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.
Block off your calendar and lose yourself in The English Masterpiece, a thrilling read that will keep you on the edge of your seat till the very end from the author who brought you The London House and The Berlin Letters.
Paperback, 304 pages
Expected publication June 10, 2025
by Harper Muse
4/5 stars
Katherine Reay has turned into one of my auto read authors, I am still going through her back list and jumped when offered a print arc of her newest read which releases tomorrow (June 10).
I love that the setting takes place in 1970s London, England. A world void of social media and electronic devices, however it was a time when women were not always accepted in the workplace. In The English Masterpiece Pablo Picasso has just passed away. His art is in demand, and when Lily, assistant to a highly respected Art curator, utters three words her life changes in an instant. Those three words, 'it's a forgery'. Not only is Picasso's painting on display but up for sale as well.
Told from the point of view of both Lily and her boss Diana, we enter into the world of modern art with its inner workings and suspicious activity. I really enjoyed this read. I found it interesting and appreciate the research to the author undertook to bring this story to light. It was well written with authentic characters and certainly reflected the time period.
While The Berlin Letters is still my favorite Reay book, The English Masterpiece follows close behind. I am looking forward to continuing with my dive into her backlist. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.
My thanks to Harper Muse for a print arc in exchange for a honest review.
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