• Fake

  • A Startling True Story of Love in A World of Liars, Cheats, Narcissists, Fantasists and Phonies
  • By: Stephanie Wood
  • Narrated by: Claudia Karvan
  • Length: 10 hrs and 19 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (4 ratings)

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Fake

By: Stephanie Wood
Narrated by: Claudia Karvan
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Publisher's Summary

Women the world over are brought up to hope, even expect, to find the man of their dreams, marry and live happily ever after. 

When Stephanie Wood meets a sweet, sophisticated man who owns land and businesses, she embarks on an exhilarating romance with him. He seems compassionate, truthful and loving. He talks about the future with her. She falls in love. She also becomes increasingly beset by anxiety at the lavish three-act plays he offers her in the form of excuses for frequent cancellations and no-shows. She begins to wonder, who is this man? 

When she ends the relationship Stephanie switches back on her journalistic nous and uncovers a story of mind-boggling duplicity and manipulation. She also finds she is not alone; that the world is full of smart, sassy women who have suffered the attentions of liars, cheats, narcissists, fantasists and phonies, men with dangerously adept abilities to deceive.

In this brilliantly acute and broad-ranging book, Wood, an award-winning writer and journalist, has written a riveting, important account of contemporary love and the resilience of those who have witnessed its darkest sides.

©2019 Stephanie Wood (P)2019 Penguin Random House Australia

What listeners say about Fake

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    3 out of 5 stars
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  • Neil
  • 07-10-19

Interesting story but scattered and lacking sound engagement

I liked the book. But for a lot of the time I felt I was meandering down a lane going nowhere.

I listened to this as an audiobook but I’m finding that podcasts on similar situations more compelling and more engaging because of the different sound edits that podcasts use.

I reckon if this audiobook used sound edits like podcasts it would be a winner. Thank you

9 people found this helpful

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  • Clare Cotton
  • 07-24-19

Hard to put this book down

A must read for anyone interested in human behaviour. Stephanie tells her very personal story with gut wrenching honesty. The stories of otbers similar to hers are skilfully interwoven with well-researched knowledge of behavioral characteristics of narcissistic sociopaths. This reader came away with a greater understanding of how and why otherwise smart people are susceptible. Some beautiful lyrical passages of prose shine in what might have been heavy reading. I love the final chapter, The Getting of Wisdom which makes for a very positive ending for the author as it is for her readers.

3 people found this helpful

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  • Rachel
  • 07-15-19

Fascinating

It’s something you hear more and more about these days - online dates turning out to be conmen and conwomen. This book was so interesting and well-written. I devoured it. What happened to the author could really have happened to any of us.

3 people found this helpful

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  • Lisa Fletcher
  • 07-09-19

Personal, factual & poetically visual

A beautifully vulnerable story of strength & resilience. A must read for anyone on the dating merry-go-round.
Fascinating & riveting I couldn’t put down!

3 people found this helpful

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  • K L Smith
  • 08-09-19

Won't somebody get Claudia Karvan a drink?

Claudia Karvan has a lovely reading voice but, misophonics beware, there is a lot of audible, dry mouthed swallowing in this recording. Very poor editing to have not removed it.

The story is interesting, but seriously overwritten , and the author's idealism of "farm life" (including an unnecessarily sexy description of sheep slaughter) is pretty gross.

2 people found this helpful

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  • Anonymous User
  • 07-05-19

Gripping, honest and relatable

Engaging narration. Compelling and beautifully written. An important and (unfortunately) relatable account that all women should read.

2 people found this helpful

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  • Anonymous User
  • 11-19-19

This book calls out the bullshi**ers FINALLY!

Stephanie’s story is a tale that every female should be educated about. If her story hasn’t touched you directly, it will have touched someone close to you. Her words of narcissistic behaviours, fakes and liars echo this insidious plague of uncomfortable proportions for everyone to see what it really is. A highly manipulative con-job. OMG I feel her pain. It’s brilliant, clearly communicated and beautifully written. Thank you for sharing Stephanie.

1 person found this helpful

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  • Tomten
  • 10-21-19

Fantastic

I've listened to this about three times now, it's a very interesting book. It's a very personal account of self-examination following a traumatic event, but also contains some decent journalistic research about sociopaths and narcissists. Claudia Karvan's reading was fabulous, especially with a few tiny mistakes, pauses etc left in, it felt much more authentic.
So far this is my favourite audio book from Audible.

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  • Nancy Weatherford
  • 10-05-19

Loved it!

Summarises so many experiences! Nothing this intense yet similar in so many ways! Thank you for sharing your story! And well read by Claudia!

1 person found this helpful

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Profile Image for Annette Gayfer
  • Annette Gayfer
  • 10-03-19

Loved it

Loved Claudia Karvan’s narration. This story is so interesting, I really enjoyed it and would recommend it

1 person found this helpful