The Venetian Forgery

A Julian Vale Thriller

A body surfaces in a quiet Venetian canal at dawn.

The police call it an accident.

Julian Vale knows better.

When the dead man is identified as a respected art restorer, Vale uncovers a detail no one wants to examine: the victim was days away from authenticating a priceless Renaissance painting. A painting already insured. Already sold. Already accepted as real.

The problem?

It isn’t.

As Vale digs deeper into Venice’s elite art circles, he discovers a sophisticated forgery network hiding in plain sight — protected by foundations, legitimized by insurers, and enforced by silence. Paintings aren’t stolen. They’re created. And anyone who threatens the illusion is erased.

With a private sale imminent and pressure closing in from every side, Vale must decide how far he’s willing to go to stop a lie that the market desperately wants to believe.

Because in the world of high art, authenticity is negotiable —

and truth is the most dangerous currency of all.

Perfect for readers of Daniel Silva, Steve Berry, and international conspiracy thrillers, The Venetian Forgery is a sleek, high-stakes novel of art, power, and the price of saying no.

Repetitive and boring

The virtual voice is obvious and the writing itself is also uninspiring. It became a chore to finish the novel.