The English Masterpiece Audiobook By Katherine Reay cover art

The English Masterpiece

A Novel

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The English Masterpiece

By: Katherine Reay
Narrated by: Fiona Hardingham, Saskia Maarleveld
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About this listen

"Art . . . London . . . Seventies Glam . . . Yesss, please. The English Masterpiece by Katherine Reay has ALL the goodies—especially for historical fiction lovers and art aficionados . . . Buckle your seatbelt as all hell breaks loose."—Lisa Barr, New York Times bestselling author of The Goddess of Warsaw

Set in the art world of 1970s London, The English Masterpiece is a fast-paced listen 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.

Block off your calendar and lose yourself in The English Masterpiece, a thrilling listen that will keep you on the edge of your seat till the very end from the author who brought you The London House and The Berlin Letters.

©2025 Katherine Reay (P)2025 Harper Muse
Action & Adventure Amateur Sleuths Historical Mystery Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Thriller & Suspense Women Sleuths England
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What a great listen- enjoyed the narration as well as the story line which was much more riveting than most of Reay’s novels. This is my favorite of hers so far.

Lovely and riveting

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This book is great! Loved the story and the characters. Wonderful listen. Love this author and the narrator was excellent!

Great book!!!

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Thank you Katherine Reay for another exciting adventure full of well developed characters, interesting perspectives, and unique storylines. So far I have absolutely loved every book of hers, this one included. A thrilling adventure into the world of art, deception and trust, complex relationships among family and coworkers, redemption and forgiveness, and new love.

Thrilling and detailed

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The English Masterpiece is its own masterpiece of historical fiction. I have only read two other books by this author, and this one was very different in theme and style, but nonetheless just as good, if not better than her previous works. The story moved at a good pace, slower at first so as to define the characters and setup the plot, but it picked up the pace as the story went on, drawing you further into its intrigue. I couldn’t stop listening and finished the second half in a day. While the author lets on who the “culprit” in the story is about one-third of the way into the story, it’s a subtle reveal and you still have no idea how things will turn out. I’m not an art buff by any means but I was able to follow the author’s references and appreciate her thorough research into her subject. Loved the timeframe and references to 1970’s British fashion, music, and art.

The narrators were excellent. Saskia, the voice for Diana, was brilliant as always. The narrator for Lily was equally as good, though her American accent occasionally slipped and was a little stilted. But her voice reminds me of Kate Winslet and was easy to listen to.

Overall, I loved this story and would highly recommend it to historical fiction lovers and art heist fans. If you enjoyed the movie, The Thomas Crown Affair, you will love this book.

Fast-paced historical fiction masterpiece

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I liked the way Lilly kept digging until she found out the truth of the mystery. It was interesting to see how Heinrich tried to become the artists to make the copies.

Fascinating chase to the truth.

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