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Painting Deception
Lily Clarke, the elderly mother of three dysfunctional and distant daughters, makes life altering discoveries regarding her new found wealth and other dark secrets, after she receives a diagnosis that she has a terminal illness. The challenges and decisions she must face in her final months will define her lasting legacy. To execute her plan, she invites her three dysfunctional and distant daughters to her home for a short stay to determine you will receive her new found wealth. Her plans become disrupted when dark secrets emerge, questioning her decision making and the meaning of her entire life. The book includes family dysfunction, drama, humor, an a bit of historical fiction.
From the book:
Chapter 1:
The old saying goes that everyone has a story. Unfortunately today, October 2, 2016, Lily Elizabeth Clarke’s story was coming to a quick end. It was a sunny day at the Sacred Heart Cemetery in Dundalk, Maryland, as cars began pulling up shortly after noon for her 1:00 p.m. funeral. Old rusted smoke stacks from a bankrupt steel mill could be seen in the background of the cemetery in this gritty part of Baltimore. Neighborhoods with seventy-year-old brick weathered rowhouses surrounded the neatly manicured cemetery.
The funeral was taking place exactly as Lily had arranged it. No details were left out of the planning. While she was alive, she made sure that her funeral, burial arrangements, and reading of her Last Will and Testament were organized and would be executed exactly to her wishes. No one knew what would take place over the next twenty-four hours and weeks to follow except Lily, and she was deceased. Not even her lawyer and confidant, Jake Snyder, knew all of the hidden details that Lily had intentionally failed to disclose to him; some of which had remained bottled and silenced for a lifetime. He had been Lily’s lawyer for more than twenty years, and over the next two days, he would implement her final plan exactly as she had instructed.
Jake knew her for almost his whole life and thought he knew everything about her, but he didn’t know the dark secrets about her past or the ones she intended to reveal in stages following her death. The health crisis that led to Lily’s death was nothing compared to the mental struggle she faced as a result of the long forgotten secrets resurfacing during the final months of her life. Lily’s struggle whether to reveal her secrets while she was alive and how to reveal them after her death would change lives and define her legacy.
Lily didn’t want to have a formal viewing at a funeral home. She wanted her funeral to be short and sweet at the gravesite, so that everyone could get on with their lives.
Lily’s three daughters didn’t remain close to her after they graduated from college and settled in the state of their college alma maters. Lily was unsure why her children didn’t stay close to her. She wasn’t sure if it was her sometimes overbearing husband or the fact that her children wanted to get out of the dirty blue-collar town Baltimore was in the 1970s. Maybe they were a little rebellious, stubborn, and adventurous, all rolled into one. In truth, Lily often wondered if the secrets she harbored created impenetrable barriers in her relationship with her daughters. However, it seemed the longer they were away from Baltimore, the further they grew apart from Lily, and she didn’t have the strength or courage to correct the situation.
Her three children didn’t have the strength or courage to correct it either. They had their own problems and issues that Lily couldn’t correct once they became adults and left her nest. As she grew older, not needed and then elderly, she learned to accept the emotional and physical distance while silently hoping their relationship would one day get better.
From the book:
Chapter 1:
The old saying goes that everyone has a story. Unfortunately today, October 2, 2016, Lily Elizabeth Clarke’s story was coming to a quick end. It was a sunny day at the Sacred Heart Cemetery in Dundalk, Maryland, as cars began pulling up shortly after noon for her 1:00 p.m. funeral. Old rusted smoke stacks from a bankrupt steel mill could be seen in the background of the cemetery in this gritty part of Baltimore. Neighborhoods with seventy-year-old brick weathered rowhouses surrounded the neatly manicured cemetery.
The funeral was taking place exactly as Lily had arranged it. No details were left out of the planning. While she was alive, she made sure that her funeral, burial arrangements, and reading of her Last Will and Testament were organized and would be executed exactly to her wishes. No one knew what would take place over the next twenty-four hours and weeks to follow except Lily, and she was deceased. Not even her lawyer and confidant, Jake Snyder, knew all of the hidden details that Lily had intentionally failed to disclose to him; some of which had remained bottled and silenced for a lifetime. He had been Lily’s lawyer for more than twenty years, and over the next two days, he would implement her final plan exactly as she had instructed.
Jake knew her for almost his whole life and thought he knew everything about her, but he didn’t know the dark secrets about her past or the ones she intended to reveal in stages following her death. The health crisis that led to Lily’s death was nothing compared to the mental struggle she faced as a result of the long forgotten secrets resurfacing during the final months of her life. Lily’s struggle whether to reveal her secrets while she was alive and how to reveal them after her death would change lives and define her legacy.
Lily didn’t want to have a formal viewing at a funeral home. She wanted her funeral to be short and sweet at the gravesite, so that everyone could get on with their lives.
Lily’s three daughters didn’t remain close to her after they graduated from college and settled in the state of their college alma maters. Lily was unsure why her children didn’t stay close to her. She wasn’t sure if it was her sometimes overbearing husband or the fact that her children wanted to get out of the dirty blue-collar town Baltimore was in the 1970s. Maybe they were a little rebellious, stubborn, and adventurous, all rolled into one. In truth, Lily often wondered if the secrets she harbored created impenetrable barriers in her relationship with her daughters. However, it seemed the longer they were away from Baltimore, the further they grew apart from Lily, and she didn’t have the strength or courage to correct the situation.
Her three children didn’t have the strength or courage to correct it either. They had their own problems and issues that Lily couldn’t correct once they became adults and left her nest. As she grew older, not needed and then elderly, she learned to accept the emotional and physical distance while silently hoping their relationship would one day get better.
284 pages, Paperback
Published March 25, 2018
About the author
Brian Hebbel
4 books1 followerBrian Hebbel is a retired senior federal official living in the suburbs of Baltimore. Having published a successful nonfiction book and launched a consulting business, he uses his wit and imagination to create a great storyline in Painting Deception. The author is the married father of three and grandchildren to five. Everyone has a story. His lifetime of listening to individual stories on the road of life, propelled him to craft his fictional novel. It's one piece of the vestige of his existence. The other pieces include a trail of experiences, pursued opportunities and a lot of laughs along the way. His favorite hobbies include exercise, travel and engaging those he comes in contact with each day. An eternal optimist, he feels that each day is a blessing and tries to be in the moment every waking second of every day.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
June 8, 2018
A surprise ending book
This book has a great plot, I enjoyed reading because it touched on so many problems of today, like elderly abuse, racial disparities, LBGTQ issues. A must read and looking forward to reading future books by Brian.
This book has a great plot, I enjoyed reading because it touched on so many problems of today, like elderly abuse, racial disparities, LBGTQ issues. A must read and looking forward to reading future books by Brian.
February 28, 2019
Superb!
I loved this story! I couldn't put the book down once I started reading about Lily and her family. Her amazing strength.and fortitude in getting so much figured out and done in so short a time. Richly detailed and enthralling!
I loved this story! I couldn't put the book down once I started reading about Lily and her family. Her amazing strength.and fortitude in getting so much figured out and done in so short a time. Richly detailed and enthralling!
June 2, 2018
When 86-year old Lily discovers she is dying with leukemia, she also discovers that she is a wealthy widow. Paintings that her husband bought on their first anniversary are now very valuable. The problem is, the couple's three daughters are self centered and unloving to their mom. Who deserves to inherit such wealth? Lily and her lawyer hire 2 women to help take care of her in her last months. One turns out to be as thieving as her daughters, and the other is a Godsend.
In a last ditch effort to decide how to distribute the inheritance, Lily arranges for each daughter to come for a week. During that week, the "girls" true personalities are shown to be every bit as bad as their mother had feared. All in their 60's, she has Mary, a selfish thief, Sharon, a drug addict, and Denise who is undergoing transition to Denny and begs and gives the money away to charities. To make matters worse, one of the caregivers is stealing from her. It turns out that it is Lily, caretaker Lee, and attorney Jake against the world.
How Lily resolves her financial distribution and other family issues is a compelling story by Brian Hebbel. I wasn't altogether surprised at the ending, but I enjoyed reading every word. I have to remind myself it is fiction. It was a very engaging book and I recommend it.
In a last ditch effort to decide how to distribute the inheritance, Lily arranges for each daughter to come for a week. During that week, the "girls" true personalities are shown to be every bit as bad as their mother had feared. All in their 60's, she has Mary, a selfish thief, Sharon, a drug addict, and Denise who is undergoing transition to Denny and begs and gives the money away to charities. To make matters worse, one of the caregivers is stealing from her. It turns out that it is Lily, caretaker Lee, and attorney Jake against the world.
How Lily resolves her financial distribution and other family issues is a compelling story by Brian Hebbel. I wasn't altogether surprised at the ending, but I enjoyed reading every word. I have to remind myself it is fiction. It was a very engaging book and I recommend it.
May 10, 2018
A unique and entertaining story
Painting Deception by Brian Hebbel is the story of Lily Clarke. She learns that she has an incurable disease and sets out to decide which of her three daughters is the least terrible and most worthy of her inheritance. The story is witty, sometimes funny, sometimes sad… and like any great read even made me laugh through my tears a time or two. Brian Hebbel obviously spent a lot of time creating this story and the characters. The story takes place in Baltimore and Hebbel goes into great detail about the surroundings and establishments. I would love to visit Baltimore and see how much of it is true! The story kept me riveted and guessing from the very first page, there’s really not a lot of books out there that I can say that about. I’m curious if Mr. Hebbel is planning and sequels because I’d love to add them to my digital library!
Painting Deception by Brian Hebbel is the story of Lily Clarke. She learns that she has an incurable disease and sets out to decide which of her three daughters is the least terrible and most worthy of her inheritance. The story is witty, sometimes funny, sometimes sad… and like any great read even made me laugh through my tears a time or two. Brian Hebbel obviously spent a lot of time creating this story and the characters. The story takes place in Baltimore and Hebbel goes into great detail about the surroundings and establishments. I would love to visit Baltimore and see how much of it is true! The story kept me riveted and guessing from the very first page, there’s really not a lot of books out there that I can say that about. I’m curious if Mr. Hebbel is planning and sequels because I’d love to add them to my digital library!
June 12, 2018
This story was full or rich, complex characters that made this a worthwhile read. Lily is diagnosed with a incurable disease. She also discovers that paintings that her husband had are worth quite a bit of money. Trying to decide who to leave her wealth to, Lily reaches out to her three distant daughters- each wrought with their own issues. Inviting them each to stay with her for a limited time, Lily decides who, out of the three, she will leave her wealth too. Although I read some reviews about a "surprise" ending, I did guess what would happen. Still the book was a fun read, full of emotion and life lessons as each character shares their struggles and their very different personalities in this story.
April 14, 2020
I met the author, who is from Baltimore as am I, and he gave me a copy of his book. He is a very down-to-earth guy who was very interested in our book club's impression of characters and situations in the the book. It's his first novel.
Although I guessed the outcome immediately, I still enjoyed the book immensely. Some of the situations are unbelievable, but still entertaining.. I passed the book on to two friends who loved it and were completely surprised by the ending.
I definitely would give it a read.
Although I guessed the outcome immediately, I still enjoyed the book immensely. Some of the situations are unbelievable, but still entertaining.. I passed the book on to two friends who loved it and were completely surprised by the ending.
I definitely would give it a read.
June 8, 2018
This book has a story some might think they have heard before, but the ending will make it clear you have not!
This is a well written story with great character reactions and lots of funny twists. But the surprise ending makes it unique and worth reading and rereading. The book is well researched with accurate details that make it seem to be a true accounting of events. Wonderful book, enjoy it.
This is a well written story with great character reactions and lots of funny twists. But the surprise ending makes it unique and worth reading and rereading. The book is well researched with accurate details that make it seem to be a true accounting of events. Wonderful book, enjoy it.
June 4, 2018
Heartfelt
This books message is delivered in a way that touches the heart and soul. The author gives us insight into the human psyche and explores the characters lives warts and all.
I will gladly read more by Brian Hebbel. Thank you.
This books message is delivered in a way that touches the heart and soul. The author gives us insight into the human psyche and explores the characters lives warts and all.
I will gladly read more by Brian Hebbel. Thank you.
January 12, 2019
That was awful. Terrible writing, worse editing. Does anyone really believe pretending to have Alzheimer’s is a good idea? This book was like a train wreck, you just watch in fascination hoping it won’t be so bad, but it really was. I want a refund (this was a free book!).
June 5, 2018
Did not want it to end.😁
June 6, 2018
Heartwarming
The conclusion became predictable but the story is still heartwarming. I enjoyed and even laughed out loud at Lily’s fake Alzheimer’s antics.
The conclusion became predictable but the story is still heartwarming. I enjoyed and even laughed out loud at Lily’s fake Alzheimer’s antics.
June 7, 2018
This was an ok book.
June 13, 2018
Great book
This is a wonderful story about how individuals react to life and love. It is filled with heartache, selfish behavior,as well as true love and compassion. I enjoyed it
This is a wonderful story about how individuals react to life and love. It is filled with heartache, selfish behavior,as well as true love and compassion. I enjoyed it
June 13, 2018
Very good book!
The book keep me not wanting to put it down. It shows that God can and will work in every life if we look for him.
The book keep me not wanting to put it down. It shows that God can and will work in every life if we look for him.
June 13, 2018
I absolutely loved this book! The situation is sad but the way the main character handles things is so heartwarming. Two very beloved characters find each other in a very heartfelt way.
July 18, 2018
Good read
Very good. Really enjoyed. I knew what was going to happen and liked the way it ended . Didn't want to put it down
Very good. Really enjoyed. I knew what was going to happen and liked the way it ended . Didn't want to put it down
June 27, 2018
Great story, well told
Great summer read. Highly enjoyable. Would love to know more about the sisters and their lives after the death of their mother.
Great summer read. Highly enjoyable. Would love to know more about the sisters and their lives after the death of their mother.
July 2, 2018
Excellent books
Excellent book to read. So glad to have found this book! The author wrote a very good book here and I'd love to see this made into a movie!!!
Excellent book to read. So glad to have found this book! The author wrote a very good book here and I'd love to see this made into a movie!!!
July 31, 2018
Mom's Love Never Dies
Lee's life is about love and caring. She came into her client's life and taught her how to love and to express it. She gained more than she thought possible.
Lee's life is about love and caring. She came into her client's life and taught her how to love and to express it. She gained more than she thought possible.
August 2, 2018
Long winded, unrealistic, predictable & anticlimactic snooze fest. Needs an editor. Only good part was the authors knowledge of Baltimore.
November 27, 2018
Worthwhile and recommended 4 star read.
November 10, 2019
Love this story!
This is a wonderful story, sad but also heartwarming. I highly recommend it, and hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
This is a wonderful story, sad but also heartwarming. I highly recommend it, and hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
June 9, 2018
excruciatingly bad....the premise was quite interesting, but the writing was stilted and pretentious; an overuse of words that were meant to impress, but just came across as amateurish.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews