A gentle thriller with heart in a 70's art setting. Lily works at the Tate and is an aspiring closeted artist, keeping those around her at bay. She idolizes her boss, Diana, a chic and knowledgeable woman with taste. During a Picasso exhibit, Lily blurts out that one of the paintings is a forgery and sets an investigation into motion, with her being the main suspect. As someone who does not let people in, as evidenced by her strained relationship with her sister and other family, she becomes more exposed as insurance investigator Conor Walsh is on the case. She delves not only into her past, as she tries to clear her name, but the past of those around her. An interesting drama between how well you know the people around you, and how well you know yourself.

Loved this fascinating, art-filled yarn set in London in the 1970s! The English Masterpiece was the first novel by Katherine Reay I’ve read and it certainly will not the last, as Reay is a master storyteller. This was such an enjoyable story! The characters are well developed. The plot is perfectly paced and kept me flipping pages eagerly. And Reay captures in expert fashion the city, the time period, and the arts world.

Highly recommended to lovers of 20th century art (especially Picasso’s works) and smart historical mysteries.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the privilege of a complimentary ARC. Opinions are my own.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this book, but I was very pleasantly surprised. I ended up finishing the book in just a few sittings and really enjoyed the story and characters.

Young girl, Lily Summers, who wants to be everything like her manager and so-called friend Diana. Diana is.Working at The Tate Gallery and Lily is her assistant. They both are organizing an art exhibit which pertains to Picasso. Lily works very hard and wants to be so much like Diana, but the world can be very cruel and this is a lesson that Lily is learning. You see Lily releases a comment that says one of the Picasso that is going on display is a forgery. Questions or arising that an employee like Lily who is just your average. . Questions or arising that an employee like Lily, who is just your average worker who made in some painting of her own know this? especially when it calls in the reputation of Diana, who within authenticated the piece and also of the museum. Lily finds herself tangled up in a deceit and not knowing what to do. Especially when she cares about being drawn into this danger that she finds herself in. Lily has so much on her plate, family guilt work guilt. She’s quite doing the right thing and hurting people she cares about. What will she do?

I did not know what to expect from this book because I never read anything by Katherine Reay. What a very intriguing subject that kept me on my toes and I needed to know what was going on I’ve read a book about the as involved as this one. I like to twist and turns it to the story. I liked how they built the character of Lily. Someone who was riddled with guilt concerning her family. The closeness she would love to feel with her sister, and her she feels about her parents. Lily never lets anyone get close to her and I guess that’s how Diana was able to manipulate her. I truly enjoyed this book. I just wish they would’ve gotten to the crux of the story a little faster. Other than that, I truly give this four stars. I love the characters. I love the story, and I like the way it ended. Since it was also sort of a love story it didn’t end the way some of them ended. Into her own and she knows she has to reinvent herself so she can turn into the person she wants.

Thank you NetGalley Storm Publishing for the ARC. I look forward to read more from Ms.. Reay. This is a book I would recommend to any of my fellow readers.

Given the fact that I’m not interested in art or art history, this book did not grab my attention so I did not finish it. I think someone who is an artist would find it fascinating, but it wasn’t for me.

Lily, an assistant at the Tate, is helping her boss, Diana, plan a major Picasso exhibit. The exhibit features Picasso’s iconic works as well as a newly discovered painting. When Lily publicly claims one of the paintings is a forgery, her accusation throws the art world into chaos and puts her career and her mentor’s reputation at risk. With time running out, Lily must follow the clues and prove that she was right before she loses everything.

Why Kirsten likes it
This had all the pieces I’m looking for in a historical mystery, artwork, a protagonist on the lamb, a dual narrative, and a fun setting (1970s at the Tate Museum), but Lily drove me batty. Her constantly losing attention to her surroundings came off as grating rather than charming, and her woe-is-me attitude was even remarked upon by her family members. If she had been a stronger character I would have rated this one higher, but in the end, this was a like not a love.

I always enjoy this author’s books, and this one was no different. She is expert at telling stories of well-researched historical events/eras while adding in layers of mystery and romance. I paired the print version of this book with the audiobook and truly enjoyed this immersive reading experience. The audiobook narration was fantastic. Katherine Reay is always a win for me.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for a review.

I like Katherine Reay’s book and I love her pacing through the story and her characters. The plot of this book was engaging and unique!

I liked the setting and the premise. It is a well written book, but it did take a while to get into. I loved learning about the behind the scenes of the museum/art world especially the references to the Tate and the British Museum. The drama and the suspense kept me on my toes. Good book.

"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.

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."

Art world, check. Forgeries, check. Period drama, check!

(Review published on Goodreads and linked below)

I greatly enjoyed this novel. It was beautifully written with characters that tugged at my heartstrings and made me want to last out simultaneously. Great read! I have recommended it to my audience and would love other chances to review books like this.

I enjoyed The English Masterpiece and will continue to read whatever Katherine Reay writes next. She is great at weaving together historical events, people, fashion, and culture into compulsively readable stories. This story is set in the world of classic paintings and the Tate Gallery in London in 1973 just after the death of Pablo Picasso. I think I enjoyed the plot more than the characters in this book though the mystery element of who is the forger is revealed to the reader mid-way through the book then wraps up predictably in the storyline. Thank you to the publisher Harper Muse and Netgalley for an early copy to read and review. This book will come out on June 10, 2025.

The English Masterpiece by Katherine Reay is a unique and mysterious novel, set in 1970s London. The narrative was well-written and draws the reader in to the fast paced suspense. Lily, is a recently promoted assistant to the Tate’s Modern Collections keeper, Diana Gilden. Lily helps plan a Picasso exhibit, honouring the passing of the artist. At the opening of the exhibit, Lily stands in front of one of the paintings and says, in front of the crowd, “It’s a forgery.” When Lily is at risk of being blamed for the forgery she seeks to uncover the truth, bringing the reader along on a thrilling ride around London.

Thank you to the publisher, Harper Muse, NetGalley and the author for an eARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

Katherine Raey does it again! Her historical fiction novels have been an all time favorite (I mean, I love all her books, really). The English Masterpiece was a wonderful read. When I tell you I was not prepared for where this book went and how far it could go! It was thrilling, heartwarming and tackles some deep questions about originality and expressing one’s self. I love the family dynamic as Raey typically includes in her books. At first I was conflicted about how I felt about some characters but the ending made good. I can’t wait for Raey’s next novel.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and @HarperMuse for this ARC. Lily is working for Diana at the Tate when they find out Picasso has passed away. Wanting to pay tribute to the artist, Diana wants Lily to create an exhibit and luncheon with several of his prominent paintings. In two weeks time, she pulls together this amazing event but while enjoying the paintings, she spies one as a forgery and says it loud enough for others to hear. This unleashes a pandemonium at both the exhibit and in the entire art world. Everyone blames Lily and she must fight to get to the bottom of the forgery. Great read as always from Reay! #TheEnglishMasterpiece #KatherineReay #HarperMuse #June2025

Wow, wow, wow. I LOVED this book.

I have read & loved all of Katherine Reay's books & partly what I enjoy so much is they're all so different & unique. She does fantastic research to make sure everything is accurate to the time period & what she's writing about.

I don't know much about art, but I enjoyed this delve into a bit of the life of an artist or people who work in the art field.

The characters were well developed, well written & I enjoyed how the book played out. I felt for & empathized with the characters. I rejoiced & agonized with them & while some of it was heartbreaking & hard to read, that's also real life & I appreciated the author's insight.

I can't wait to reread the book, as I always catch different nuances a 2nd or 3rd time.

Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for this ARC Read. All opinions are my own.

Lily is an assistant keep at the Tate Gallery in London - what we would understand as an assistant curator. She works to pull off a near-impossible task as she helps coordinate a last-minute Picasso exhibit in memoriam. Everything comes to a crashing halt during the opening when she pauses at a painting and claims “It’s a forgery.”

The ensuing story details Lily’s background and the unique challenges she faces with her family, her art, and her own identity. Simultaneously, we learn about Diana, the curator who is deeply enmeshed with layers of self-curation. These two women serve as foils to each other, each reflecting a different way of handling trauma and challenges. Reay does a masterful job balancing their arcs while humanizing both experiences.

Always love the look into “adjacent” history - things in the more recent modern past that I don’t know much about because I haven’t lived them. The pop culture references - Warhol, Brosnan - the fashion details, and life details like rotary phones being replaced with touch tone all helped ground the story in its timeline.

A word on the structure and set-up: I really loved that the big plot wow happened early on, and that the reader gets clues into what might really be happening before the characters themselves discover it. This shifts the focus from simply a whodunit set up to the much more fascinating question of why? And how? Questions that take the reader into well-executed character development and themes of survival, guilt, forgiveness, and growth.

Things that didn’t land for me: the use of chiaroscuro. It’s not the correct art term to apply to Impressionist painting, and its two appearances will stand out to students of art history and artistic styles. Fortunately, the broader point of viewing paintings up close v at a distance, and how that changes perception, is well-made in those moments by the surrounding descriptions.

I also felt like a few moments tilted to the didactic, particularly Conor’s question of who influences Lily and her general self-reclamation that happens in the denouement. We don’t see Lily interact very much with influencing people beyond Diana, Paddy, and possibly her sister. Along with that, the final wrap up felt very neat and tidy. Perhaps fleshed out into an additional chapter or two, it would have landed more authentically to Lily.

It's a fake!!

Three little words, but words heard by everyone at the exhibit including a reporter.

How could this Picasso painting worth 500 million dollars be a fake?

Now no one will buy it once the press release goes out.

Lily can't believe she said what she said.

She was told to immediately leave.

She HAS to get her job back - can she?

And can she prove that it is or is not a fake?

We follow Lily as she tries to figure it all out.

There are some evildoers and lots of tension that come on the scene after a very slow start so don’t give up too soon.

Fans of the art world and mystery fans will devour this book. 4/5

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

An engaging and surprising mystery in the upper echelons of the London art world of the 1970s. I loved its plucky heroine, her complicated boss, and shifting between their perspectives. Gorgeously evokes London at an interesting historical moment, as well as an important moment in the art world immediately following Picasso's death. So much fun!

A masterfully written story about some sneaky shenanigans going on in the art world! I really enjoyed this book! There were some unexpected twists, a little romance, and some growth of character. If you want something a little different, I recommend this one!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance e-copy of this book. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.