Fake: A Novel

Written by Erica Katz

Narrated by Andi Arndt

“'Fake' is great fun, offering a peek into a world of glitz that most of us will never glimpse firsthand."" —Washington Post

From the author of The Boys’ Club, a gripping novel set in the high-stakes world of art forgery that moves across the globe, from the trendy art galleries of Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood to the high-flying international art fairs of Hong Kong.

Can you spot the difference? 

Emma Caan is a fake. 

She’s a forger, an artist who specializes in nineteenth-century paintings. But she isn’t a criminal; her copies are commissioned by museums and ultra-wealthy collectors protecting their investments. Emma’s more than mastered a Gauguin brushstroke and a van Gogh wheat field, but her work is sometimes a painful reminder of the artistic dreams she once chased for herself, when she was younger and before her family and her world fell apart. 

When oligarch art collector Leonard Sobetsky unexpectedly appears with an invitation, Emma sees a way out—a new job, a new path for herself, and access to the kind of money she needs to support her unstable and recently widowed mother. 

But every invitation incurs an obligation . . . and Emma isn’t prepared for what’s to come. As she’s pulled further into Leonard’s opulent scene, she will discover what’s lurking beneath the glitz and glamour. When she does, the past she’s worked hard to overcome will collide with the present, making her wonder how much of her carefully curated life is just as fake as her forgeries . . .

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperAudio
• Release date: Feb 22, 2022
• ISBN: 9780063082618

Erica Katz

Erica Katz is the pseudonym for a graduate of Columbia Law School who began her career at a major Manhattan law firm. A native of New Jersey, she now lives in New York City, where she’s employed at another large law firm. The Boys’ Club is her first novel.

Reviews for Fake

[Victoria Edelsbrunner · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed this so much. I'd call it more general/contemporary fiction rather than a thriller so the categorisation might be slightly misleading, but I loved the protagonist's struggle to get herself on her feet, her headlong rush into a new life, her sparkling new job and social media success and her slow journey to get to grips with her past. The ending was great. Would recommend if you're interested in the art world and enjoy modern novels with a focus on social media.

[huzeifav · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I did not connect with any of the characters. It was a mix of the devil wears Prada with national treasure with CSI. Too much going on at the same time and nothing was given full attention. The ending was very predictable as well. Not worth the time

[Agnese Sturme · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Pretty good story but unfortunately really clunky writing. It was hard to get through it. And the character development was not there.

[rmarcin-630843 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Emma Caan works as a professional art copier. When she is hired by Lenny to copy his priceless artwork, and to work as an assistant director for an art gallery, she jumps at the chance. However, as she gets deeper into the life of high-priced art, the parties, the people, the lifestyle, Emma recognizes that she may have made a mistake. Additionally, she is haunted by something that happened when she was a young girl and had witnessed her father engaging in an activity. She has never fully come to terms with this. Now, the FBI is investigating her activity. Is she innocent or guilty? I have read a few books about art forgers, and I find it interesting how art copiers work to reproduce masterpieces. I thought the ending was a little too pat and neat. It was much too perfect.

[oddandbookish · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher (Harper Books) for promotional purposes. I previously read the author’s debut book, The Boys’ Club, and loved it, so I knew I just had to read this one. Once again, I was not disappointed! Like her previous novel, this one is highly engaging. From the very beginning it takes you on a roller coaster of a ride through the glamorous world of high art. The storyline unraveled at a steady pace. The use of the interview transcripts at the beginning of each chapter were a great foreshadowing tool. The book was a little predictable towards the end, but it was still an entertaining read. The characters are all fascinating and dynamic. I particularly liked the juxtaposition of Emma’s three friends, Sienna, Leah, and Jules. It was interesting to see her friend dynamic with each of them since they all came from different art backgrounds. I enjoyed the theme of being a “fake” and how it was explored throughout the book. I liked how the book incorporated being an Instagram influencer. I found its portrayal of what is “real” and what is “fake” to be so relevant and current. Overall, I found this book to be an enthralling read. I can’t wait to see what the author comes up with next!

[susan0316 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I've been to art museums all over the world and had no idea that some of the paintings might be fake or that there are painters who don't create art - they copy great paintings for museums and art collectors so they can place the original in a bank vault for insurance purposes or for tax reasons. Is it forgery? Not if the owner knows that it's a copy and the person who copied it has their name on the back of the painting. In most cases, the copier does such a fantastic job that you can't really tell the difference.Emma Caan is an artist who works for a large firm that makes reproductions of famous 19th century paintings. Even though the person that the painting is done for is always thrilled with her work, it's often a painful reminder of her unfulfilled artistic dreams. Emma lives in a tiny apartment in New York because that's all she can afford with the low pay at her job. She is approached by a Russian millionaire who she's done replicas for in the past and he invites her to a party and then manages to get her hired by one of the most prestigious galleries in the city. She loves her new job and all of the perks that come with it - including a trip to a prestigious art event in Hong Kong and spending time with her benefactor at fancy parties with his other ultra rich friends. He provides her with an apartment and helps support her mother as long as she will do copies of some of his most famous art on the side. She agrees and accepts all of his assistance until things began to look too good to be true and she begins to question the validity of copying famous paintings. As her world begins to disintegrate, she is approached by the FBI and asked many questions about her work and the people that she works for. She begins to ask herself if she is a fake and if reproducing paintings is really a means of forgery.It's apparent that the author did a lot of research into the art world - both 19 century paintings and and into the way galleries attain and sell art works. Emma is well written and comes across as a talented painter even though she's a bit naive with what is going on behind the scenes. Along with the plot about the paintings, there is a sub plot about the death of her father the nightmares that continue to happen almost nightly. Has she remembered her childhood correctly or have her memories changed over time so that she's now remembering a fake scenario that is as fake as her forgeries.I really enjoyed this novel. The setting is NYC is well written as is the scenery in Hong Kong and the plot kept me in suspense until the end. I especially enjoyed that each chapter begins with small parts of her discussion with the FBI so the reader knows right from the beginning that things are not as they appear to be in Emma's life.