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 1992
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: War, Relationships: Teams, Identity: Mental Health
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Grief / Death, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: U.S., History: Asian, Military / War
The Black Echo (1992) is Michael Connelly’s first novel and the first book in the long-running series featuring Los Angeles police detective Harry Bosch. It won the 1993 Edgar Award for Best First Novel and is now a classic in the modern crime genre. Connelly, who worked as a crime reporter for the Los Angeles Times while starting his career as a novelist, has written over 37 novels, including 24 featuring Detective Bosch. His works... Read The Black Echo Summary
Publication year 1936
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1851
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Community, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Relationships, Education, Education, American Literature, History: World
Publication year 2017
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Crime / Legal, Race / Racism, History: U.S., Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World, Biography, Social Justice, Politics / Government
The Blood of Emmett Till is a 2017 nonfiction book by Timothy B. Tyson. The text provides an account of the 1955 murder of a young African American boy named Emmet Till. Till was visiting Mississippi from Chicago, where his parents had emigrated during the Great Migration of the 1920s. They sought employment in the North, but they also sought to escape from the terror exercised by whites on blacks in the South.The Civil War... Read The Blood of Emmett Till Summary
Publication year 1987
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Satire, Class, Race / Racism, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Humor, Classic Fiction
Tom Wolfe’s The Bonfire of the Vanities, published in 1987, is a critically acclaimed, sprawling saga of the vivid world of New York City in the 1980s. Modeled after Charles Dickens’s socially realistic novels, the book is a satire on the excesses and disparities of New York society. Powered by diverse, opinionated characters and iconic locations, the plot follows the wealthy, married Manhattan investment broker Sherman McCoy as his American Dream begins to unravel. Sherman’s... Read The Bonfire of the Vanities Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Self Discovery, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Love / Sexuality, History: European, Holocaust, Military / War, History: World, Romance
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Jewish Literature, History: World
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Class, Society: War
Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Romance
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Aging, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Relationships, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
The Breakdown (2017) is a psychological thriller and B. A. Paris’s follow-up to her internationally bestselling debut, Behind Closed Doors. The Breakdown was a Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Best Mystery and Thriller in 2017. It has been adapted into a film titled Blackwater Lane, released in 2024 and starring Minka Kelly, Maggie Grace, and Dermot Mulroney. The novel portrays Cass Anderson’s battle with guilt and fear after a woman is murdered near her home... Read The Breakdown Summary
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Teams, Identity: Disability, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Society: Immigration, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Education, Society: War, Society: Nation, Self Discovery, Society: Politics & Government, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Sports, Realistic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Fear
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Fate, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, LGBTQ
Publication year 2007
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Children's Literature
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: War, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Disability, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction, Southern Literature, Southern Gothic, Korean War
Publication year 1846
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Classic Fiction, Gothic Literature, Grief / Death, Education, Education, Mystery / Crime Fiction
“The Cask of Amontillado” is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe that was originally published in 1846. Its genre is horror. This study guide refers to the version of the story printed in the 2006 Prestwick House edition of The Best of Poe.The story begins with an unnamed narrator relaying that he has suffered great and many wrongdoings at the hands of a man named Fortunato. Though he never specifies the offenses, he does... Read The Cask of Amontillado Summary
Publication year 1985
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1865
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Classic Fiction, Humor, American Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Historical Fiction
“The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County,” by Mark Twain, is a tall tale about a man who bets on anything and wagers that his frog can out-jump a stranger’s frog, with surprising results. The story is the first of Twain’s works to receive popular attention; it appeared in a New York newspaper in 1865 and was widely republished. In 1867, the story served as the title entry in Twain’s first book, a collection of... Read The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County Summary
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction