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A Novel
by Katherine Reay
Set in the art world of 1970s London, The English Masterpiece is a fast-paced read to the end, full of glamour and secrets, tensions and lies, as one young woman races against the clock to uncover the truth about a Picasso masterpiece. Perfect for fans of Kate Quinn and Ariel Lawhon.
As the recently promoted assistant to the Tate's Modern Collections keeper Diana Gilden, Lily helps plan a world-class Picasso exhibit to honor the passing of the great artist--and she's waited her whole life for this moment. The opening is beyond anyone's expectations--the lighting, the champagne, the glittering crowd, and the international acclaim--until Lily does the unthinkable. She stops in front of a masterpiece and hears her own voice say, "It's a forgery." The gallery falls silent.
Lily's boss, Diana, is polished perfection, schooled in art, and descends from European high society. She's worked hard to become the trusted voice in London's modern art scene and respected across the Continent. The Tate's Picasso Commemorative is to be her crowning achievement, featuring not only the artist's most iconic and intimate works, but a newly discovered painting--one she advised an investor to purchase. But when Lily makes her outrageous declaration, suspicion and scandal threaten everything Diana has achieved, as museums and collectors across Europe, already doubting most post-war acquisitions, fall into chaos and rumors of a world-wide forgery run wild.
All Lily has ever wanted is to follow in Diana's footsteps and take the art world by storm in her own right. Yet one comment puts not only her own career at risk but also her mentor's. Unless ... Was she right? With the clock ticking and the clues starting to pile up against her, Lily must uncover the truth behind the Picasso before she loses not only the career she's always wanted, but her freedom.
What are you reading this week? (6/19/025)
I'm reading Fulfillment by Lee Cole but having a hard time getting into it. Just finished Before Dorothy by Hazel Gaynor - loved it. And The English Masterpiece by Katherine Reay - interesting mystery.
-Shirley_Fentz
"The story is told alternatively from Lily and Diana's viewpoints as the reader slowly learns who is behind the paintings and the cover-up. Reay weaves these details of the protagonists' backstories into the unfolding plot. The suspense builds ... in this fascinating look behind the scenes of art dealings and the workings of the museum." —Booklist
"Reay's (The London House) intricately woven tale combines an intriguing art mystery with one young woman's journey of self-discovery. Her descriptions of 1970s food, art, fashion, and luxurious interiors are evocative, the story is fast-paced, and the dialogue fizzy. A stylish historical that will appeal to art-loving readers and fans of strong women characters." —Library Journal
"A taut and thrilling game of cat and mouse ensues in Katherine Reay's The English Masterpiece, a story of reality, illusion, and imposters set in the winding streets of seventies London. Reay is a master at the top of her game!" —Bryn Turnbull, author of The Berlin Apartment
"An exhibit honoring the recently deceased Picasso and an alleged forgery at the Tate sets the stage for this historical page-turner. Just when you think the stakes couldn't get any higher Reay ratchets up the tension even more. With an eye for the telling details, this author transports the reader back to London in the 1970s. Art lovers and historical fiction fans alike will find this book impossible to put down." —Renee Rosen, USA Today bestselling author of Let's Call Her Barbie
This information about The English Masterpiece was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Katherine Reay is a national bestselling and award-winning author who has enjoyed a lifelong affair with books. She publishes both fiction and nonfiction, holds a BA and MS from Northwestern University, and currently lives outside Bozeman, MT, with her husband and three children. You can meet her online at katherinereay.com; Facebook: @KatherineReayBooks; X: @katherine_reay; Instagram: @katherinereay.
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