The English Masterpiece is the first of Katherine Reay’s novels that I’ve read. But, I metaphorically cracked its spine with great anticipation given the comparison’s made to Kate Quinn’s writing and this title’s alluring art-world mystery premise.

I was immediately drawn in by Lily’s first-person narrative, and then delighted to find Reay had employed one of my favourite literary frameworks, alternating character perspectives. Through these intimate internal windows Reay slowly but surely shines light on the effort both female leads invest in curating the impression they leave on the world, much like the art installations they work on.

I am not suggesting Reay’s The English Masterpiece female leads are superficial — quite the opposite actually. The historical baggage each carries has chiselled into them many interesting layers.

Katherine Reay describes in vivid and absorbing yet highly accessible prose all that her characters’ see in individual canvases — both the artist’s technical skill and the emotions influencing their creation. Understated but effective also is her depiction of the mood of 1970s London, the tension between the lingering loss, scars and suspicion of WWII and the heady winds of change and new opportunity.

On reaching the conclusion I found myself reflecting on, with some admiration, just how many different themes Reay explores with secondary storylines she has spun from The English Masterpiece‘s central art crime mystery premise. Yet, the story never felt overburdened by them.

This new historical mystery novel from Katherine Reay contained red herrings I was caught by, romantic tension that was believable, a fun cameo, and redemptive and renewal story arcs that imbued hope for the future… all in just 304 pages. The perfect entertaining weekend read.

Story 4 / 5 ; The Writing 4.5 / 5 — Overall 4.25

Find out the cost of speaking out—and the courage it takes to do so….

If you’re looking for a story to get lost in this summer, look no further. Set in London’s vibrant art scene during the 1970s, this book immerses you in a world of galleries, forgeries, and secrets. Even as someone who isn’t particularly “artsy,” I found the exploration of Picasso, Nazi art theft, and the high-stakes art world absolutely fascinating. If you’re like me, you’ll be googling a lot of the art mentioned to see what it looks like. 😉

I also appreciated the alternate themes woven into the suspense with Lily’s family as well: she had a lot self-discovery, growth, and forgiveness to do in her relationship with her mom and sister. I was definitely rooting for her to have a happy ending!

Content: car accident (off page/in the past resulting in death/injury), no language, sweet kisses only.

Available now wherever books are sold! ♥️

Thank you to @uplitreads and @netgalley for the complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review!

🤍 Thank you so much @katherinereay, @harpermusebooks, and @uplitreads for The English Masterpiece!

Lily has helped plan a beautiful exhibit to honor the work of Picssso, and everything is going smoothly until she walks past a painting and says, “it’s a forgery”.

I was HOOKED! Lily must follow the clues to discover the truth about the painting. The walls are closing in!

This book has it all. High stakes, addictive mystery, complicated family dynamics, character growth, and a dash of romance.

Katherine Reay continues to be one of my favorite historical writers and this is a new favorite!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★/5
Steam: kissing

The English Masterpiece is a page-turning tour de force that brims with tension, mystery, secrets and lies, treachery and betrayal, romance, and the quest for connection in a complicated world. Impressively researched and beautifully executed, Katherine Reay’s prose is like an art piece in itself. I loved it!

This was such a unique book! This took me a little longer to get into, but I could not put it down once I did. I have never read a book about art forgery before and I was fascinated. Katherine Reay is becoming a go to author for me.

I thought this book was fantastic—I simply couldn’t put it down. The blend of mystery, art history, and family dynamics kept me engaged. I especially enjoyed the dual POV. The Pierce Brosnan sighting and the nod to The Thomas Crown Affair were fun Easter eggs.. While some plot points were a bit predictable, the storytelling was strong enough that it didn’t take away from my enjoyment. An entertaining read!

1973 London - Lily, the recently promoted assistant to Diana, the Tate Gallery's Keeper of Modern Collections, has been integral in the planning of a Picasso exhibit at London's Tate Gallery to honour the passing of the great artist. On opening night, Lily is basking in her sense of accomplishment when she pauses to admire one of the masterpieces on display and blurts out "it's a forgery". The gallery falls silent and Diana and the Tate's Director attempt damage control but there's no taking back such an outrageous declaration. While the owner's insurance company and Scotland Yard investigate, suspicion and scandal spread across European art circles and both Lily's and Diana's jobs are at risk. As it becomes apparent that she is considered the prime suspect in the forgery investigation, Lily finds herself in a race against the clock to uncover the truth with both her career and her freedom on the line.

Inspired by a real case of art forgery, Reay's latest historical fiction novel is set against the intriguing backdrop of London's glamorous art world of the 1970s. Alternating point of view between Lily and Diana, this is a well-written, entertaining pageturner that I devoured. I previously enjoyed the author's books A Shadow in Moscow and The Berlin Letters and loved this one too - she's a must-read author for me!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for providing a digital ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

This was my first book by Katherine Reay and I enjoyed it, a story I haven't heard told before.

I didn't know forgeries were such a problem after the second World War but it makes sense, the originals are hidden, a new is created and sold and the forgers can sell the the actual original whenever they please. This is the first book I've read about such an issue and I learned a lot!

I didn't bump it up to four stars because she deep dives into the art world, surrealism, post modern and other artistic terminology that after a while bogged the story down for me because I was constantly looking things up. If you know the artistic movements and other terms this wouldn't bother you.

I loathed Diana's POV honestly, she was not written in a way where I could understand why she did what she did. Her jealousy of Lily started the series of events and that's not something I could personally forgive.

Lily and her family was a breath of fresh air! I loved that scene where Connor gets dragged into a family dinner. It was really well written because I felt I was in that cramped cozy kitchen with everyone laughing. I thought the guilt she felt about her family and how she channeled that into painting was realistic. Her confidence at the end was heartwarming.

“There is right and wrong. There is black and white. And those colors do not create a game or a conundrum or a puzzle;they bring clarity and surety and strength.”
What a fascinating look behind the scenes at an art gallery and an exhibit at the Tate Gallery in London 1973 soon after the death of Pablo Picasso. It was so interesting to delve into the world of paintings, artists and forging.
Lily is an assistant to an art expert and says the right thing at the wrong time, putting not only her job in jeopardy but that of her mentor and calling into question the reliability of the whole gallery.
Full of intrigue, danger and complicated family issues, this was a realistic look at modern art, painting techniques and complex connections dating back to WWII.
With a fun cameo by Pierce Brosnan and an unexpected romantic twist, this was truly a masterpiece!
*A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Harper Muse through NetGalley. All opinions are mine alone.*

The English Masterpiece is a beautiful recollection of London in the 70s and the arts scenery. Diana and Lily share their knowledge and taste for art but are from two different stratum of life, Diana is the master and Lily is the follower. Both work at Tate's Modern Collection and weeks after Picasso's death they put together a commemorative showing bringing pieces from museums all over the world and private collections. Everything is going well until Lily, whilst in front of one of the paintings, declares it a forgery. The mystery and mayhem that follows that declaration will soon bring Diana and Lily out of their jobs and soon one of them will be targeted by the Police. But who is the real culprit and why? It's interesting to read how both characters grow, especially Lily's who will grow as a professional and a human being. The story also gives good insights into social class prejudices and society in general.
I thank the author, her publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

Once again, Katherine Reay has written a compulsively readable story, enveloped in rich historical detail with a young heroine you'll be cheering for all the way.

Lily loves art but her career path and her family history are shaky at best. When she's promoted to assistant to the Tate Museum's Diana Gilden, keeper of the gallery's 'Modern Collections,' it seems like a dream come true. Diana is smooth, polished and glamourous, and Lily admires Diana as professional mentor with an artist's eye for perfection and beauty. Then, in 1973, Pablo Picasso's death inspires Diana to stage a tribute to the great artist, with Lily's invaluable assistance. But on opening day of the exhibit, staring at the painting titled "Woman Laughing," Lily utters the words that no one wants to hear in a museum - it's a forgery.

What follows is a high stakes cat and mouse game as the museum, Scotland Yard, and American insurance investigator, converge on the scene to determine how this painting ended up in the exhibit. The chapters alternate between Lily's perspective and Diana's perspective, as we learn about both women's past and present lives.

There is family drama combined with 1970s art and fashion in London, a little romance, and a surprise cameo appearance by a young Pierce Brosnan that will make you want to run out and watch his remake of the Thomas Crown Affair. Lily's life has been traumatic, her relationships with her older sister and her parents in tatters, but I loved watching how they pull together with love and forgiveness.

As always, the author's notes at the end are not to be missed. Reay shares her research on art, art forgeries, and stolen art as well as the history behind including Brosnan in the novel. It may not have had the same intensity or looming danger as some of her recent novels, but I thoroughly enjoyed The English Masterpiece and can highly recommend it.

The English Masterpiece by Katherine Reay is a delightful historical fiction romance that delves into the intrigue and mystery of the art world right after Picasso’s death. Dealing with an influx of forgeries and stolen art this book will sweep you right along through the sophisticated world of art in the 1970’s. I highly recommend this book and greatly enjoyed it. I give this book 5 stars. I received a complimentary review copy of this book and am writing this review voluntarily.

Katherine Reay is an author I can count on to deliver an outstanding plot each and every time. Her latest, The English Masterpiece, was absolutely wonderful. Here, we step into the world of art, complete with forgeries, a framed crime, and a hint of romance. I delighted in every turn of the page as Reay expertly held my imagination spellbound. Both entertaining and educational, The English Masterpiece is just that - a masterpiece.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

The English Masterpiece is indeed a masterpiece of a book. So beautifully written, amazing characters, strong independent women, and a forgery like no other.

Pablo Picasso is dead, and museums are going crazy trying to honor the legend with special exhibits. Diana Gilden, the Tate Museum's current keeper, is pulling all the stops and stacking up the favors in order to make this exhibit "The" exhibit that will get her to her next postion. Her assistant, Lily, loves her job and worships Diana. Lily has her whole career riding on this exhibit as well. The big day arrives, and all the excitement and anticipation will finally come to life in this exhibit. However, Lily realizes that one of the major paintings is a forgery, and she says it outloud.
Everyone is pissed, the attendants are confused, and here begins the real story.

You will love this book, the glamour, the women, their intricate lives, the fabulous world of art, and the war that started the world of forgeries.

Thank you, Netgalley and Harper Muse, for this ARC. All opinions are entirely my own.

Lily has been asked to help create a Picasso exhibit in 14 days. She and her boss, Diana, work together to get this astonishing exhibit up and running. The night of the opening, Lily is walking by and studying the paintings and she suddenly burst out “This is a forgery!” This simple statement puts her job and her life in jeopardy!

Lily is a fabulous character. She is a little bit of everything, naïve, strong, smart! She also has a few hang ups where her family is concerned. This really endears the reader to her character. And her smarts come out when she is accused of the forgery. She pulls out all the stops to save herself. And believe me, this sends a reader on a quest you won’t soon forget.

I loved The Berlin Letters. And this book is very good. It just didn’t seem to have the emotional drama that took place in The Berlin Letters. I highly recommend you read both.

The narrators, Fiona Hardingham; Saskia Maarleveld are spot on. Perfect for the energy that runs through this book!

Need a super good tale which has you chasing time…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel for a honest review.

I always love Katherine Reay's books, and this one was so fascinating. It is a great mix of art, a bit of mystery, an interesting time period (1970s), and a bit of romance.

Lily works at an art museum, and she helps her boss put together a Picasso exhibit. At the grand opening, she looks at a painting and blurts out that it's a forgery. This causes a chain reaction as secrets and lies are exposed.

The beginning of the story felt slow, but I stuck with it and I was hooked!

Thank you to Katherine Reay, NetGalley, and Harper Muse for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

Immerse yourself in the 1970’s London art world where evidently forgery is a common problem and uncovering the truth of a Picasso could land aspiring artist Lily in prison. She is quite an insightful character who has many layers of complex emotions. From her high-profile job to her family life, everything she holds dear is beginning to unravel. I found this novel very difficult to put down, as the storyline was incredibly compelling and the flow was excellent. The viciousness of the art world is exposed by Lily’s boss Diana who will stop at nothing to keep her perch in the hierarchy of the art profession.
I have read several of Katherine Reay’s novels and would not hesitate to recommend anything in her backlist. She writes historical fiction, has a passion for Dickens and is an accomplished national bestselling author. My favorite of hers is Dear Mr. Knightley, a delightful expository novel that is a must read.
I received an early e-copy of this book from Net Galley, and I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 255, Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

The English Masterpiece by Katherine Reay

Katherine Reay has created a masterpiece through her telling of forgery and deceit occurring in the London art scene during the 1970s. The story is the perfect blend of mystery and suspense as we follow Lily on her quest to uncover the truth of a forged Picasso. In finding the truth, she hopes to uncover who is behind the creation of the forged painting and its path to Mr. Davies, a wealthy man looking to build his collection of fine art.

We see Lily discover much about herself, her family, and the lengths she will go to in order to discover the truth. This is a must read for historical fiction lovers as well as those who enjoy a good mystery.

Thank you to UpLit Reads, Harper Muse Books, and Katherine Reay for the opportunity to read The English Masterpiece!

I’m a huge fan of Katherine Reay’s books and was very excited to read this one! It’s a bit different from a lot of her other books that I’ve read, more of a historical mystery. It is set in London, in the 1970’s, following the death of artist Pablo Picasso. I loved the art history/forgery aspect. It was a fun plot!
A dual perspective book, I thought the characters were interesting, and I especially enjoyed Lily’s POV. 

After a slow build start, things really ramped up in the last half of the book, and it was full of tense moments, daring escapades, intrigue and a satisfying conclusion. It also has great themes of hope, finding oneself and healing within a family. It also has a light romantic subplot that was just the right touch. 4.25/5 stars

[Thanks to the publisher, Harper Muse and NetGalley for the advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.]

To say this book surprised me is an understatement. The English Masterpiece is not something I’d normally pick up, but the moment I saw London and art and the 1970s? I was in!!

I was fully sucked into this world from the words “That’s a forgery”. The way this story wove in real historical events and figures with such an addictive plotline was just so well done. I couldn’t stop flipping pages (or well, listening…because the audiobook? 10/10. Fiona Hardingham and Saskia Maarleveld? Obsessed).

Lily was such a standout for me. So passionate and dedicated, and really just trying to clear her name while everything around her is spiraling. I really felt for her. And Diana? She’s brilliant and calculating and tragic, truly one of those characters that lingers in your mind long after. Her marriage? Let’s just say… yikes. Run, girl.

Also, the whole forgery/museum/exhibition mystery gave this story such energy. I didn’t expect to be so hooked by art crime, but now I’m like… tell me everything about post-war London’s art scene. The details about the Tate, Picasso’s legacy, exhibition logistics, throw in some Warhol, talk about randomly fascinating!

And let’s not forget the romance thread between Lily and Connor because let’s be real, it had to have at least a hint of romance. It was sweet and subtle and exactly what I needed in between all the twists. A perfect little balance.

This book made me feel like I was right there wandering around the Tate, uncovering secrets, and getting lost in a world of art. Katherine Reay has definitely earned a permanent spot on my TBR.