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 1996
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Politics & Government
Tags History: World, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Historical Fiction, Mythology
Publication year 1934
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Classic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Great Depression
Publication year 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Mothers, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Memory
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Gothic Literature, Historical Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, History: World, Fantasy
The Thirteenth Tale, written by Diane Setterfield, was published in 2006 by Emily Bestler Books/Washington Square Press. The book rose to #1 on The New York Times Best Seller list just one week after publication and won the Quill Award for debut author of the year. Before publishing this first book, Setterfield was an academic, specializing in 20th-century French literature. Since the publication of her first book, Setterfield has published two further books, Bellman &... Read The Thirteenth Tale Summary
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Disability, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Publication year 1998
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Life/Time: The Future
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Survival Fiction, Children's Literature
The Transall Saga is a 1998 fantasy/sci-fi novel by author Gary Paulsen, who is best known for his wilderness survival books, such as Hatchet. The plot revolves around young protagonist Mark Harrison, who goes on a weeklong hiking trip and is transported to what appears to be another world—Transall. He must learn to survive among strange vegetation, animals, and people—all in the midst of war—as he tries to find a way home.Other works by this... Read The Transall Saga Summary
Publication year 1925
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt
Tags Classic Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Absurdism, Philosophy, Jewish Literature, German Literature, History: World, Philosophy
Book DetailsThe Trial, an unfinished novel by Franz Kafka, was written in the 1910s and published posthumously in 1925. One of Kafka’s most famous works, it is a nightmarish story where the rules of reality are bent and twisted as the protagonist, Josef K., is prosecuted for a crime whose nature is never revealed to him. Literary Movement & Major ThemesWritten at a pivotal moment in European history, The Trial has become one of the... Read The Trial Summary
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Self Discovery, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Courage
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Children's Literature
Publication year 2004
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Fathers, Self Discovery
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Romance, Grief / Death
The Truth About Forever (2004) is a young adult contemporary romance by Sarah Dessen. The novel follows Macy Queen, a teen girl struggling to heal from the tragic death of her father, only to find that the answers lie not in chasing perfection and control but embracing the unpredictable and chaotic joys of life. The Truth About Forever is Sarah Dessen’s sixth published novel and won the 2004 Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award for Urban... Read The Truth About Forever Summary
Publication year 2003
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
The Truth About Stories: A Native Narrative is a 2003 nonfiction book written by American Canadian novelist Thomas King. King describes the roles storytelling plays in the Native American tradition, his own life, and the world in general. He argues that the stories we all tell really are all that we are as people, and that Native American storytelling has too often been seen as primitive because of the power dynamic between whites and indigenous... Read The Truth About Stories Summary
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair (in French La Vérité sur l'affaire Harry Quebert), is a novel by Swiss writer Joël Dicker, published originally in 2012 in France and Switzerland, and in 2014 in English translation by Sam Taylor. The edition used in this guide is by MacLehose Press, published in London in 2014, in ebook format. The novel is a postmodern crime fiction story, belonging to the amateur detective subgenre. Set in the... Read The Truth About The Harry Quebert Affair Summary
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Gender, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2015
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction, Russian Literature, Military / War, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
In the follow-up to his award-winning novel A Constellation of Vital Phenomena, American writer Anthony Marra released The Tsar of Love and Techno (2015), a collection of interconnected short stories. Shifting from first to third person narration across various characters’ perspectives in different time periods, The stories begin in Communist Russia in the 1930s and end in modern Russia the 2010s, connecting the characters to their descendants and ancestors. Marra weaves together a tapestry whose common... Read The Tsar of Love and Techno Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Humor, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings
Tags Romance, Humor, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Action / Adventure, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Siblings
Tags Historical Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Gender / Feminism, Psychology, British Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Maggie O’Farrell’s novel The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox, published in 2006, is the author’s fourth novel and tackles the grim history of forced incarcerations of women and the devastating effects of family secrets. O’Farrell’s work often focuses on women trapped physically, emotionally, and psychologically by forces over which they have no control, and this novel is no exception. Through a twisted entanglement of three different perspectives, O’Farrell tells the story of not only Esme... Read The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Fathers, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Domestic Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Community
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Magical Realism, Education, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Parenting, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Music, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Music, Race / Racism, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2000
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Class, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Fate, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Mothers, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Identity: Masculinity, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride
Tags History: World, Regency Era, Romance, Historical Fiction