Title: The Camera Never Lies by David Rawlings
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Genre: Contemporary, Inspirational, Fiction
Length: 320 pages
Book Rating: B
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley
Summary:
Daniel, Kelly, and Milly appear to be the perfect family. But an old camera will expose secrets no one wants developed.
Daniel Whitely is a successful marriage counselor and bestselling author, yet his own marriage is in crisis and his daughter is drifting further away each day. To make matters worse, the deadline for his second book has come and gone, and he still hasn’t written a single word.
When Daniel inherits an old camera from his grandfather, he notices an inscription on the bottom: “No matter what you think you might see, the camera never lies.”
Daniel begins using the camera, but every time he develops his photos, they threaten to reveal secrets that could sabotage both his marriage and his career—exposing him as a fraud and destroying the life he has worked so hard to build.
He’s faced with a choice: keep his secrets and save his career or come clean and possibly save his family. Which will he choose? Which would you choose?
Review:
The Camera Never Lies by David Rawlings is a thought-provoking Inspirational novel.
Daniel Whitely’s inheritance from his beloved Gramps is a vintage camera and a photo album he has never seen. Daniel is touched by the accompanying letter but confused by the photos. Nevertheless, he is eager to try out the camera but he is very perplexed by the pictures he receives after they are developed. The images capture his life as it really is, not how Daniel perceives it. Growing more disturbed with each set of prints, Daniel clings to the secrets he has been keeping but at what cost?
Daniel is a successful marriage counselor and author of a bestselling book. But his marriage to wife Kelly is in serious trouble and their twelve year old daughter Milly is also struggling. Daniel is frustrated by Kelly’s continued conviction that he is having an affair in spite of his firm denials. He and Milly have always been quite close but she refuses to discuss what is troubling her. Daniel is extremely overdue turning in his second book and he is under immense pressure from his publisher to turn in his manuscript. He is also very alarmed by what the pictures are revealing to him. But will Daniel be willing to do what is necessary to change what could be a bleak future?
Kelly is working as a pharmaceutical saleswoman for a wonder drug for children. Due to her increasing concerns about Milly and the drug she is selling, Kelly would love to quit her increasingly stressful job. The delay in Daniel turning in the book means they are counting on her income to maintain their current lifestyle. Kelly’s dissatisfaction with her marriage is also weighing very heavily as her suspicions that Daniel is being unfaithful continue to grow. Daniel’s secrecy over his photographs leads her to take drastic steps to try to understand what is causing him such anxiety.
Milly is becoming more and more withdrawn from her family but she refuses to tell what is wrong. She grows even more apprehensive after a celebration with her parents and her father’s co-workers at their home. As the situation continues to worsen, Milly is becoming more and more desperate. Will Daniel and Kelly be able help their daughter before it is too late?
The Camera Never Lies is a captivating novel with a powerful message. Daniel and Kelly are interesting characters who are well fleshed and grappling with life altering decisions. The storyline is quite unique and well executed. David Rawlings brings this clever novel to an uplifting, satisfying conclusion. I greatly enjoyed and highly recommend this interesting novel.
