The Lies They Told - a heartbreaking tale of a young, unwed mother who encounters unimaginable hardships after arriving in America.

In 1929, Lena Conti, along with her two-year-old daughter, Ella, her mother, and her younger brother, made the long journey from Germany to the United States seeking a better life. Upon their arrival in America, they were surprised to learn of the inspections required of third-class and steerage passengers to ensure that no undesirable individuals would enter the country. Lena soon finds herself alone with her child and travels with Silas Wolfe, a distant cousin, to the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. Silas, who recently lost his wife, needs help with his two children, and agrees to let Lena, who is unmarried, and Ella stay with them. When his children Bonnie and John Henry hide every time a stranger comes on the property, it becomes evident to Lena that the family is at risk of losing their home as part of a large government land-grab, and an effort to rid the area of the feebleminded, immoral, inbred mountain people.

Ellen Marie Wiseman has written about human resilience in the most heart-wrenching situations. In The Lies They Told, she shines a light on America's eugenics movement, where "pseudoscientists" sought to breed the perfect human race through efforts that included institutionalizing those deemed unfit and practices such as forced sterilizations of women considered unsuitable to have children. While I was aware of this shameful episode in American history, the plight of Wiseman's characters broke my heart. I was overwhelmed with emotion throughout this well-researched book. Don't miss it.

Many thanks to Kensington Books for providing an advance of this moving story.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars.

Historical Fiction.

Publication Date: July 29, 2025.

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