Sheila Sharpe
Reviews
"Artist, Lover, Forger, Thief by Sheila Sharpe is a gripping tale set amidst the opulent yet treacherous world of high-end art crime in San Diego. The story follows Nick McCoy, a talented but conflicted art conservator and skilled forger, who is entangled in a dangerous game of deception involving stolen masterpieces, forged paintings, and hidden motives. He wants out of the game, but he is determined to first exact revenge on the man who murdered his family. When Kate O’Dade, a psychologist and art enthusiast, receives an anonymous gift—a genuine looking Matisse painting—her curiosity leads her into a web of intrigue. Now, McCoy, O’Dade, and Cromwell are pulled into a high-stakes hide-and-seek sick game that will take them across the country to England, a game that eventually leads to murder.
Sheila Sharpe's narrative will captivate fans of crime thrillers, weaving a web of deception involving police, private investigators, and international art. The gorgeous prose arrested my attention from the first page, and the intrigue kept me engaged with the fully drawn and complex characters. I wanted to see if Nick could get his revenge, and what would become of the Matisse painting. Artist, Lover, Forger, Thief is suspenseful, and the setting evokes compelling imagery of luxurious galleries, clandestine vaults, and glamorous social events. You’ll love how this author handles the conflict, exploring the moral dilemmas of art forgery, theft, and deception, with each character caught between their desires and the consequences of their actions. This stellar examination of art, deception, and forgery kept me riveted."
--Readers’Favorite: Romuald Dzemo
“An entertaining read revealing the underbelly of the art world. Complex layers are pulled back as the characters are propelled toward an unexpected conclusion with well-executed twists in their stories.”
—Linda Moore, author of award-winning novel, Five Days in Bogotá
“Cleverly imaginative and riveting from beginning to end, Sheila Sharpe’s thoroughly engaging story delivers the reader into the taut, mysterious world of the master art forger Nick McCoy. Fleshed out smartly with engaging characters both lovable and despicable, the ingenious plot is a catch-me-if-you-can story with multiple twists, the tale at once suspenseful, inventive, humorous and disturbing. You’ll find yourself accelerating towards a riveting, unexpected finale, one crafted by a skilled writer very much at the top of her game.”
—Chuck Weikert, author of Coral Reef Curiosities
“Sheila Sharpe’s beautifully written art crime novel takes us on a twistfilled, heart-pounding ride through the dark underworld of art forgery, theft, and murder. With her background in art and psychology, she expertly imbues her art forger and therapist protagonists with uncommon depth and nuance, giving them an unforgettable villain to combat. Her clinically honed grasp of the complexities of being human provides us with a multi-layered story and uniquely authentic characters who elicit our sympathy, outrage, and fear, sometimes all on the same page.”
—Allan E. Mallinger, M.D., Psychiatrist, author (with Jeannette DeWyze) of Too Perfect: When Being in Control Gets Out of Control
“With razor-sharp psychological insight and an insider’s look at the often-brutal machinations of the art world, author Sheila Sharpe reveals a world where nothing is as it seems and where questioning authenticity—be it of a work of art or a person—can come with deadly consequences. Artist Lover, Forger Thief with its surprising twists and turns follows the story of therapist Kate O’Dade and her most intriguing client, infamous forger Nick McCoy. It’s a thrilling ride from Southern California on the brink of fire season to London with its storied history of famous forgers where Kate and Nick will fight for their lives in this ruthless world of avarice and deception.”
—Lisa Fugard, author of Skinner’s Drift, a NY Times Notable Book and 21 Days to Awaken the Writer Within
“Fasten your seat belt as you dive into the fascinating and complicated world of Nick McCoy, a respected art conservator who is also an undercover art forger on the precipice of being caught. Part psychological thriller and part love story, Sheila Sharpe takes us into the high stakes world of art forgery and weaves a tale of intrigue, revenge, and murder. A fast-paced and captivating page turner that reverberates with psychological and social relevance.”
—Susan Pohlman, author of Halfway to Each Other and A Time to Seek
