The English Masterpiece ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The English Masterpiece by Katherine Reay 

G👀dreads

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.

Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Art

⭐⭐⭐⭐

🎉 Overall Enjoyment? 🎉🎉🎉🎊

🎣 Did it grab and keep my attention? 🎣🎣🎣🎏

 🗣️Would I recommend it to anyone? Maybe 🤷

 🕮 Would I want a sequel? No ➖ 

 📚 Would I want to read more books by this author?  Yes ➕

 💣💥 📢Trigger Warnings? None 

 🌶 Spice? None

 🌪 Plot Twist? No

 👟 Pace? Slow

 💻 Tidbits ~ I thought it was interesting but a little slow. Who doesn't love a good scandal? There were a lot of characters and reputations at stake but it didn't take much to figure out who was behind the shenanigans. Art forgery is big business and the author illustrated the various ways artwork is authenticated. 
I gave it 3.5 stars but bumped up to four due to the great narration, which made it more enjoyable to listen to.  

🎧Fiona Hardingham, Saskia Maarleveld

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