The Pale-Faced Lie Book Review & Giveaway

I love memoirs.  In fact, I think nonfiction memoirs are my favorite novels to review.  Today, I have a memoir from David Crow in our review spotlight.  What did I think of The Pale-Faced Lie?  Check out my thoughts on the book, learn about the author & enter for a chance to win a prize in the book tour giveaway at the end of this post.

Book Title: The Pale-Faced Lie: A True Story by David Crow

Category: Adult Non-Fiction, 344 pages

Genre: Memoir
I received a copy of this book from the author or publisher for use in my review.
All opinions are my own.

About the Book

Growing up on the Navajo Indian Reservation, David Crow and his three siblings idolized their dad. Tall, strong, smart, and brave, the self-taught Cherokee regaled his family with stories of his World War II feats. But as time passed, David discovered the other side of Thurston Crow, the ex-con with his own code of ethics that justified cruelty, violence, lies—even murder.

A shrewd con artist with a genius IQ, Thurston intimidated David with beatings to coerce him into doing his criminal bidding. David’s mom, too mentally ill to care for her children, couldn’t protect him. One day, Thurston packed up the house and took the kids, leaving her with nothing. Soon he remarried, and David learned that his stepmother was just as vicious and abusive as his father.

Through sheer determination, and with the help of a few angels along the way, David managed to get into college and achieve professional success. When he finally found the courage to stop helping his father with his criminal activities, he unwittingly triggered a plot of revenge that would force him into a showdown with Thurston Crow. With lives at stake, including his own, David would have only twenty-four hours to outsmart his father—the brilliant, psychotic man who bragged that the three years he spent in the notorious San Quentin State Prison had been the easiest time of his life.
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The Pale-Faced Lie is a searing, raw, palpable memoir that reminds us what an important role our parents play in our lives. Most of all, it’s an inspirational story about the power of forgiveness and the ability of the human spirit to rise above adversity, no matter the cost.

My Review

The Pale-Faced Lie was difficult to read--but,  impossible to put down.  David Crow's words made my heart hurt from the first pages of this novel. The abuse and pain that the author and his siblings witnessed and endured were difficult to read as the author put his memories to the pages of this book.  Even through the painful pages, there was a spirit and a resolve that propelled the novel forward and held me to the pages.  The characters and the scenes were portrayed so vividly and honestly throughout that it was impossible to leave the story even when it was difficult to read the words and memories.

The Pale-Faced Lie is genuinely a story of rising against the odds.  From poverty and abuse to mental illness and learning disabilities--the cards were truly stacked against the Crow family.   With every story--every memory--the author put his childlike perceptions in context with adult themes and grown-up realizations.   The abilities to love, grow and prosper were undoubtedly met with obstacles--yet, the author was able to share his ongoing motivations along with dark memories and events that would have (and have) stopped many in their tracks.

Would I recommend The Pale-Faced Lie by David Crow?  I hurt for David Crow and his family--I felt the painful memories and the unconditional (and the conditional) love.  The Pale-Faced Lie is a story that lingers in your mind long after the last page.  There were times that I wished someone reached out to them--there were times that the author acknowledged even small gestures that gave light and hope.  This novel is a well-written memoir that tells a story in very well-organized, chronological order--yielding some surprises along the way.  Readers watch the lives and the children grow--and feel every emotional tug at the heart that the author shares.  If you enjoy memoirs with strong, well-developed characters and deeper, even darker, messages--I highly recommend this book.  While this memoir is certainly not full of happy, glowing memories--it tells an inspirational story that should be on your reading list.

Praise for The Pale-Faced Lie

“[Crow] has considerable wisdom to impart, and an unexpected ending that will linger in memory. I promise that you've never read a book quite like this one."

—Jeff Guinn, New York Times bestselling author


“…A memoir of an extraordinary life that is lifted by extraordinary storytelling….It is emotionally engaging, consistently entertaining, and nearly impossible to put down.”
​—James Anderson, author of The Never-Open Desert Diner and Lullaby Road

“Heartbreaking and gut-wrenchingly honest. Anyone with a troubled childhood should read The Pale-Faced Lie. David Crow’s book is proof that hope rises from the ashes.”
—Chris Enss, New York Times best-selling author

To read more reviews, please visit David Crow's page on iRead Book Tours.

Buy the Book

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

Add to Goodreads

Meet the Author​ 

​David Crow spent his early years on the Navajo Indian Reservation in Arizona and New Mexico. Through grit, resilience, and a thirst for learning, he managed to escape his abusive childhood, graduate from college, and build a successful lobbyist business in Washington. Today, David is a sought-after speaker, giving talks to various businesses and trade organizations around the world.

Throughout the years, he has mentored over 200 college interns, performed pro bono service for the charitable organization Save the Children, and participated in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. An advocate for women, he will donate 10 percent of his book royalties to Barrett House, a homeless shelter for women in Albuquerque. David and his wife, Patty, live in the suburbs of DC.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ LinkedIn

Enter the Giveaway!

Ends May 25, 2019

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