Art and Artifice

By David E Lawrence

An art lover's magnum opus is plagiarised by a colleague. With the help of an old friend she is determined to avenge the betrayal of trust and steps into a world where nothing is what it seems.

• Language: English
• Publisher: David E Lawrence
• Release date: May 14, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005768225

David E Lawrence

Born in Rugby I live in Oxford where I worked in book publishing taking early retirement as Production Director.I now write for pleasure and for local outlets and sites such as this one. My favourite authors are CS Lewis, Haruki Murakami and Frederick Forsyth. I also compile cryptic crosswords and listen to a whole lot of music especially rock and jazz.

Book preview

Art and Artifice

by

David E Lawrence

Copyright 2021 David Lawrence

Smashwords Edition

ART AND ARTIFICE

Jennifer Brice was alone in her two bedroom flat on the edge of Oxford. By the window she let her mind wander over the bucolic landscape and the huddle of low rooved houses between her and the gentle rise of the fields and trees beyond. The air was thickening as the night drew in and her thoughts drifted like smoke over the remains of the day. In her early forties she had never really left the academic ferment of this old Saxon city. The promise of another life, held little allure, compromising as it would her love of freedom over her love of love. Educated and then employed here she was in every sense, at home. She would always be alone; she was that kind of woman.

But the news had snapped the thin thread connecting her tenuously to the world outside her flat. The call had come through on her landline. It had excited her. When you are waiting for the Literary Agent’s verdict you are on tender hooks. And when the female voice announced herself as Connie Carroll of Carroll Associates, specialists in popular art books her heart had skipped a beat. But the message could not have been more disappointing and damning!

Miss Brice?

Yes.

I’m calling about your submission Modern Art: Its always Been Here.

Okay.

"Miss Brice, the trade takes a very dim view of any sort of plagiarism. You have lifted word for word an entire