Book Review: The English Masterpiece

This was February's read for the Christian Fiction Reading Challenge I joined. At one time, I picked up Katherine Reay's Dear Mr. Knightley. It wasn't the right timing for me, and I set it aside. This time, however, I was enthralled by Reay's well-woven story of an alleged forgery. I listened to The English Masterpiece on Hoopla and loved the distinct, alternating narration of the two main characters, Lily and Diana. It made my morning exercise and chores slip by unnoticed.

When I lived in London, I visited the Tate Gallery (purchased a lovely card game of painting sets). How fun to return to that setting, albeit in an earlier timeframe! Lily eagerly anticipates the 1973 opening of a Picasso exhibit she helped prepare. Her boss, the art curator, Diana Gilden, hopes to advance in her job as a result of their work. Instead, with one uncontrolled whisper of "forgery," Lily has put everything in jeopardy. Lily's own asperations of showing a painting in an upcoming Emerging Artists Exhibition may be foiled, as well. But, as we all sadly learn, once words slip out, you cannot undo them.

What follows is a carefully plotted chase to determine the truth behind the painting and its provenance. The insurance company calls up an American detective, Conor Walsh. When he finds a student studio full of Lily's copies of the masters, suspicion shifts to Lily. Walsh and Lily feel pulled toward each other, but the mystery remains the focus. She is closed off to others, but will she open up to Conor?

I loved the pacing, and the characters were well-drawn. Lily's back-story was interesting. I was thrilled to explore the world of early-70s London. The writing was such that I forgot there was a puppet-master pulling the strings. My mind was gripped with the unfolding mystery. I'm so glad I read this book, and I cannot wait to seek another Katherine Reay novel.

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My favorite passage of all came toward the end of the book, when Lily is ruminating on the assessment of talent. Her words, about painting, could equally apply to writing. "Next week, I'll find out how far I'm willing to stretch, how vulnerable I can make myself, and how much of myself I'm willing to splay onto a canvas. Whether the art world chooses to laud my efforts or eviscerate them is beyond my control... As Picasso taught me, the act of painting is the vivisection of one's soul, splayed out before the world in a two dimensional format. And in art, as in life, success lies in holding nothing back. The world can hate it, but I can still have a marvelous time."