Necessary Lies, a literary fiction written by Robert Hoskins, follows four protagonists in Kentucky and England through two generations. As the title suggests, their lives are impacted by lies they can’t escape despite their best efforts. The beginning of the novel promises a tale of corruption, murder, and revenge, but I found myself wishing for more engagement in the writing, plot, and character development.

“…if you would marry me, if I had you to write to and think about and dream about at night, knowing you would be here for me, nothing could keep me from coming back.”

Necessary Lies is set in Ludlow, Kentucky and London, England, and I enjoyed the vivid descriptions of moody, post-WWII London. I found Ludlow to be less developed and struggled to find a sense of place. In a similar vein, I found the writing lacked emotion. The reader receives a huge amount of character dialogue, which sometimes feels like inner monologues or diary entries. Although the writing did contain moments of enjoyable atmosphere, the lack of physical actions and emotional reactions led to muted storytelling.

“Bomb a city or only a man in a car – where evil is concerned, it’s only a matter of scale.”

The novel began with a very intriguing plot of corruption and murder, but it quickly slows and doesn’t regain momentum. I hoped the romantic relationships would inject more excitement, but the reader isn’t given reasons to believe in the love. The romance felt underdeveloped because Hoskins didn’t show me what drew the characters together or what sustained their connection. As a result, it felt like a puzzlingly sudden relationship. My biggest qualm with the plot, however, was the lack of urgency and stakes. Hoskins introduced a good number of interesting conflicts, but they were resolved within a few pages and lost their tension. The book ended sweetly and offered satisfying closure, but it was overshadowed by the plot’s missed potential.

“Darkness was falling quickly as Lenore sat on the screened porch, watching the town’s lights come to life while the nightly carillon played “Abide with Me,” as if to deny the day’s appalling violence.”

The side characters – particularly corrupt family members and a timid, insecure boyfriend – were compelling, but they were only briefly present in the story. Unfortunately, the two male protagonists blended together in my mind, while all of the central characters lacked the complexity I search for in a literary fiction. A standout character, Meg, had unexpected humor that added texture, but I wanted more layers to all of the characters’ personalities.

“It’s not right that he’s dead and I’m still alive. It doesn’t make sense, but maybe it means something.”

The theme of the negative, long-term, and inescapable impacts of telling lies – to other people and yourself – is clear from the book’s title and synopsis. Due to the problems I had with the writing, plot, and characters, I felt that the theme could’ve been woven more deeply into the narrative. Another theme that resonated with me was the fleeting nature of beauty, and the importance of enjoying it. Two scenes in the book stood out as quietly powerful: (1) a character reflects on the magnificence of a rare, nighttime rainbow, and (2) a different protagonist observes buildings torn apart by World War II. Whether or not the author intended to include this theme, I appreciated its presence in the novel. The novel gestures towards the consequences of living with lies while more effectively highlighting the fleeting nature of beauty.

“I’ve known for a long time that our life together had become temporary – that someday I would come home, and Conway wouldn’t be here.”

Necessary Lies had great ingredients with an intriguing premise, dual settings, and thoughtful themes. If the story had explored emotional layers, heightened the stakes, and dedicated more time to character development, I believe I would have thoroughly enjoyed it. I appreciated the atmosphere of post-war London and the hints of profoundness on beauty and transience, and I hope to encounter more of it in Hoskins’ future work.

You might like Necessary Lies if you enjoy:

• Quiet, introspective literary fiction
• Post-WWII historical settings
• Multi-generational family sagas
• Themes of regret, memory, & lingering effects of past choices
• Reflective writing over plot-driven momentum

Buy a copy of Necessary Lies at the following link:

Amazon

Check out the synopsis and reviews on Goodreads