THE COLLECTOR'S APPRENTICE

by B. A. Shapiro

When B. A. Shapiro published The Art Forger in 2012, I loved it so much that I thought it was one of the best books of the year. Somehow, I missed her next book, The Muralist. But when I encountered The Collector’s Apprentice in a bookstore, I scooped it up and couldn’t wait to read it.

Shapiro again writes about the art world – only this time I found her story clunky, contrived and predictable. I wanted to like the novel because Shapiro is something of a hero to me. She published her breakout novel when she was in her 60s. (There’s still hope!) When I saw her speak, she was charismatic yet humble. But she strikes out with The Collector’s Apprentice. She tries to replicate what she did so well in The Art Forger – and misses. Therefore, The Collector’s Apprentice was Not My Cup of Tea. (Liz)