Maintaining a balance between truth and compassion in relationships, whether with friends, family or lovers, can be instrumental in the success of said relationships. At age 14, precocious Christie O'Kelly hasn't quite grasped this balance, and tends to tip the scales in favor of the raw, unvarnished truth when it comes to her relationships with her mother and sisters. Christie's journey toward understanding the precious balance between truth and compassion is the heart of Lynda Fitzgerald's debut novel, "If Truth Be Told." As the novel progresses, "If Truth Be Told" becomes a suspenseful mystery story as well.

If Truth Be Told

 

“If Truth Be Told” is an incredibly written fictional story. The author, Lynda Fitzgerald, incorporates romance, suspense, and mystery into an excellent plot. The story begins with Christie O’Kelly at the age of fourteen. In addition to the typical teenage angst that most of us experience, she is also dealing with being treated like an outsider by her mother and sisters. This pushes her closer to her uncle and his new wife Carly. When she meets her uncle’s stepson, Todd, it is love at first sight.

Carly takes Christie under her wing and while she is teaching her about hair and makeup, she also instructs her on life and why people act the way that they do. This new perspective helps Christie become more compassionate towards her siblings and her mother. When Todd falls for Christie, he tries to do the right thing by not taking advantage of her. In the long run, he makes some very poor choices and manages to break her heart.

Years later they meet again. Christie is still angry at Todd for hurting her. When her uncle becomes ill, it forces them together and, in time, allows many of their issues to be resolved. Her uncle’s illness causes Carly to change. After he passes, she clings on Todd and does not want Christie around. Christie begins to suspect foul play in her uncle’s death. This drives a wedge between herself and Todd. She has to work harder than ever to try to overcome this.

I really loved “If Truth Be Told.” Because there are no slow moments in the story, I had a hard time putting it down. Fitzgerald has a talent of wrapping you up in the story so that you start to feel like Christie’s family and her issues are your own. Fitzgerald also impressed me with her ability to have Christie develop emotionally as she is growing up. Her transition from teenager to adulthood and her lessons learned along the way are so perfect for who she becomes. Her friends and family are also going through their own issues especially in regards to relationships. Everything that is happening seems so real, I felt more like this was an autobiography.

“If Truth Be Told” really touched my heart. Not having Ms. Fitzgerald’s talent for words, I cannot give this book the kind of review that it best deserves; I can only tell you that you should not miss out on the chance to read it. This is a great choice for a women’s reader group.