This was such a nice "light" historical fiction. I was absolutely drawn in by the cover and really intrigued about the plot. The English Masterpiece takes place in London in the 1970's. It follows Lily and her boss Diane who both work at an art museum. They are holding a huge celebration of life exhibition for Pablo Picasso who had just passed away. When Lily looks up at one of the paintings and exclaims "this is a forgery!" a quick chain of events begins, and the search for the criminals starts.

I was gifted the audiobook for review and it did not disappoint. Fiona Hardingham and Saskia Maarleveld did a great job narrating. I love Saskia's narrations and will often choose audiobooks just knowing she is narrating! If you love Kate Quinn I think you'd enjoy this book. As someone who doesn't count historical fiction as one of her favorite genres (but does love Kate Quinn), I found this the perfect historical fiction setting. It wasn't too deep in the weeds with facts and setting the scene, but with the small details given throughout the book I could clearly imagine London in the '70s. Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Music Audiobooks for this audio ARC.

3 predictable stars
Set in 1970s London, The English Masterpiece follows two young women who work at the Tate Museum. The plot revolves around their lives and families, whether a painting is a forgery and who created it. Will one of them go to jail?

Having enjoyed the last two books by Katherine Reay, I was delighted to receive an ARC of The English Masterpiece. This book features two shallow and sometimes whiny female characters that did not engage me as much as Reay’s other historical fiction works. The author related many facts about art and creating it. A squabble with the sisters became tiresome and then a bit sappy. The dialog seemed written to move the plot along, not as an integral part of the story. Instead of the reader becoming involved with emotions, the book ‘examines feelings - often. The pacing felt slow to me. I guessed the main plot points and the light romance did not set off any sparks.

The clear narration by two readers brought out the differences between the characters and brought them to life. The British accent was easy to understand.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

★★★★ 4/5 stars

✦ 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 :
-Woman on Fire by Lisa Barr
-London setting
-art history
-1970s vibes
-mysteries & scandals

✦ 𝙈𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 :
Set against the glamorous backdrop of 1970s London, The English Masterpiece is a blend of historical fiction, art-world intrigue, & slow-burn mystery — a well-researched story that brings the high-stakes world of galleries, forgeries, & stolen masterpieces to life.

The story did take me a little time to get invested, but once I did, I was all in. The dual POVs are woven together seamlessly, & by the final chapters I was flipping pages like I was right in the middle of the drama myself! The vivid sense of time and place, along with excellent audiobook narration by Saskia Maarleveld & Fiona Hardington, was a match made in heaven.

Even if you don't know a thing about art (hi, it's me), the glimpses into Picasso, Nazi art theft, & the cutthroat world of art collecting are fascinating-and yes, I did pause to Google more than one painting.

thank you to @katherinereay @uplitreads, & @netgalley for the opportunity to read this arc! Y’all know I’m a sucker for an immersive read!

This is such a captivating historical mystery! Set against the glamorous yet high-stakes backdrop of London’s 1970s art scene, it follows Lily, newly promoted assistant at the Tate, as she helps curate a career-defining Picasso exhibition—until she makes a gasp-worthy declaration: “It’s a forgery.”

With that one sentence, Lily jeopardizes her own career, her boss Diana’s, and the credibility of the entire institution. What follows is an intense unraveling of secrets, rivalries, and personal truths that had me completely hooked. The pacing starts slow but builds into a gripping, twisty second half filled with suspense, heart, and unexpected warmth.

I especially loved the dynamic between Lily and Diana—two complex, ambitious women navigating a male-dominated world and the fragile egos of the art elite. Their evolving relationship felt refreshingly layered. Add in a splash of romance, gorgeous descriptions of 1970s fashion, and insight into the post-war art world, and you’ve got a book that blends glamour with grit in all the best ways.

But what makes this novel linger is the quiet wisdom underneath the action—the subtle themes of identity, belonging, and finding the courage to speak the truth even when it costs you.

A must-read for fans of art history, strong female leads, and historical fiction that challenges as much as it entertains!

The English Masterpiece by Katherine Reay has amazing characters, in-depth plot, and an intriguing mystery. A twist I didn't see coming happened when I was only halfway through! I don't know much about art, but the story was so interesting yet easy to follow.

This is the 4th novel I have read by this author, and I have given them all 5 stars. Whether historical or women's fiction, she sets them up so well, that I am engrossed! Highly recommended!

I listened to the audiobook, and it is well done.

I received an early copy from NetGalley. Review contains my own honest opinion.

Thanks to @harpermusebooks for the advanced access!

Fast-paced and gripping, this book had me hooked from the first chapter. It’s part art history, part thriller—with a plot that centers on a mysterious painting, a secret legacy, and an international art forgery ring. Yes, please!

I loved this one, but I have a thing for secret identities, art history, and Katherine Reay.

The audiobook is chef’s kiss thanks to the excellent pairing of narrators Saskia Maarleveld and Fiona Hardingham—both brought so much life and nuance to the storytelling.

I flew through this one in no time. Reay weaves suspense and emotional depth into a story that’s as rich and layered as the artist’s canvas. If you loved her previous work you’ll love this one!

📚 A great pick if you’re into literary mysteries, hidden histories, and smart female leads!

Set in the London art world of 1973 this was a captivating book about art, life, and reinvention. Pablo Picasso has just died and the Tate Modern Museum is organizing an exhibition to honor it. Lily has risen from humble beginnings to assistant collector thanks in part to her boss Diana. All Lily wants is to be part of the art world and like Diana but when she sees something in the Picasso exhibit that doesn’t look right she changes her future in an instant. Conor Davies is brought in by the insurance company and as he searches to find the truth he uncovers more than he expected. The art world, Conor, and Lily struggle to figure out what is real and what is a forgery. The other part of the story is Diana, her life and the role she plays. Well written and immersive I was drawn into the story and did not want it to end. This is a story that examines reinvention and explores the difference between imitation and forgery and when it is time to discover your own identity and style. I listened to the Audio and the dual narrators gave Lily and Diana voices and brought the story to life. I highly recommend this book to readers that enjoy books with mystery, romance, and discovering your true self.

The English Masterpiece AUDIO by Katherine Reay is an exciting listen centering around art forgery. But, this forger was clever. Instead of forging a piece in existence, he found a gap in the artist’s production and created one. In the years after World War II and all the art the Nazis stole it was easy. He was an excellent forger and he was careful with how and when the new piece was introduced. He had made plenty of money off this scam. When Picasso died, the Tate, in London, quickly put together a show, curated by the only female keeper in Europe, Diana Gilden. It was a piece owned by a very rich man and had been authenticated by Diana. As it was unveiled, her young assistant, Lily, blurted out that it was a fake. This happened in front of her bosses, the owner of the piece, and the press, and became a scandal immediately. The owner, Mr. Davis was furious. Richard, the director of the Tate was beyond furious, but it took several days for him to fire both Lily and Diana. By then, the forger had put the pieces in place to frame Lily, who was also an artist. Connor Walsh appeared on the scene from America, to investigate the accusation that the painting was a forgery as his company insured it. It was all turning into quite a mess.

Lily set out to prove she was innocent. She involved her sister, her mother, and her friends. Through them we learned quite a bit about Lily and why she was so inaccessible and afraid to be herself. Connor was taken with her and believed her to be innocent, but he had no authority in England. Diana was just furious. Things happened quickly. Lily’s small studio space in an art school was dismantled by her janitor friend, Paddy, in an effort to help. That landed him in jail. This was an entertaining, if slightly unrealistic story full of twists and turns and colorful characters. It unveiled Lily’s life and character in a most interesting way. The plot was excellent and difficult to unravel the entire situation. Excellent listen.

The narrators are Fiona Hardingham and Saskia Maarleveld both of whom guided the listener through a complex plot with many characters. They were excellent

I was invited to listen to The English Masterpiece by Harper Muse Audiobooks. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #HarperMuseAudiobooks #KatherineReay #TheEnglishMasterpiece

I had such an amazing experience listening to this book! The descriptions were so lush and really spoke to the artist in me that craved all the layers that were given. I always need to know what the room looks like, the lay out, what everyone is wearing, how is everyone standing, what does it look like anyone is thinking at any given moment! Like it all matters to me and Katherine Reay gave me that! I love art and the art world so this was the PERFECT book for me.

I wish I had the physical copy of this book cause I think I’d be tabbing pages (for the first time) to revisit all the descriptions of art and people and surroundings! And I would have also loved to share a bunch of quotes to explain how artfully and beautifully written this book is!

Art heists and forgeries are my kryptonite. For some reason I cannot stay away from these types of stories. If there’s a documentary, movie, show and book, I’m eating it up!

Katherine Reay delivered with this book with Lily and Diana as our FMCs struggling to figure out the art landscape shortly after Picasso’s death. When their gallery opens and some shenanigans ensue and secrets get unveiled, their worlds implode and they journey into a lot of self-discovery while figuring out how to get out of their current predicaments. I enjoyed both of their perspectives and really loved seeing how they got to this point in their lives.

Reay also really sets the scene for you from an artists eye giving you vivid colors and descriptions of people and locations. But what I love most about the writing is that you’re given more than what you can see, Reay gives you what you may feel. Our FMCs are giving you their perspective which means they have a nuanced understanding of every color and artistic stroke and movement and body language. Their unique take on all of these things speak volumes and that layer of depth was amazing to experience!

I highly recommend, this was a 5 star read/listen for me (since I received it as an audiobook)!

Have you ever spoken and immediately wished you could call back the words? Well, that is exactly what happens with Lily. I appreciate fine art but cannot imagine the world that Lily finds herself working with the Tate’s Modern Collections Exhibit. There were a lot of characters and at times I had to take a moment to make sure I knew who each person was. I loved the British scene and the way the clues were presented to help you figure out who was guilty of committing such a scandal. More than just a story of the art world and that art forgery, you will cheer Lily on as she discovers who she is and her determination to prove her integrity and ability as she grows personally and professionally. A little behind-the-scenes romance was sprinkled throughout the pages, but it just added to the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

Adult Fiction
Art
British Literature
Christian Fiction
Fiction
Historical
Historical Fiction
Mystery
Thriller

I really enjoyed this one! Colorful characters, lovely setting, and an interesting plot. Set in the 70s, in the Tate Museum, it’s a story of art forgery and the people involved. I particularly enjoyed the factual bits about the forgeries. The audiobook was very well done.

Thank you Harper Muse Audiobooks and NetGalley for the ARC!

This book captivated me! I loved the mystery, the time period, and the intrigue behind this story. I finished this book in 1 day - I couldn't wait to see how it ended! The narration was fantastic, and I would definitely read more from this author.

Thank you again for the ARC!

🎧3.75⭐️

How quick are you to roll your eyes at something that happens in a book? Call me jaded, but I’m pretty quick. Sometimes I wish I wasn’t.

I enjoyed The English Masterpiece- the premise and plot, but one event towards the end had me rolling my eyes. It felt both unlikely and like a dumb move by the MC. I dropped my rating from four stars because of it.

☺️What I enjoyed:
The 1973 London setting was immersive. Katherine Reay must have researched this so well. The dialogue felt authentic for the time, and the Pierce Brosnan cameo was a creative touch!

🤷‍♀️Why not five stars? Aside from the aforementioned eye roll moment, I didn’t feel an emotional connection to the characters. It could have been a me thing. I wanted to care about Lily more.

🎧Dual audio narration by Saskia Maarleveld and Fiona Hardingham was enjoyable, although I didn’t love a couple of Fiona’s male voices.

🥰If you enjoy novels about stolen/lost art, you should try this! It reminded me of The Stolen Queen by Fiona

⚠️Profanity: none
Sexual: 1/5 (kissing only)

⚠️Other: a small amount of violence

Thank You to @uplitreads and @harpermusebooks for sharing the gorgeous novel, 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑬𝑵𝑮𝑳𝑰𝑺𝑯 𝑴𝑨𝑺𝑻𝑬𝑹𝑷𝑰𝑬𝑪𝑬 𝒃𝒚 𝑲𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒚! I was thrilled to see it offered in audio as well through @netgalley and added the narration by Fiona Hardingham & Saskia Maarleveld, which was a great duo!

First of all, this cover!❤️ I adore this cover and the way the light plays against the paintings. The woman in the middle is defiantly standing her ground, which is perfect. I am also a sucker for red.

I was quite quickly sucked into this historical fiction tale, set in the 1970's London Tate Gallery; a time not often explored in my reading, and in a glamorous setting to boot. The tension comes quickly when Lily, young assistant to the venerable Keeper of the Modern Collection, Diana, blurts out that a Picasso they just displayed soon after his death is a forgery. The cat-and-mouse games move carefully as these these two women battle for their jobs, reputation, and possibly even their lives, to protect what they hold dear.

There were a couple things that really stood out to me in this story. One is the way we can fall into hero worship, only to lose ourselves. Lily is wanting to forge her way into a world where she sees a powerful woman above her, other art geniuses around her, and it is a struggle to find her own voice. The other, which ties into the first, is how sometimes those we love may know us better than ourselves and it is a good thing to have support from them! I loved the journey Lily took to balance her career goals and relationships with the people who cared for her. We are not meant to do this wild ride alone.

I did have fun reading this book! I do recommend it, in either format (though @saskiaaudio is stellar), for historical fiction/ mystery fans! I feel like there is probably a 1970's play list somewhere for this, which would also be a fun addition!

Thank you to Harper Muse and NetGalley for an ARC of this audiobook.

I have read and loved previous books by Katherine Reay (The London House and The Berlin Letters) so was very excited when I was granted an ARC of this audiobook. Then when I saw that the book would be narrated by Fiona Hardingham and Saskia Maarleveld, I couldn't wait to start listening. Both of these narrators did their usual excellent job of conveying the characters and keeping the reader interested.

This book had everything that I love in an historical fiction novel. I was instantly engaged in the plot and couldn't stop listening once I started. I love books about the art world and this one was very well researched. I will look forward to future books by this author. If you are an historical fiction reader, who also loves the art world, don't miss this one.

Well this was fun!!!! My first introduction to Katherine Reay was The Berlin Letters and after that I knew I was going to be hooked on anything she wrote. This was something new and different to most hist fic novels I read (which seems to be a theme in her books that just make me appreciate them even more!!!)

Lily is the assistant to the Tate Museum's Modern Collections keeper, Diana Gilden. Lily thinks the world of Diana and is incredibly influenced by her--she sees so much possibility for herself through Diana's own story and Lily is inspired. However, after Picasso's death, Diana thinks they should host an exhibit to honor his life and legacy. That night, as Lily is perusing the art, she notices something is off about Picasso's Woman Laughing. The piece is a forgery and that discovery sets off a chain of events that could destroy Lily's chances at advancing in her own right and ruin Diana's reputation, costing them both their jobs.

I loved every second of my time reading this and I'm so excited to see what Reay thinks up next! Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the eARC!! 😊

I have a thing for fictional stories about art so I was thrilled to get an advance copy of The English Masterpiece audiobook.
It’s 1973 and Picasso has just died. The Tate quickly mounts an exhibit to honor him. Lily, the assistant to Diana Gilden, the keeper of the Modern Collections, is at the opening when she blurts out “it’s a forgery” about one of the key pieces on loan from a prominent donor. Needless to say, chaos ensues as the museum director, the donor and a reporter are all within earshot.
The story veers back and forth between Lily’s and Diana’s POV. I loved that Lily is an artist but doesn’t have an art school background. She can see but can’t express why she feels the piece is a fraud.
Reay does an excellent job of giving the reader a keen sense of time and place - the fashions, the declining economy, the art world’s worry about fakes as artworks lost during WWII are being rediscovered. Also, any book that focuses on art needs to be able to convey creating art to the reader. Reay is able to do that.
Be aware that this isn’t the typical mystery. It’s much more fiction with a mystery component. It spends a lot of time giving us the personal lives of both MCs. Each woman is fully developed - flawed and complex. While it starts a little slow, the tension and suspense ratchet up as the story progresses. There were some interesting twists that I didn’t see coming. Make sure to read/listen to the Author’s Note for the inspiration of the story.
I listened to this. Of course, Saskia Maarleveld does her normal excellent job. I was less impressed by Fiona Hardingham who narrated Lily’s sections. She did a fine job with Lily but struggled with differentiating other voices, especially Connor’s American accent.
My thanks to Netgalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks for an advance copy of this audiobook.

Great book, well paced, with an enjoyable narrator. Would recommend to anyone who enjoys art history and historical fiction. Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the free audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Picasso has died and Diana Gilden, Tate’s Modern Collections Keeper has asked Lily to help put together an exhibit to honor him. It’s not until the night of the opening that Lily suspects that one of the paintings is a forgery, and accidentally says it out loud. Suspicion and mystery ensue threatening everything Diana, and Lily, have worked for.

This dual point of view historical mystery started a little slow while setting the stage but ramped by mid book. Reay seamlessly meshed the two view points and intertwined deeper themes of forgiveness, speaking out, authenticity throughout the book. I enjoyed the atmospheric setting of the art world in the 1970’s. Overall, an enjoyable mystery with an historical twist.

I’ll admit the beginning was a bit slow for me, but once the plot kicked into gear, I was hooked. The story follows Lily, who works alongside her boss, Diana, to curate a Picasso exhibition. But when Lily spots something suspicious in one of the pieces and blurts out that it’s a forgery… everything changes.

The art world backdrop is rich and fascinating, especially in a post-war context, where people are trying to rebuild — and art becomes both an escape and a statement. That historical layer gave the book real weight.

I loved the complexity of Lily and Diana — both individually and in their working relationship. The tension, the respect, the unspoken competition... it all made their dynamic feel so real.

What I appreciate most about Reay’s writing is how she weaves in deeper themes — identity, healing, resilience — without ever feeling preachy. There’s always this quiet thread of introspection in her stories that sneaks up on you in the best way.

And yes, I was pleasantly surprised by the soft romantic subplot woven in — I mean, a story without even a hint of romance just isn’t complete in my book 😄

I received a complimentary copy of this book, but all thoughts and feelings are completely mine — and I really did enjoy the journey this one took me on.