The Year of Necessary Lies: A Novel - Softcover

Kris Radish is the author of nine novels and two works of non-fiction. A former award-winning journalist, magazine writer, nationally syndicated columnist, Radish is also co-owner of a wine lounge, the Wine Madonna, in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida, where she hosts books clubs and special literary events with groups from across the globe. She calls her genre “Broads Who Have Been There,“ and it takes one to know one. Her widely popular novels include The Elegant Gathering of White Snows, Dancing Naked at the Edge of Dawn, Annie Freeman’s Fabulous Traveling Funeral, The Sunday List of Dreams, Searching for Paradise in Parker P.A., The Shortest Distance Between Two Women, Hearts on a String, Tuesday Night Miracles and A Grand Day to Get Lost.

2016 International Book Awards: Finalist, Historical Fiction
2015 USA Book Awards: Finalist, Historical Fiction
“As in her previous best-selling novels (A Grand Day To Get Lost), Radish weaves an engaging story of inspiring women who discover the importance of being true to one’s ideal”
—Library Journal
"The Year of Necessary Lies is a memorable and beautifully written story about reinvention, standing up for your beliefs, and staying true to yourself, no matter what the cost.”
—Kristin Contino, author of The Legacy of Us
"Feminism and activism go hand in hand in this romantic novel about women’s empowerment and living life to the fullest. Kris Radish's tenth novel, The Year of Necessary Lies, highlights women's role in the Audubon Society campaign to eradicate feathers from ladies’ hats. Her fictional heroine is a composite portrait of the many courageous women who stood up to plume hunters and the fashion industry alike in the early years of the twentieth century.
Radish creates an authentic Southern atmosphere dripping with sweat and packed with rattlesnakes and egrets. Julia’s raucous boat journey, punctuated by an erroneous stop at a Savannah brothel, is a highlight. She is a compelling protagonist, ably supported by an eccentric cast of ex-hunters and coastal hermits. Cameos from historical figures ranging from William Randolph Hearst to Mark Twain help place Julia in a convincing turn-of-the-century context of change and creativity. Recommended to fans of Anita Diamant's The Boston Girl and Sue Monk Kidd’s The Invention of Wings."
—Foreword Reviews
Praise for Kris Radish
“Radish unrolls a rollicking yet reflective read that adds to her robust repertoire of beloved fiction. What’s a reader to do but relish the ride.”
—BookPage on Searching for Paradise in Parker, PA
“Kris Radish creates characters that seek and then celebrate the discovery of women’s innate power.”
—The Denver Post
“Radish’s characters know how to have a good time on their way to matriarchal nirvana.”
—Kirkus Reviews