So Good it’s a Crime

Veridian Sterling is ready to hang her work in any of the countless New York galleries that are sure to give her a show. The problem is only one will, and they’re not interested in her art so much as her personal assistant skills.

There’s no glitz, no glam, and definitely none of the money she needs to help her struggling mother. So when she overhears her boss discussing a finder’s fee for a lost Van Gogh, Veri takes matters into her own hands. 

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"Deliciously funny, movingly real, glitteringly smart, and so, so alive.”

—Caroline Leavitt, New York Times bestselling author of With or Without You and Days of Wonder

"...deftly navigates the glitz and greed of the contemporary art world in an engrossing tale of a young painter's quest for success.”

—Carson Morton, author of Stealing Mona Lisa

"This one is a total joy to read. You'll shoot through from the first page to the last. Cinematic, light-hearted, with an endearing protagonist and some good twists--everything a good caper should be."

-Noah Charney, best-selling author of The Art Thief

“… a fun, fast-paced, twist on the art heist … Jennifer Gooch Hummer is the real deal as a rising voice in humorous fiction.”

–Sara Goodman Confino, bestselling author of Don’t Forget to Write and She’s Up to No Good

"I honestly couldn't tell what captivated me more … the twists and turns in the world of art crime, or the sheer relatability of being a fresh graduate from art school forced to work for a mercurial, toxic boss. This expertly crafted story … made me feel like an insider to an exclusive club."

—Alicia Thompson, USA Today bestselling author of Love in the Time of Serial Killers

“Flirty romance, outrageous shenanigans, and witty banter brilliantly paint every page of this masterpiece.”

–Alicia Clancy, Executive Editor Amazon Publishing

14 Easy Reads to Take To The Beach And Beyond As Summer Winds Down

–BRIT + CO

“Original, clever, and a fun read from cover to cover…populated with deftly crafted and memorable characters embedded in an inherently interesting and unpredictable plot line. Highly recommended.”

—Midwest Book Review

Everywhere Books Are Sold

Also by Jennifer

Thirteen-year-old Apron Bramhall begins a summer job at her new friend Mike and his boyfriend Chad’s flower shop, but she soon learns a secret about Chad that threatens to turn her peaceful world upside down.

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Meet Tenley Tylwyth, an Elemental Teen born with the power to produce weather. Cool? Not really. Elementals make Mother Nature angry. And who can blame her? Humans have been destroying her planet long enough.  

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Trivia Answer for The Thomas Crown Affair stolen painting.

If you missed the previous post, here is the question again: In the film, The Thomas Crown Affair (1999), Thomas Crown (played by the smoking hot Pierce Brosnan) steals a painting from the MET. It is one of these four paintings. Can you guess which one? "Open Window,...
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Art Trivia Time! The Thomas Crown Affair (1999)

In the "Thomas Crown Affair" (1999) with Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo, Thomas Crown steals a painting from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Do you know which one he stole? Hint, It's one of these: . "Open Window, Collioure" (1905) Henri Matisse "Bathers" (1874-75)...
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Henricus Van Meegeren, master art forger

What motivates an art forger? Money, pride, and revenge are the top three reasons why an artist would forge another artist’s work. Henricus Anthonius Van Meegeren painted fakes for revenge.  Angry at being snubbed by the Dutch art establishment, Van Meegeren...
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Thank you WunderkindPR for this amazing graphic.

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A Summer Read Pick

14 Easy Reads to Take To The Beach And Beyond As Summer Winds Down Veridian Sterling Fakes It by Jennifer Gooch Hummer I'm so happy to be included in this list. Check out the other books here . Newly graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design, Veridian...
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Goodreads Give Aways

There are two Goodreads giveaways! (to enter click book titles) Veridian Sterling Fakes It Girl Unmoored I hope you win both!
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Woman with Fan (1919) Amedeo Modigliani

What motivates an art forger? Elmyr de Hory photo credit Some artists paint fakes for money, others for revenge.  Elmyr de Hory, one of the greatest forgers of all time, was of the latter camp. Born in Hungary in 1906 to a middle-class family, de Hory started...
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Want to be an early reader?

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Amazon First Reads pick for June

If you're an art crime lover or a member of my family (who is required to do this), Veridian Sterling Fakes It is an Amazon First Reads choice for the month of June so go get it for free. And I owe it all to this guy:
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A Rembrandt, demoted.

Portrait of a Man (The Auctioneer). In Veridian Sterling Fakes It, I included many “real life” art controversies and crimes. One of the controversies that I included revolves around a Rembrandt currently at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City,...
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Matters of (the) Art

If you are obsessed with art and art crime as much as Jennifer is this is the blog for you. Dive in to get the latest art crimes, favorite books, movies, and all the juicy art gossip right here!

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Jennifer posts monthly on Matters of (the) Art.

About

Jennifer Gooch Hummer

Jennifer Gooch Hummer is the award-winning author of Girl Unmoored and Operation Tenley, and her latest novel, Veridian Sterling Fakes It. After graduating from Kenyon College, Jennifer left Boston (a great city) and moved to Los Angeles (a great city with a lot of traffic) where she lives with her sports broadcaster husband and their three daughters who excel in the sport of shopping. When not writing, Jennifer can be found trying not to trip over their two small dogs who are the same color as their floors.
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If you'd like to talk art crime, growing up in Maine, or fairies... I'm your girl.

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