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.

A Study in Charlotte

by Brittany Cavallaro

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Perseverance, Self Discovery, Family, Truth & Lies, Safety & Danger, Revenge, Justice

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Romance, Addiction & Substance Abuse, Education, Relationships, Technology, Crime & Law, Modern Classic Fiction

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A Study in Scarlet

by Arthur Conan Doyle

Publication year 1887

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Revenge, Place, Teamwork, Fame, Religion & Spirituality, Science & Technology, Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Classic Fiction, Horror & Suspense, World History, Historical Fiction

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s A Study in Scarlet (1887) is a detective novel about a mysterious murder in a vacant house, one man’s lifelong hunt for justice, and the powers of deduction and reason. It marks the introduction of the famed detective character Sherlock Holmes and his sidekick John Watson, along with several other characters and locations that would become important to the 56 short stories and three other novels about Holmes that followed. The... Read A Study in Scarlet Summary

A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again

by David Foster Wallace

Publication year 1997

Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction

Themes Apathy, Loneliness, Self Discovery, Community, Education, Nation, Art, Fate, Literature, Power & Greed, Truth & Lies

Tags Humor, Philosophy, Postmodernism, American Literature

A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again is a 1997 essay collection by David Foster Wallace. The seven essays explore 1990s US social issues through subjects such as television, tennis, and (in the most famous essay) a Caribbean cruise. The essays have been referenced many times in popular culture, particularly the title essay, which recounts Wallace’s experiences on a cruise.This guide references the 1998 Abacus edition of the collection.SummaryIn the first essay, “Derivative Sport... Read A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again Summary

A Thousand Steps into Night

by Traci Chee

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Forgiveness, Hate & Anger, Grief, Hope, Love, Regret, Revenge, Shame & Pride, Beauty, Equality, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Power & Greed, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger, Wins & Losses, Appearance & Reality, Space, Animals, Place, Daughters & Sons, Friendship, Fathers, Family, Teamwork, Femininity, Gender Identity, Masculinity, Sexual Identity, Social Class

Tags Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Mythology, Coming of Age, Historical Fiction, Gender & Feminism, Asian Literature, Japanese Literature

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Atmosphere

by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Hope, Joy, Love, Gender Identity, Sexual Identity, Midlife, Death, Future, The Past, Appearance & Reality, Space, Family, Friendship, Marriage, Siblings, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Community, Politics & Government, Equality, Fate, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction

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Atonement

by Ian McEwan

Publication year 2001

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Sexual Identity, Truth & Lies, Coming of Age

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, World War II, British Literature, Military & War, Modern Classic Fiction, World History, Classic Fiction

Atonement (2001) is an award-winning novel by British author Ian McEwan that spans the last two-thirds of the 20th century. The novel was a New York Times Bestseller for seven straight weeks and shortlisted for the Booker Prize for fiction in 2001. The 2007 film adaptation won an Academy Award, two Golden Globes, and a BAFTA Award. McEwan is critically acclaimed with over a dozen novels and other works of fiction to his name, as... Read Atonement Summary

Attack Of The Black Rectangles

by A.S King

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Grief, Hate & Anger, Guilt, Appearance & Reality, Equality, Justice, Literature, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies, Family, Fathers, Grandparents, Friendship, Daughters & Sons, Mothers, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Community, Education, Trust & Doubt

Tags Realistic Fiction, Children`s Literature, Coming of Age, Education

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Awake

by Jen Hatmaker

Publication year 2025

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Marriage, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Grief, Hate & Anger, Hope, Joy, Loneliness, Love, Memory, Femininity, Midlife, Future, The Past, Daughters & Sons, Family, Friendship, Self Discovery, Colonialism, Community, Equality, Justice, Literature, Loyalty & Betrayal, Music, Order & Chaos, Religion & Spirituality, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Memoir & Autobiography, Relationships

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Away

by Megan E. Freeman

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Hope, Coming of Age, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Community, Politics & Government, Justice, Power & Greed, Truth & Lies

Tags Children`s Literature, Science Fiction

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A Woman of No Importance

by Oscar Wilde

Publication year 1893

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Social Class, Conflict, Femininity, Gender Identity, Truth & Lies

Tags Drama, Comedy & Satire, Victorian Era, World History, Dramatic Literature, Humor, Classic Fiction

A Woman of No Importance is a play by Oscar Wilde that was first performed in 1893. It is one of Wilde’s four drawing room plays, which satirize English high society, but critics often consider this play to be his least successful. The action of the play takes place at a party held at Lady Hunstanton’s English country estate and depicts the conflict that arises when Lord Illingworth, a wealthy and charming aristocrat, encounters his... Read A Woman of No Importance Summary

Babylon's Ashes

by James S. A. Corey

Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Space, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Hate & Anger, Hope, Revenge, Death, Future, Appearance & Reality, Environment, Objects & Materials, Place, Family, Friendship, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Social Class, Colonialism, Community, Economics, Globalization, Nation, Politics & Government, War, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Literature, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Wins & Losses

Tags Science Fiction, Fantasy, Action & Adventure

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Bad Blood

by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Coming of Age, Nature Versus Nurture, Family, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense

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Bad Monkey

by Carl Hiaasen

Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Sexual Identity, Politics & Government, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Humor, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense

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