The original : a novel / Nell Stevens.
An unwanted guest of her uncle's family since childhood, Grace has grown up on the periphery of a once-great household. She has unusual predilections: for painting, particularly forgery; for deception; for other girls. Her life is altered when a letter arrives from the South Atlantic. The writer claims to be her cousin Charles, long presumed dead at sea. When he returns, a rift emerges between family members who claim he is an imposter and Grace's aunt, who insists he is her son. Grace, whose intimate knowledge of fakes is her own closely guarded secret, is forced to decide who to believe and who to pretend to believe. In deciphering the truth about her cousin, she comes to understand other truths: how money is found and lost, and who deserves to be rich; what family means to queer people; and the value of authenticity, in art and in love.
Raised on the fringes of her uncle's crumbling Oxfordshire estate, gifted art forger Grace plots her escape until the arrival of a man claiming to be her long-lost cousin forces her to confront shifting boundaries of identity and truth.
Record details
- ISBN: 9781324110699
- ISBN: 1324110694
- Physical Description: 328 pages ; 24 cm
- Edition: First edition.
- Publisher: New York, NY : W.W. Norton & Company, [2025]
- Copyright: ©2025
Search for related items by subject
| Subject: | Women artists > Fiction. Painting > Copying > Fiction. Secrecy > Fiction. Art forgers > Fiction. Lesbians > Fiction. Cousins > Fiction. Families > Fiction. Great Britain > History > 19th century > Fiction. |
| Genre: | Lesbian fiction. Historical fiction. Domestic fiction. |
Available copies
- 3 of 11 copies available at NC Cardinal.
- 0 of 1 copy available at Madison County Public Library. (Show)
Holds
- 6 current holds with 11 total copies.
Show Only Available Copies
| Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Status | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison Main Library | FIC STE (Text) | 30229101394640 | Adult New Fiction | Checked out | 08/22/2025 |
| Benhaven Public Library | F Ste (Text) | 33630005476762 | Adult Fiction | In process | - |
| Cumberland Headquarters | F STEVENS (Text) | 31781069653499 | Adult Fiction | Available | - |
| Etowah Branch | STE (Text) | 33258035511715 | Adult New Fiction | Checked out | 08/23/2025 |
| Fletcher Branch | STE (Text) | 33258035511716 | Adult New Fiction | Checked out | 08/23/2025 |
| Henderson Main Branch | STE (Text) | 33258035511717 | Adult New Fiction | Checked out | 08/23/2025 |
| Lenoir Library | F STEVENS Nell (Text) | 50669013495834 | Adult New Fiction | Available | - |
| Morganton Public Library | F STE (Text) | 33557004739009 | Adult New Fiction | Available | - |
| North Asheville Library | F STE (Text) | 0020660497510 | Adult New Fiction | On holds shelf | - |
| North Regional Library | F STEVENS (Text) | 31781069653481 | Adult Fiction | Checked out | 08/30/2025 |
Summary:
An unwanted guest of her uncle's family since childhood, Grace has grown up on the periphery of a once-great household. She has unusual predilections: for painting, particularly forgery; for deception; for other girls. Her life is altered when a letter arrives from the South Atlantic. The writer claims to be her cousin Charles, long presumed dead at sea. When he returns, a rift emerges between family members who claim he is an imposter and Grace's aunt, who insists he is her son. Grace, whose intimate knowledge of fakes is her own closely guarded secret, is forced to decide who to believe and who to pretend to believe. In deciphering the truth about her cousin, she comes to understand other truths: how money is found and lost, and who deserves to be rich; what family means to queer people; and the value of authenticity, in art and in love.
Raised on the fringes of her uncle's crumbling Oxfordshire estate, gifted art forger Grace plots her escape until the arrival of a man claiming to be her long-lost cousin forces her to confront shifting boundaries of identity and truth.
Raised on the fringes of her uncle's crumbling Oxfordshire estate, gifted art forger Grace plots her escape until the arrival of a man claiming to be her long-lost cousin forces her to confront shifting boundaries of identity and truth.
