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3.44 AVERAGE
3.44 AVERAGE
Absolutely satisfying read- the character development was brilliant- the pace of the story was perfect- like the author- I was totally obsessed with hearing about this when it unfolded in real life- this novel is just so so gratifying- well done. (And I don’t 5 star often!!!)
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I don't really see the parallels between The Talented Mr. Ripley and this book. The titular Miss Farwell (Becky, later known as "Reba") doesn't have any of the charisma or social graces of Mr. Ripley; she bumbles her way through the art scene as she acquires her pieces using stolen Town Hall funds.
For a story about crime, I found the plot a little boring; Tedrowe focuses a lot on the minutiae of moving money from one account to the other, and it was less clear on how Becky actually managed to acquire all of her pieces. I also didn't feel like I got to know Becky as a person besides her awkwardness and her sense of loyalty to her family and friends, which is a shame. By the time I reached the end of the book, I felt little in the way of empathy for Becky, nor was I invested in whether she got caught or not.
I don't really see the parallels between The Talented Mr. Ripley and this book. The titular Miss Farwell (Becky, later known as "Reba") doesn't have any of the charisma or social graces of Mr. Ripley; she bumbles her way through the art scene as she acquires her pieces using stolen Town Hall funds.
For a story about crime, I found the plot a little boring; Tedrowe focuses a lot on the minutiae of moving money from one account to the other, and it was less clear on how Becky actually managed to acquire all of her pieces. I also didn't feel like I got to know Becky as a person besides her awkwardness and her sense of loyalty to her family and friends, which is a shame. By the time I reached the end of the book, I felt little in the way of empathy for Becky, nor was I invested in whether she got caught or not.
challenging
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
woman has two lives - neither of them particularly interesting
Fun little conwoman
The double life of an Illinois public servant who happens to be using public funds to amass an amazing art collection.
The double life of an Illinois public servant who happens to be using public funds to amass an amazing art collection.
Becky Farwell is our protagonist. (*Actually based on a true person - more about this later.)
We first see her as a high-school math prodigy living in Pierson, Illinois, with her widowed father. Her dad is in failing health. A dealer in agricultural cars, he has lost the business edge. Becky steps in and turns the faltering dealership around.
Still, this being a small-town fable, events soon veer toward heroic self-sacrifice. Becky passes on college to tend to her Dad, settling for an entry-level bookkeeper job in her hometown government.
She is gifted with talent, drive and ambition. She thrives in her administrative role, discovering caches of unused funds – many long forgotten – that the town can put to good use. And thus her reputation blossoms. “Becky always finds a way” becomes her personal brand. Eventually she becomes city controller.
But there is a hitch to this perfect story. Becky isn’t as perfect as she appears.
She has a double life.
And this double-life is the core of this intriguing, fast-paced story.
And this is where the problem lies in the storytelling. It sometimes strains credulity. There are flaws in its’ telling. And I don’t want to expose them here, because that would be spoiler territory.
Still…
It is an interesting read, and the question permeates…
How long will Becky succeed at her ruse? 3.5 stars.
*In the author's notes she does make mention that she had discovered a true story about a Rita Crundwell in the national news in 2012 from a small town in Illinois who worked as a government employee and had embezzled nearly $54 million over twenty years. This was an inspiration for her protagonist character.
(And even as I share this...this information isn't totally giving away spoilers for this fiction story...)
We first see her as a high-school math prodigy living in Pierson, Illinois, with her widowed father. Her dad is in failing health. A dealer in agricultural cars, he has lost the business edge. Becky steps in and turns the faltering dealership around.
Still, this being a small-town fable, events soon veer toward heroic self-sacrifice. Becky passes on college to tend to her Dad, settling for an entry-level bookkeeper job in her hometown government.
She is gifted with talent, drive and ambition. She thrives in her administrative role, discovering caches of unused funds – many long forgotten – that the town can put to good use. And thus her reputation blossoms. “Becky always finds a way” becomes her personal brand. Eventually she becomes city controller.
But there is a hitch to this perfect story. Becky isn’t as perfect as she appears.
She has a double life.
And this double-life is the core of this intriguing, fast-paced story.
And this is where the problem lies in the storytelling. It sometimes strains credulity. There are flaws in its’ telling. And I don’t want to expose them here, because that would be spoiler territory.
Still…
It is an interesting read, and the question permeates…
How long will Becky succeed at her ruse? 3.5 stars.
*In the author's notes she does make mention that she had discovered a true story about a Rita Crundwell in the national news in 2012 from a small town in Illinois who worked as a government employee and had embezzled nearly $54 million over twenty years. This was an inspiration for her protagonist character.
(And even as I share this...this information isn't totally giving away spoilers for this fiction story...)
Well done! I found myself getting anxious as Becky/Reba’s crimes escalated. The author did an excellent job of drawing you into the story and making you empathize/dislike Becky.
love an art world embezzlement story. this was well done.
I really thought I’d enjoy a carefully laid out embezzlement scheme that went on for years with the main character leading a double life. Instead I was bored by the slow progression of the storyline. The author laid everything out in a very nice timeline for thirty years, which could have shrunk down to 15 by combining or skipping the mundane (well, it felt mundane after the 100th transaction) buying and selling of her art. There really was no other ending to the story other than what happened so it was not a surprise, but rather a relief. I gave it 3 stars for the in depth character development story layout, and good writing.