, Frindle... Read The Landry News Summary


Publication year 1956

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Christian literature, Children's Literature, Religion / Spirituality

The Last Battle, first published in England in 1956, is the seventh and final novel in The Chronicles of Narnia. The Chronicles of Narnia, a series of fantasy novels by celebrated British writer and literary scholar C. S. Lewis (1898-1963), is considered a classic of children’s literature. The Last Battle represents the culmination of the series’ themes and characters and won the Carnegie Medal, which annually recognizes an outstanding book for children. Although The Last... Read The Last Battle Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Femininity, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Southern Literature, History: World


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

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


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

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


Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Sexuality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Romance, Relationships, Love / Sexuality, Grief / Death, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction

The Last Letter from Your Lover is a 2010 romance novel by British journalist and writer Jojo Moyes. It centers on the interconnected lives and romances of two women living in London at different times. The first, Ellie Haworth, is a journalist in 2003 who comes across a set of love letters while researching the 1960s. The letters tell the story of Jennifer Stirling, the wife of a wealthy industrialist, and her intense affair with... Read The Last Letter From Your Lover Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Fathers, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Asian Literature, Children's Literature, Asian Literature


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Identity: Gender

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Race, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Colonialism, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags American Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Memory

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Relationships, Grief / Death, Love / Sexuality, Modernism, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief

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


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

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


Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Grief

Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta was published in 2011 and chronicles the lives of the residents of a small northeastern US town in the aftermath of a rapture-like event. Following the random disappearances of millions of people across the globe, the characters of The Leftovers seek various modes of coping with the grief of sudden death as well as the notion of being left behind in others’ absence. The Leftovers was adapted for television by... Read The Leftovers Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

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


Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Language, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Mystery / Crime Fiction

The Lies of Locke Lamora, written by Scott Lynch and published in 2006, is the first entry in the Gentleman Bastards series. These novels mix caper stories and fantasy stories and include adventure, violence, dark humor, and intimate friendships. The Lies of Locke Lamora is an international best seller and was nominated for multiple awards. The other entries in the series are Red Seas Under Red Skies, The Republic of Thieves, and The Thorn of... Read The Lies of Locke Lamora Summary


Publication year 1791

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Life/Time: Aging, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags British Literature, History: European, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Arts / Culture, Class, Depression / Suicide, Religion / Spirituality, Philosophy, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Biography

James Boswell’s The Life of Samuel Johnson (1791) is often considered to be one of the finest pieces of biographical writing in the English language. Samuel Johnson was an English poet, essayist, and lexicographer who produced a pioneering and influential Dictionary of the English Language. However, he is less well-known today for his writings than as the biographical subject for Boswell, a lawyer from Scotland who first met Johnson in 1763. During their 21-year friendship... Read The Life of Samuel Johnson Summary


Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Art, Society: Politics & Government, Identity: Language

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Children's Literature


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Internet Culture / Social Media, Modern Classic Fiction