My group really liked this one. We loved the beautiful descriptive language. There were lots of themes to discuss, from race relations to domestic violence to growing up Southern. The book builds to a dramatic climax that makes it impossible to put down!

Beach Belles Book Club often focuses on Southern fiction, so it was great that we won copies of Liar's Bench. The novel touched on many stereotypes of the South during the time period - a little over the top - but captured the underlying prejudices that don't go away with time. At least in the end there was some righting of the wrongs.

Quick stare, slowed way down, sped up, all in all uneven but interesting.

The story started slowly but in the end, it laid the framework for the drama in the rest of the story. There was a good balance of a young love story with the pull of troubles of the past. It resulted in a search for the truth mystery combine with a drama filled with action and suspense. Everything came to a neat closure. I enjoyed the book. The historical comparison reminded me that we have made strides in the fight for equality but the progress is slow and ongoing through the generations.