Set in the weeks after the famed Pablo Picasso’s death, the English Masterpiece follows a storm ignited when Lilly speaks aloud one single thought at the Picasso Commemorative Exhibit at the Tate Museum in London. What should be the celebration of a near possible feat opening new career opportunities for both women, instead launches them into a self-discovery journey as expressed through relationships. By the story's end, they exemplify Picasso’s meaning when he declares, “Art is a lie that makes us realize the truth.”    

Katherine Reay is a master at depicting messy relationships. As is true for so many of her books, the reader is left considering the blessings and challenges of family, community, and work relationships longer after finishing the book. You should not expect anything different from the English Masterpiece. Block time on your calendar to escape into the 1973 art world and learn from Lilly and Diana’s life journeys. Lovers of art, post-WWII fiction, and psychological thrillers are sure to enjoy this masterpiece of a novel.

Great mix of mystery, history, and art. I liked all the many working pieces of figuring out the forgery of the art, tracking down the clues, trying to show innocence or guilt, and dealing with all the fall out. Diana’s and Lily’s characters were a good contrast and complement and gave a lot of life and complexity to the book.

Lily’s story held some great nuggets about guilt and isolation and the damage it does not just to yourself but to those who love you. I liked her character quite a bit.

I did struggle a little with the first, maybe 25% of the book, just getting into it. I think it was a mix of all the art references which I don’t know much about, and obviously being a visual thing, felt kind of lost in, and also in the context clues that were left out initially to lead the reader into the story little by little. While normally that’s great and lends to greater investment and imagination, maybe it was just me but I felt like there were so many missing all at once without anything to anchor on. Along with the art references, it felt like walking into a conversation already in full swing and feeling like I missed something that everyone else understood.

Over everything started to come together in the second part, I enjoyed it a lot, and had a hard time putting it down.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are mine.

Katherine Reay’s recent novels have been some of my favorites, but this just fell a little flat for me. Someone with greater art knowledge might like it more than I did, but I just had a hard time connecting with the plot and characters the first half of the book.

The second half was fast paced and entertaining. I wished for Lily and Connor to have a spinoff with them investigating art mysteries.

Specials thanks for NetGalley and Harper Muse. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I liked the second half of this book so much more than the first half, hence my three star rating. At the beginning, the writing just felt a little vague and emotional. I'm always a fan of "show, not tell", but maybe this plot needed a little more "telling" earlier on! Once I finally understood what was going on with each of the main characters and what was important to them and why, the story really picked up for me. As a huge fan of the mystery genre, I always appreciate when an author sprinkles that element in, even in a book that is more strictly historical fiction. As with all of Reay's stories, there is a great mix of engaging plot and character development. All of the art history and painting details were especially fascinating!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for a free eARC of this book!

If you haven't read any of Katherine Reay's books, then starting with The English Masterpiece is a great place to start. The storyline itself is a bit different, but still very much Reay's voice.
I didn't know much about the art world and the under belly of forgeries, but Reay takes us along on a ride that makes you realize what a huge business it is.
Lily has been promoted to assistant to Diane, who is the director of the Tate' Modern Art Keeper. When Pablo Picasso passes, Diane wants to do a tribute to him and quickly. Lily helps make it happen. It is going to be a smashing success, that is until opening night and Lily walks by Picasso's Woman Laughing and casually announces that it is a fake. The fallout from that pronouncement will cost her job, one Lily can't afford to lose.
There are several reasons to like this book, one being Reay's writing. It not only draws you into the story, but she is also a master at leaving tiny little clues to help you figure out who actually is the forger. The second reason is traveling throughout an art world that is still reeling from the discord that World War II and the Nazis grabbing artwork from all over Europe and hiding it. It was something that I never really thought about and how much chaos it would cost, no would know for sure which ones were real or fake.
The third reason is because of Lily. You will find yourself cheering her on even after you see all her 'warts and imperfections.' She is probably one of my favorite characters that I have read in the last few months. She is like us all, worried about her family, worried about her job, and trying desperately to find her way in the world.
Join Lily and Reay, discover the art world and enjoy yourself.

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

Reaching the final page of The English Masterpiece was an immense relief, I was plagued by this book for what felt like months. This short book felt far longer than it actually was. It took me months to finish, and frankly, the journey was a struggle.

I apologize to those who seemed to like it, but this book simply wasn't for me.

One of my main frustrations was the excessive detail. The author includes an overwhelming amount of information—random facts and descriptions of things that hold no real relevance to the plot, characters, or overall theme. These added little more than unnecessary words, bloating the story without contributing anything meaningful. It became a chore to read, and I admit to skimming large portions just to make it to the end.

The main character, Lily, was particularly unappealing. In fact, I didn’t find myself caring for any of the characters, with the possible exception of Paddy—who, despite being wronged by Lily and spending time in jail because of her, is barely acknowledged by her, even at the end. It's baffling how quickly she forgets the impact her actions had on others. Lily also repeatedly drags her friends into dangerous situations, despite the author's attempts to portray her as innocent of manipulation. It's clear from the way the friends are pressured into risky schemes that Lily has no qualms about putting them in harm's way for her own benefit.

Then there’s Connor, who harbors an inexplicable and somewhat confusing love for Lily. This random romance feels completely out of place in the chaotic mess of the plot. And Lily's decisions? I just couldn't understand them. Leaving critical evidence in an office belonging to a man she doesn’t fully trust is hardly the action of someone who’s supposed to be smart. Moreover, when she clears her name, instead of seeking safety or support from her family, she goes straight to the house of those who framed her—seeking an explanation from the very people who wronged her. It’s an unbelievably foolish decision.

Her actions continue to bewilder as she follows a frightening man up to a mini attic, provokes him, and is shocked when he pulls a gun on her. Honestly, I couldn’t help but feel like this was a textbook case of "playing stupid games and winning stupid prizes."

As for the conclusion with her family—supposedly a heartwarming moment—it fell flat for me. It wasn't touching or emotional. I was simply bored. This story is chaotic, messy, and ultimately tedious. If I hadn’t forced myself to finish it, I doubt I would have made it to the end.

I can always count on an amazing read that I can’t put down when I pick up a book by Katherine Reay (@katherinereay), and The English Masterpiece was no exception! I love how much research she puts into the historical aspect, and she writes with such eloquence of speech. The mystery of this story kept me on the edge of my seat, and I learned quite a bit about art history in the process.

I’ll be recommending this one just like all the other books by Reay that I’ve been sharing with my friends. I can’t wait to get my copy to add to my collection when it releases in June.

Loved this. While it did take a few chapters to real me in, once we arrived at the "chase", I could not put it down. It played out in my mind like a heist movie and I would love to see an adaptation of this. The relationship between Diana and her husband was very interesting, and so much was being communicated by what was left unsaid. Lilly's relationship with Diana was also a highlight. I feel bad for her taking on the roll of saint/martyr in her family, and it kind of bummed me out that they blamed her for her privateness, but I happy with how it resolved. After reading this, I'm itching to explore Katherine Reay's back catalog. Bravo!

I'm a long-time fan of Katherine Ready. This was a really fun one! I love that Reay can include some romance, but it doesn't overwhelm the plot. I loved the themes of redemption and reconciliation between Lily and her family.

This fast-paced historical mystery set in London 1970s was such an entertaining read! Lily is an assistant at the Tate Gallery and helped her boss, Diana, set up a tribute exhibit for Pablo Picasso, who had just died. As Lily was looking at the paintings during the exhibit opening, she realized that one of the paintings didn't look right. Was it a forgery? From there, the story takes off as Lily begins to piece together what was going on behind the scenes. Lily also begins to process why she was so disconnected from her family. She works to bridge the divide with her sister, Daisy, and her mother that has lasted for many years. As a budding artist herself, Lily studies and tries to copy the masters to practice her skills at a small, very small, studio at St. Martins School which creates suspicion about her involvement in the possible forgery. The conclusion of the story was very satisfying for me, but I don' want to give up any spoilers.
Even though this is a shorter book, there is a lot packed in with many interesting characters. Lily took a deep dive into her personal development. One secondary character, Paddy was a charming man. He was a custodian at St. Martins who helped Lily in her artistic journey. I enjoyed reading about all of the famous paintings mentioned. I spent a lot of time looking them up to see what they looking like, from the Picasso's to the Mondrian's and that was fun and informative. Bonus point for this book was a surprise cameo by Pierce Brosnan. I'll let you read to find out how the author creatively included one of my favorite actors in this story.
If you are looking for a non-war related historical mystery, I highly recommend this one.

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

Escape into the world of art and museums in this novel that steps into the world of forgeries and intrigue. Lily is thrilled to have a job at the Tate Museum in London where she is surrounded by some of the world's best works of art, and she is in awe of her boss Diana. As the pages of the book turn you realize both women are frustrated artists who use their time at the Tate in different ways. But when Lily speaks outloud that a Picasso is a fake, she launches a series of events that the Museum, Diana, and she may never recover from. Along the way, Lily has to decide to become the truest version of herself or settle for being a thin impression of someone's else Elisa Doolittle. This is a gripping story of intrigue that I loved. I give it 4.5*

As an art nerd, and someone who has been around the museum world, this book was so much fun for me. A really unique subject for a mystery, thoroughly enjoyed.

This is not a fluff read, and if you have no interest in art, you will probably struggle a bit to read it. That said, this book was intriguing and full of descriptive paragraphs regarding the masters, a bit of intrigue, and not like anything I've read before.

Lily loves art--making it herself and curating it at the Tate. As she works with her boss and idol Diana to plan a huge Picasso exhibition, she sees a Picasso painting that she knows can't be the real thing. When she accidentally reveals her thought in front of a crowd, her life crashes down around her. Now everyone wants to know what the Tate assistant saw to call a famous painting a forgery. As the cops and her employers pursue her and everything seems to condemn her, Lily races against the clock to uncover the truth behind the painting while also realizing her own faults--how she has kept people out and nearly lost her family in the process.

This book is both fast-paced and emotional as Lily grapples with the truth about herself and her future. We also get to see the perspective of Diana, Lily's boss and art aficionado, who has her own motivations in the art scandal.

I loved the fast-paced mystery aspect of this book. As she puts the pieces together, she is also pursued by art detectives and even Scotland Yard as clues suddenly appear indicating she is the counterfeiter. The mystery was interesting and unpredictable with well-nuanced characters and motivations.

The biggest fault of this book is Lily. She is not the most sympathetic of characters, often makes thoughtless decisions, and seems both closed-off and selfish. Additionally, the book adds an element of self-discovery which felt unnecessary and unconvincing. Some of the things Lily was supposed to struggle with were not evidenced in her actions, and I just couldn't bring myself to care. Diana's storyline, while much less black and white, was actually more interesting to me. I love Reay's historical fiction, but this just didn't match up to her last few books for me.

A real life Thomas Crown Affair! Lily is an assistant keeper at the Tate museum in London, helping her boss with an exhibition of Picasso’s work days after his death. When the exhibition opens, Lily utters the words that set in motion an art forgery cat and mouse game of epic proportions. I came for Katherine Reay, I stayed for this delightful romp with a cameo by Pierce Brosnan and a fun nod to his movie The Thomas Crown Affair. There’s suspense, family drama, a little romance, all interwoven together deftly. Truly a fun read!

I was thoroughly intrigued by this book from start to finish! When Lily makes the shocking statement that the Picasso on display is a forgery, it upends the lives of several people followed throughout this book. At first I was surprised that we got a POV from Diana, who I had initially thought to be a surface level side character (could not have been more wrong, as usual). As the story went on, I grew more interested in her motivations and choices, as well as her background. Heinrich was an insufferable asshole with every line he spoke, and I wished nothing but bad things and misery for him from the start. Lily’s growth throughout the book was fun to watch, and I loved her scheming mind. This book felt balanced in its pacing, and I never quite knew what to expect next. And most of all, I loved the Pierce Brosnan cameo!

Thank you to Harper Muse and NetGalley for the ARC! My review will be posted to Goodreads upon the publication date, and this review will be edited with the link at that time.

3.5 stars rounded up -- a great historical fiction read for art lovers!

Lily has landed her dream job as an assistant for the steward of Modern Collection at the Tate Museum. She loves the proximity to the art and the mentorship and respect she receives from her boss, Diana. When Pablo Picasso dies, the two women team up to do the nearly impossible: create a special exhibit of some of his best works at the Tate set to open two weeks after his death. They receive loans from all over the world and even a piece from a private collection recently acquired by a prominent British businessman. But when Lily abruptly exclaims that the painting is a forgery at the opening of the exhibit, all hell breaks loose.

Lily, a closeted aspiring painter herself, knows she is correct but can't explain beyond a gut feeling. But her very public proclamation leads to an investigation, spearheaded by a young (and cute!) NYC cop and insurance investigator.

In order to save both her and Diana's jobs, she needs to figure out if she was right and, if so, how a forgery ended up on the walls of the Tate before anyone else noticed.

Interesting, well-researched, and a great period piece about the ever-changing art world! Many of the characters surprised me and this kept me on my toes until the end.

Thanks to NetGalley, the Publisher and the Author for the ARC.
This is a well written art related mystery. There is a fascinating in-depth view to the world of art. The Author's research comes through as she blends in historical facts into the mystery. I appreciate the cameo from Pierce Brosnan.

You can count on Katherine Reay to write a compelling story enriched by a stunning historical setting.

This book started slow, but the second half had me at the edge of my seat. Lily and her boss, Diana, organize a Picasso exhibition. During the opening, Lily notices something strange about one of the paintings, and before thinking better of it, she exclaims, It’s a forgery!

Both Lily and Diana were complex, intriguing characters, and so was their dynamic. This is a story about the world of art and its capricious nature, where one sentence uttered by an unknown person can change everything. It’s about the post-war era when people were trying to get back to normalcy, and art was one of the ways to do it.

However, there are also topics of self-discovery, acceptance, and hope that I so much value in this author’s writing. She has these tactful, subtle ways to share life wisdom that make her books great comfort reads, which is no small feat considering that they are action-packed and fast-paced.

I also appreciated the romance subplot because books with no romance don’t count. 😀

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

Katherine Reay’s books are almost always five stars and this one did not fall short. The well-researched historical aspects of the artists and the time period, the wonderful sensory details, the unfolding of the mystery, all of it was so great.

***I received an advanced copy of the book from NetGalley/the publisher in exchange for my honest feedback.