Art theft and art forgery books are always a hit with me; and this does not disappoint. The only drawback for me is that I felt like the 1970s setting could have been stronger. I kept reminding myself of the date.

This historical fiction focuses on Lily, a passionate art lover working as the assistant to Diana, the recently promoted Modern Collections keeper at London's Tate museum in the early 1970's. On opening night of a Picasso exhibit, she determines that one of the paintings on display, Woman Laughing, is a forgery and blurts out her discovery in front of a reporter and many important patrons of high society and the art world. Scandal ensues and before long, Lily finds herself in the center of the investigation. Can she discover the truth behind Woman Laughing before she finds herself behind bars?

The English Masterpiece is my first Katherine Reay book and now I can't wait to dive into her backlist. It was well written, with lots of details about the era and the art world that made it feel authentic and immersive. I enjoy art museums but don't know anything of substance about art, artists, or the various movements or styles. Despite my own ignorance on the specific subject matter, this was a tremendously enjoyable read. I enjoyed these characters, most of whom were lovable despite their flaws, and I was invested in Lily's pursuit of the truth behind the painting.

I listened to this on audio thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks, and it was spectacular on audio. Fiona Hardingham's performance brought the London art scene to life and conveyed Lily's emotions authentically through her voice and mannerisms. Saskia Maarleveld is one of my favorite audiobook narrators, so I was delighted to hear her performance for Diana's POV chapters. She could read me the phone book and I would listen clear through to the end.

"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."

This historical mystery had me completely captivated from the very first page! The tension that is created when Lily claims it's a forgery puts herself, her boss, and The Tate in jeopardy. I could not put this down. There is also a family saga combined with 1970's art and fashion in London, and a little romance mixed in. All the elements are seamlessly woven together to create a memorable story with characters that I will remember. Be sure to read the author's note for more background on art, art forgeries, and stolen art as well as the history behind including a famous celebrity in the novel. Grab your bell bottoms, some Abba music, and possibly a disco ball in a room with some paintings, and you've created the perfect setting to immerse yourself into The English Masterpiece! 🎨

The audiobook performance by Saskia Maarleveld and Fiona Hardingham is excellent and added to the depth of enjoyment of the novel.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Harper Muse Books, UpLit Reads, and Katherine Reay for an advance reader's copy and an advance listening copy in exchange for my honest review.

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The Tate Gallery plans to hold a world-class exhibit to honor Picasso after his passing. For Diana Gilden, this will be the pinnacle of her career. Her assistant, Lily, is eager to do whatever she can to make the exhibit a success for the supervisor that she so admires. Then everything goes horribly wrong. The night of the opening, as Lily is walking among the guests, looking at all of the paintings, she stops in front of a masterpiece and hears her own voice say, "It's a forgery." The gallery falls silent. The fallout is immediate. Guests rush to leave, 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. Eager to put everything right, and no longer sure what she saw, Lily must uncover the truth behind the Picasso before she loses not only the career she's always wanted, but her freedom.

This book was so good. It kept me engaged from start to finish. I adored Lily, and the book felt so real I felt like I was trying to solve the mystery of the painting right alongside her. This is a very fast-paced story that, although not based on real events, felt as if it could have really occurred. The narrator did an excellent job bringing this novel to life. I highly recommend this one!

A fast-paced historical mystery, set in the art scene of London in the 1970’s.

I love the narration by Fiona Hardingham and Saskia Maarleveld, who richly depicted the perspectives of Lily and Diana.

This vivid and captivating story is clearly well-researched. It will be a delight for art aficionados and historical fiction readers alike.

With thanks to Harper Muse Audiobooks and NetGalley for and the advanced listening copy, in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first story I have read from Katherine Reay and has me wanting to reading her backlist.

Set in 1970s London, rising Tate Museum assistant Lily jeopardizes her career when she publicly questions the authenticity of a major Picasso piece, sparking a high-stakes mystery in the art world.

I knew within just a few chapters that I was going to love this one. First off, the audiobook narration was impeccably delivered by Fiona Hardingham and Saskia Maarleveld. The decision to use two narrators for the different female characters was such a smart move. Each voice felt distinct and true to the characters Reay so carefully crafted. And craft, she absolutely did. These characters felt real, nuanced, and fully alive.

I fell completely for Lily, flaws and all. Her journey was heartfelt and deeply human. And while I didn’t hate Diana, I was definitely disappointed in her. Watching how she allowed Lily to take the blame, when she idolized her , added such emotional depth and tension. That kind of character development doesn’t come easy, and it shone throughout the entire novel.

This story gave me the same thrill I felt reading The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon. Like that favorite of mine, The English Masterpiece offers a rich historical backdrop, a compelling mystery, a touch of romance, and just enough family drama to keep you turning the pages without wanting to stop. It’s a polished, genre-bending novel that hits all the right notes for fans of layered historical fiction.

I devoured this book and loved every minute of it. I’m only sad it’s over. I’ll be recommending it to all my historical fiction loving friends the moment it hits shelves.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher Harper Muse Audiobooks for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I loved the narrator, she did a great job reading and I felt immersed. I enjoyed the povs, the anxiety and on the edge of your seat type of thriller the story provided.

This book was so much more than just about art forgery, and I enjoyed it. There's family drama, manipulative relationships, as well as a budding romance.

I love that the author also weaves history into the storyline and uses it as a plot for the forgery. I was unaware how World War II affected the art world back in the day.

The story is told from Lily's and Diana's point of view, and really the story turns into less of a whodunit kind of mystery as the story goes on.I enjoyed diving into the drama between Lily and her sister Daisy. Lily has spent most of her life believing she was the reason for her mother's accident and has kind of just shut everyone out and forced herself to be responsible, and in the end she kind of ends up controlling her parents' lives, and her sister is frustrated beyond hell with her for refusing to let anyone in.

Then you get into the rocky relationship Diana has with her husband as we find out they are involved in some seedy art business, and towards the end you come to realize how much of a manipulative relationship it really is.

There's so much that happens, and it's hard for me to really put it into thought, but I really enjoyed this book, and I definitely plan to check out other works by Reay and look forward to her future writings.

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳, 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘦-𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺.

Lily pulled me right into this story set in London in the 1970’s she tries to prove her worth to her boss, Diana, in the art world. Diana and Lily are from different worlds and when Lily is promoted to Diana’s assistant. They are showing the Picasso exhibit when Lily looks at one of the paintings and says out loud that it is fake…This sends everyone into a tailspin and all of the patrons who have loaned them paintings want them to be tested. Lily is now under the microscope and her own paintings are making it look like she could be behind creating forged copies. Will she be able to not only prove her innocence but who the real forger is?

I love stories about the art world and this one was so engaging. We see Lily grow as a character in her home life and in her work life. I wanted to like Diana because you could tell she was uncomfortable with the arrangement with her husband, but then at the end, her true colors were revealed when she was only cared about his painting. I thought she was going to win me over but the ending sealed her fate with me. The backstory into the way they can test a painting to see if it is a forgery was extremely interesting!

Thanks to Harper Muse Audiobooks for an advanced copy of The English Masterpiece by Katherine Reay.

I enjoyed this 1970s art-focused historical fiction. Set in London at the Tate Modern, Lily is the assistant keeper of collections and with Picasso's death, she's helping to plan an exhibit honoring him with her boss, Diana. At the opening, as Lily is looking at one of the paintings, she says it's a forgery and it's a domino effect from there...

This was a fun look at 1970s London and seeing Lily find herself. The beginning was a little slow, but once we got more into the mystery of the forgery, it started to pick up. This book looks at forgveness, trusting yourself and family all in a fun art mystery.

The audiobook was fun and the dual narrators helped you get more into Lily and Diana's world and I really enjoyed this audiobook. The audiobook is 10 hours.

If you like art and London you'll enjoy this book.

Thank you NetGalley for the audio version. This was such a fun mystery surrounding Lilys proclamation that the Picasso she was looking at was a fake!! What follows is thee we uncovering of a brilliant scheme years in the making. Loved it.

I enjoyed The English Masterpiece by Katherine Reay. I’m not an artist and I don’t appreciate modern art, yet I really enjoyed the plot involving the Picasso piece and details related to art and artists. There was enough intrigue and action to keep me coming back to read more.
The setting of the story was Tate Modern Art Museum and London. I’m familiar with London, so I appreciated revisiting many of the places in this novel. I haven’t been to the Tate, so it was interesting learning about the art museum. Now I need to visit Tate Modern just to see the building!
I also appreciated the 1970’s setting of the novel. The main character struggled with wanting a career and feeling pressure to find someone to marry, which was real enough for that time period. The main character also struggled inwardly throughout an uncomfortable relationship with her older sister. I felt like the sister’s character was a little over the top with her anger and criticism of the main character. Although background was offered to explain the anger toward her little sister, the older sister’s strong emotions could have been toned down without sacrificing the tension needed to move the story forward.
Thank you, Harper Muse, for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Thank you Harper Muse and Harper Muse Audiobooks for the ALC and ARC.

This is my first Katherine Reay.
Excellent writing. It allowed me to live the atmosphere of the high society Art scene of the 1970s. Vivid characters, engaging plot, fabulous atmosphere and consistent pacing.
And while I despise Picasso; I enjoyed how his legacy and art were used to drive the plot.

The relationship between Diana and her husband is a lesson for the ages.

Fiona Hardingham and Saskia Maarleveld do an excellent job bringing the story and characters to life.

Historical fiction with a mystery and a hint of romance— how could it not be enjoyable

The character journeys, the twist and turns, complex family dynamic and as someone with not a lot of art knowledge it was interesting to learn about art forgery and how nazi propaganda had an impact on the art world.

I listened to the audiobook version and thoughts the narrators did a great job making the story come to life.

Highly recommend to art lovers and historical fiction readers!

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Muse Audio & the author for an advance listener copy

After a very long month recovering from surgery, I was so excited to get back to reading. You would think being off work and home healing from surgery would give me a lot of time to read, but unfortunately that wasn't the case between doctor visits and whatnot. Anyway...this was my first time reading Katherine Reay's work, and what a wonderful story! If you've read any of my reviews, then you already know that I'm a huge fan of historical fiction, especially when I have the opportunity to learn something new, and I really enjoyed the interesting facts about the art world that Reay sprinkled in throughout this book. The plot was very intriguing and kept me guessing the entire time. There's mystery, romance, drama...you get a little bit of everything with this story. The fact that it was narrated by one of my favorite narrators, Saskia Maarleveld, was an added bonus. Fiona Hardingham is quite incredible too. It was my first time listening to her, and I adored her soothing British accent. Between her and Saskia, I was thoroughly enraptured in this book from beginning to end. I would highly recommend it to everyone, and I can't wait to read more of Katherine Reay's work.

I really enjoyed this book, and the narration was fantastic. The character of Lily was well developed, and her relationships were also. Even though the book centered on art forgery, the reader was able to learn about Lily and her family and their family history, and it all connected to the main plot. You also learned a bit about art forgery, as well as Nazi propaganda around degenerate art. The plot moved along well and kept the listener entertained throughout. The suspense around who would get caught and how it would happen also kept the listener involved. And, personally, I loved the cameo of Pierce Brosnan and the nod to The Thomas Crown Affair in the use of similar dresses in the art gallery. I love it when authors are clever like this. I highly recommend this book and thank NetGalley and Harper Muse Audio for the e-arc.

Katherine Reay’s The English Masterpiece is a delightful tapestry of intrigue, beauty, and wit that kept me hooked from start to finish. Lily, an ambitious assistant helping to orchestrate a dazzling Picasso exhibit, finds herself caught in a whirlwind of scandal when she boldly declares a masterpiece a forgery right at the height of the event. Talk about a moment that could make or break a career! Reay masterfully weaves a story that plunges readers into the glamorous yet cutthroat art world, with vivid descriptions that make London’s museums sparkle and the paintings seem almost alive. The characters are richly drawn—Diana, the polished and enigmatic curator, and Lily, ambitious yet vulnerable, are both compelling and relatable. What truly shines is the way the novel balances suspense and heart. Just when you think you have it all figured out, Reay throws in a twist that makes you reconsider everything. It’s a love letter to art lovers and anyone who enjoys a good mystery wrapped in emotional depth. Whether you're a mystery enthusiast or an art aficionado, The English Masterpiece is an entertaining and thought-provoking read that will leave you eager to see what Katherine Reay comes up with next.

It’s a slow read, and the mystery feels muddled. Is the mystery supposed to be: Is it a real Picasso? What made Lily think it was a fake? Or how did this happen? It’s unclear.

Lily and Diana are unlikeable main characters, so I dont care about them. Learning about Lily's past was interesting, but it's not the conflict that I was expecting. The twist is kinda obvious that Diana is a bad guy, especially with her point of view. The romance is rushed and unbelievable. No spice either. Overall disappointing.

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Imagine... You're the assistant to the keeper of the Tate Modern's modern art collection. It is the 1970's, and you are in an admirable position for a woman at the time. You have helped to arrange a Picasso exhibit including some pieces that your employer has authenticated herself. Suddenly, at the opening gala, you hear your own voice exclaim "It's a forgery!" You're ruined! Your boss is ruined! Such is the plight of Lily, this book's main character.
Lily must race against the clock to prove that she has correctly identified a Picasso forgery though she does not know how she knows. She must also prove that she is not responsible for placing the forgery into circulation. Everyone she knows comes under suspicion. And, her boss, Diana, is one of the primary foci of the investigation. Both Lily and Diana's careers and relationships may be in jeopardy.
The English Masterpiece deftly weaves heart-pounding mystery with immersive 1970's historical fiction. Additionally, Reay provides context of the art industry, art heists, and the impact of World War II on art history. I found the novel equally captivating and informative. It was obviously well-researched. I especially loved the focus on professional women in the 1970's. Gender norms and art politics are discussed thoroughly. I love art-focused books. I love historical fiction. I love suspense. And, I highly recommend this book.

First of all, I wanted to express how amazing the narrators are in this audiobook. They are perfect for the parts they narrated. Great job to both ladies!

And now for the novel...
The English Masterpiece is just that...a masterpiece. The protagonist, Lilly, is the assistant to the director of the Tate Museum in 1973, London, England. Picasso has just died, and Diana, the director of the Tate, honors him by having an exhibit of his art. Lilly, while looking at one of the paintings, blurts out, "This is a forgery." And thus, this is where all the action begins. It is a spellbinding book that kept me captivated until the very end. This novel has mystery, family issues, and a bit of romance, all culminating in an exciting read. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
*I was given a copy of this book by the publisher, and this is my honest opinion.