Let me start by saying that I love stories that deal with the art world. We all have favorite artists and there is nothing better than seeing a favorite painting in person, which is why the The Art Forger by B. A. Shapiro hooked me from the get-go.
As many may or may not already know, on March 18, 1990, thirteen works of art today worth over $500 million were stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston and this heist remains the largest unsolved art theft in history. What really happened? Well, here is a plausible fictional accounting of what might have been. There is so much fact inside The Art Forger you can easily forget that you are reading a work of fiction. I was quickly caught up in the world of artists, art dealers, gallery owners, critics, curators, and forgers.
My favorite part of the book was the expertly researched detail the author shared on how one creates a believable forgery. So not only does this novel entertain with a compelling story it also educates those of us who do not live and breathe the art world; sharing with us the secrets on how one goes about fooling the experts.
Love Claire or hate Claire you can’t help, but be caught up in her world. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who loves a good mystery or anyone who like me loves stories set in the art world.
Thank you Net Galley and Algonquin Books for the review copy of The Art Forger. As always I continue to count on Algonquin to publish quality works of fiction and The Art Forger is just another example of the discerning choices this publishing house makes.
Happy Reading☮
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