This was an entertaining and well paced mystery/historical fiction. I liked our main character, and I thought her relationships with her family added to the story as well as the will they/won’t they romantic entanglement. You do have to suspend your disbelief a little bit as the main character is very young and inexperienced, but she also has a ton of important knowledge that it wasn’t entirely believable that she would have at this stage in her career and that’s kind of what set off the entire mystery. overall, I really enjoyed this journey into the London art scene, and I would follow this author to see what she does next thank you to Netgalley in the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This emotional and fascinating novel takes place 1973, right after the death of Pablo Picasso. If you’re an artist or art student, you won’t have to be looking up on the Internet the various pieces of art mentioned, or the less well-known artists. I’m not, and I did have to, but I still enjoyed reading the book. It is fast-paced, and full of searching questions and insights about forgeries, secrets, revenge, guilt, love, trust, being in control or letting others in to help, and more. There are wonderful characters, and not so wonderful ones, and figuring out which group some fit into becomes a challenge!

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

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Muse for a fun read to start off the year.

This book was just a quick read, and it was so easy to root for our underdog protagonist Lily, who slaves away as an assistant to the formidable Diana Gilden, the keeper of the Modern Collections. Our story takes off on the day when there is a special exhibit about Picasso after his death. Paintings have been pulled from around the world, but one painting was an unusual surprise, as Lily claims while assessing the exhibit, that it is a forged copy.

Unfortunately, when she voices that, she is in the main exhibition space and the press hears it and takes off with the embarrassing accusation. Shortly thereafter, an investigation ensues, and both Lilly and Diane have parts of their lives they have been hiding become relevant to the investigation and to their future in the art world.

There are many twists and turns and wonderful intrigue to read. It is a good lesson in art, patronage, ego, and of course how the art world seduces people to do strange things.

This book will appeal to people who want to know about the art world, in London in the early seventies. There are some confusing parts but keep reading and the ending is satisfying and you feel good at the end.

As always, Katherine Reay writes a beautiful story with rich characters. The English Masterpiece, set in 1970s England, has a unique setting (I haven't read much historical fiction in this era) and with a unique focus - forgery in the art world and the subsequent investigation into one of Picasso's works after his death.

I have mixed feelings about this book. As characters, Lilly and her boss Diana are interesting. I'll be honest though - it was hard to like either of them. Maybe that was the point, but as a result, the first two thirds of this book dragged. I was interested in the mystery... why did Lilly think this painting was a forgery? How could her art background help her figure out what was going on? Would she finally connect with her family after years of pain in those important relationships? And I thought learning more about the art world was interesting! But really...neither of these characters truly got better. Sure, Lilly learned throughout the book and the ending was somewhat promising. However, I still was annoyed by her choices at the end. I wanted more for her and was sad to not get it. As for Diana... boy, her story was sad. And that husband... grrrr. The mystery did really pick up in the last third of the book and I found the story to be really captivating. This definitely felt more like a book that I was interested in the plot rather than the characters.

I'm still glad I read this book though it was not my favorite by this author. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

This was such a fun read! It was thrilling and such an interesting premise. I am no art historian, so any inconsistencies didn't bother me. Katherine Reay did a wonderful job keeping this book suspensful by providing JUST enough information to keep me on the edge of my seat. She set the scenes beautifully - I could envision each space easily and the athmosphere was very clear in each scene.

Lovely book, will be recommending for any library customer looking for a fun, artsy mystery.

#TheEnglishMasterpiece #NetGalley

Lily works for an art museum and is a closed door artist herself. When a Picasso painting looks slightly off, Lily blutlrts out that it is a forgery.
An investigation insues, and there are times Lily wonders if she only imagined the forgery.
Her boss Diana is temperamental and thinks everything will blow over. At leasť that's what she is telling herself.
This is a fast-paced read that was so hard to put down.

I really liked this one I like the WWII backgrond interspered with the art history . It was a good engaging enjoyable read.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review the book

The main character's passion for art ignites a wonderful mystery that will sweep readers along for an incredible ride. Historical fiction fans will enjoy the exploration of post WWII art markest and the culture of London. (I only docked one star because there is a corny moment that takes you entirely out of the immersion of the world of the novel.)

This advanced reader's copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.

I enjoyed the art world background. Nice bit of twist in the tale that is progressively revealed. I found the characters interesting, but I will say the main character, Lily drove me crazy at first. Al in all a great read.

I chose to read this book about the discovery of a possible forgery of a Picasso painting because I actually own a signed and numbered Picasso lithograph that I inherited from my parents. Ironically, for many years I had assumed I had a mere print, not an original. It turns out it is an original! Lily, the main character in this novel, is more discerning than I was, and she has a lot more at stake in her judgment of the authenticity of a Picasso painting that the Tate museum in London is exhibiting. Her job is at risk, as well as her reputation in the art world. Adventure and danger ensue as she searches for the evidence of the possible forgery. The author did her research very well into the times and places of 1970's London, as well as the dynamics of acquiring art for a major museum. I will be recommending this novel to my book club.

This worked well as a mysterious and historical element going on, it had that plot element that I was looking for and enjoyed the concept of this. It was great that Picasso was being used and how it was used in the story. The characters had that feel that I was looking for and enjoyed going on this journey with them. Katherine Reay wrote this perfectly and thoroughly enjoyed what was happening.

I will confess that for a good while, I had a difficult time getting into the story. I was frustrated by Lily’s attitude about life and how it put distance between her and the people she cares about. But at about 60%, the plot picked up and the way the story unfolded was interesting and I appreciated the resolution between characters. If you enjoy art and intrigue and self-realization, push through the build-up because the payoff is worth it.

When you finish a book and you are sad to leave the characters, you know it was a good read! The setting was wonderful, descriptions well done, and characters interesting (even if the main character drove me crazy at times!). I loved the delve into the art world and there is a fun surprise cameo in this book too! 🧐 There’s a bit of a twist that is slowly revealed, cleverly and I loved the two POVs that told the whole story.

I got an #arc of this book thanks to @netgalley and this review is my honest opinion. I already have an #ebook, but I will be getting a physical copy too! It comes out in June, so go pre-order now!

I’m a sucker for @katherinereay and this book just solidified it even more. I would recommend this book - first 5⭐️ read of 2025!! 🎉

Thank you NetGalley, Harper Muse, and Katherine Reay for allowing me to read this wonderful arc.

I really do not have many words to describe how beautiful this book was.

In this story we follow Diana and Lilly-Who both work in the world of art.

But things are not as the seem, especially when a certain painting end up being, well-you are going to have to read this book to find out.

The plot was great! There was laughter and tears when reading this.

I am so excited for the world to read this one.

I’ve read books by Katherine Reay before, which I enjoyed but this one is not one of my favorites. It starts out very slowly with single events taking up an entire chapter (that could have been told in one page.) Not until the 30% mark does it start to get interesting. It gets exciting at about the 90% mark. I also struggle with the darkness of the story. The main character, Lilly, is incredibly hard on herself and so is her family. I really like the art info, the provenance, how museums work, etc. There are definitely unexpected twists which redeem the story somewhat. I’m not into extensive detail and lots of exposition, but if you are, this is a book you don’t want to miss.

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

As an art lover, this historical fiction book was just what I needed to start of the new year.

Set in London during the 70s, there were times I felt like I was part of the scene. Incredible writing. I also really liked how history was weaved throughout the story as the crime is solved. As someone who studied Nazi looting in college, I was pleased to see it included, as often it’s forgotten.

Great read!

Katherine Reay is one of my favorite authors, so I am always excited to have the opportunity to read an early copy of her newest novel and give a review. My favorites have been, “Dear Mr. Knightley,” “A Shadow in Moscow,” and “The Berlin Letters”. Reay’s newest book, “The English Masterpiece,” sounded especially intriguing with a mystery surrounding a stolen fine art painting set in the early 70s. I could tell that the author did a lot of research on the topic, and I came away feeling that I had learned a great deal. However, the writing, primarily in the first two-thirds of the book, reminded me itself of abstract art. Instead of the creative style of writing, I would have preferred a more defined understanding of the characters. Overall I did enjoy the book, but it didn’t wow me like some of Reay’s previous novels. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book!

This was an excellent historical novel that dove into the art world in London. I learned much about the business of selling and acquiring artwork, from the perspective of a “keeper” at the Tate Museum. The mystery at the heart of the novel kept me intrigued until the end and the subplots of family, identity and romance added to the story. It was nice to read a historical fiction not completely surrounded by war, despair and heartbreak.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC and an honest review of the book.

Cozy historical fiction meets art.

The book tells the story of Lily, assistant to Diana, the Tate's Modern Collection keeper. Lily loves her job and deeply admires her boss and mentor. That is, until one day when, without thinking, she blurts out that an art piece is a forgery—right in the middle of an exhibition. From that moment, everything begins to unravel, like dominoes falling one after another.

I called it "cozy" because the plot and characters feel familiar and uncomplicated. However, if you assume the story itself is straightforward, you’d be mistaken. The author excels at capturing and unraveling complex emotions—some even uncomfortable—that Lily and the other characters have spent their lives avoiding. Themes of admiration, guilt, and staying true to yourself are woven beautifully into a narrative that’s hard to put down (even when you know you should be sleeping).

Art and history aren't just a backdrop—they’re essential elements of this story. There's even a delightful cameo, which I won’t spoil, but it absolutely made me smile. Unexpected yet completely fitting.

Honestly, there isn’t much I didn’t like. At times, the story felt a bit too straightforward, but that simplicity is part of what makes it so comforting.

I’d recommend this book to anyone who enjoys art—especially fans of Picasso and the masters—or historical fiction that steers clear of being overly sad or depressing.

At the publisher’s request, I must mention that I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. The English Masterpiece will be published on June 10, 2025.

This an exceptionally well-crafted story about a Picasso art forgery set in London Museum. The story was engaging and Reay developed the characters so that the reader really cared about them. This book falls in line with Jeffrey Archer’s art mysteries and I suspect this will be a breakout hit for this author. I have read a couple other titles by Katherine Reay and loved them and this makes me want to find all her backlist titles so I can read them.

#TheEnglishMasterpiece #NetGalley