Book Review: "The Fine Art of Lying" by Alexandra Andrews

Look, I know that thrillers in general are super popular. But a book having twists shouldn’t automatically classify it as a thriller. If there are real questions that keep you guessing, it’s more of a mystery or simply fiction. Thanks for coming to my TED talk.

Although she moves in moneyed circles thanks to her wealthy husband, Clare sometimes feels like she doesn’t belong. She wasn’t raised among NYC’s elite like Jed was, and she knows her mother-in-law has never been impressed with her.

When she was young and growing up in upstate New York, it was art that brought her joy. She moved to the city after college, got a job at a museum, and started pursuing her doctorate. But then she met Jed, got married, gave birth to their daughter Sadie, and she put her work on hold.

But now that Sadie is in school, Clare is feeling restless and unmotivated. She can’t seem to make any progress on her dissertation but she wants to do something. The ultra-wealthy and connected wife of Jed’s boss introduces her to some influential figures in the art world, including Gabriel, a handsome dealer. Gabriel respects her knowledge and challenges her intellectually, but she can’t resist his charms, and they wind up having a tumultuous affair.

Suddenly living a double life, feeling guilty but not willing to give Gabriel up, takes its toll on Clare. And when she learns that he has a painting by the object of her dissertation in his apartment, she can’t miss that chance. But suddenly she finds herself in the midst of a brutal murder and a theft—and every clue points back to her.

I really liked the first half of the book more than the last half. The setup, the relationship, the murder—all of that was great, but the investigation and the “twists” kind of fell flat. I guess, as I said at the start of my review, I was expecting the book to be more thrilling. But it still was a captivating read.