Counterfeit

Counterfeit

by Kirstin Chen

Narrated by Catherine Ho

Unabridged — 7 hours, 20 minutes

Counterfeit

Counterfeit

by Kirstin Chen

Narrated by Catherine Ho

Unabridged — 7 hours, 20 minutes

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Overview

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER ¿ A REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK

“A con artist story, a pop-feminist caper, a fashionable romp . . . Counterfeit is an entertaining, luxurious read-but beneath its glitz and flash, it is also a shrewd deconstruction of the American dream and the myth of the model minority. . . . Chen is up to something innovative and subversive here." - Camille Perri, NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW

Recommended by New York Times Book Review ¿ Washington Post ¿ People ¿ Entertainment Weekly ¿ USA Today ¿ Time ¿ Cosmopolitan ¿ Today show ¿ Harper's Bazaar ¿ Vogue ¿ Good Housekeeping ¿ Parade ¿ New York Post ¿ Town & Country ¿ GMA.com ¿ Buzzfeed ¿ Goodreads ¿ Oprah Daily ¿ Popsugar ¿ Bustle ¿* theSkimm ¿ The Millions ¿ and more!

For fans of*Hustlers*and*How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia, the*story*of*two*Asian American women*who band together to*grow*a counterfeit handbag scheme into a global enterprise-an incisive and*glittering*blend of*fashion, crime,*and*friendship*from the author of*Bury What We Cannot Take*and*Soy Sauce for Beginners.

Money can't buy happiness... but it can buy a decent fake.

Ava Wong*has always played it safe.*As a strait-laced,*rule-abiding*Chinese American lawyer with a*successful*surgeon*as a*husband,*a*young son,*and*a*beautiful home-she's built the*perfect*life. But*beneath this*façade,*Ava's world is*crumbling: her marriage is*falling apart,*her*expensive*law*degree*hasn't been used*in*years, and*her*toddler's tantrums are pushing her to the breaking point.

Enter Winnie Fang, Ava's enigmatic college roommate from Mainland China,*who*abruptly*dropped out under mysterious circumstances.*Now, twenty years later,*Winnie is*looking to reconnect*with her old friend. But the shy, awkward girl Ava*once knew*has been replaced with a confident woman of the world, dripping in luxury goods, including a coveted Birkin in classic orange.*The secret to her success?*Winnie has developed an ingenious counterfeit scheme*that involves importing near-exact replicas of luxury*handbags and now she needs someone with a U.S. passport to*help manage*her business-someone who'd never be suspected of wrongdoing, someone like Ava.*But*when their spectacular success is threatened and Winnie vanishes*once again,*Ava*is left to face the consequences.

Swift, surprising,*and*sharply*comic,*Counterfeit*is*a*stylish and feminist caper*with a strong point of view and an axe to grind. Peering behind the curtain of the upscale designer storefronts and the Chinese factories where luxury goods are produced, Kirstin Chen interrogates the myth of the model minority through two unforgettable women determined to demand more from life.

"If you appreciate a good caper, you'll want to pick up Kirstin Chen's novel . . . Fast-paced and fun, with smart commentary on the cultural differences between Asia and America." - TIME

“Propulsive and captivating . . . A provocative story of fashion, friendship, and fakes (in more ways than one).” - VOGUE


Editorial Reviews

JUNE 2022 - AudioFile

Narrator Catherine Ho delivers a stellar performance of this fast-paced caper audiobook. She perfectly inhabits Ava Wong, a frazzled wife and mother who is on hiatus from her law career, as well as Winnie Fang, Ava’s former shy classmate from 20 years ago, who’s now rich and full of confidence. Winnie’s been running a global fake handbag scheme, in which Ava becomes entangled. The first half is told from Ava’s first-person point of view, which listeners quickly learn is being delivered to a detective. Ho’s sharp narration expertly builds tension and conveys the story’s sardonic tone. The second half provides a third-person perspective from Winnie. Throughout, Ho channels both characters’ manipulative and subversive qualities and keeps listeners guessing at what’s real in this entertaining listen. V.T.M. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine

Publishers Weekly

04/04/2022

Chen (Bury What We Cannot Take) spins a clever tale offering two sides of a story involving a complicated friendship and knockoff handbags. When Ava Wong’s former Stanford roommate Winnie Fang reenters her hectic San Francisco life, 20 years after graduation, Ava is the frazzled mother of a tantrum-prone two-year-old, married to a prominent surgeon, and on hiatus from a tax law career she can’t stand. Winnie, on the other hand, has gone from nerd to gorgeous—and she’s clearly rich. Ava, whose marriage is on the rocks, is dazzled by her friend’s physical and financial makeover, then finds out it’s all courtesy of a luxury handbag counterfeit scheme. While Ava is on an impulsive trip visiting family in Hong Kong, her husband cancels her credit and debit cards—leading Ava to reluctantly work with Winnie, whose goods come from China. The novel’s second half picks up with Winnie’s point of view, in which Ava is characterized as scheming and manipulative, making canny moves such as leaving a cellphone at a friend’s house to secure an alibi while trafficking contraband. Readers face a choice: whose perception is real—and whose is counterfeit? The story is further deepened by the author’s sharp, convincing details of the fashion industry and its shadow market, which lends this tale of fakes the tang of authenticity. Readers will be left guessing at the truth until the last page. (June)

From the Publisher

"A con artist story, a pop-feminist caper, a fashionable romp. Fun! Pass the popcorn. Except nothing in this novel is what it seems. Make no mistake, Counterfeit is an entertaining, luxurious read—but beneath its glitz and flash, it is also a shrewd deconstruction of the American dream and the myth of the model minority. . . . Readers love a twist and I won’t spoil this one by revealing too much, but Chen is up to something innovative and subversive here. She uses the device to flip Asian and Asian American stereotypes inside out and upside down." — Camille Perri, New York Times Book Review

"A startling, gleeful look at the American Dream and what counts as real in a world obsessed with image, this caper story follows two very different Chinese American women as they build a fake fashion empire that then threatens to come crashing down. Chen’s use of story structure is masterful, as are her complicated, compelling characters." — Grace D. Li, Washington Post

"If you appreciate a good caper, you’ll want to pick up Kirstin Chen’s novel about two Asian American women who turn a counterfeit handbag scheme into a big business. The book is written as a confession, which helps readers get to know protagonists Ava and Winnie, and how their lives detoured toward crime. Counterfeit is fast-paced and fun, with smart commentary on the cultural differences between Asia and America." — TIME magazine, Best Books of Summer 2022

“Propulsive and captivating . . . A provocative story of fashion, friendship, and fakes (in more ways than one), with characters that both subvert and capitalize on the model-minority myth. No surprise that the sly feminist caper was the subject of a fierce eight-way bidding war for TV rights.” — Vogue, The Best Books of 2022

"College roommates Ava Wong and Winnie Fang were never close—but now they are literally partners in crime, with a designer handbag scam as brazen as it is foolproof. Clever, catty fun." — People, Best Books of Summer 2022

"Centered on two women who partner on a global counterfeit luxury handbag business. I always wish there was more fashion in novels . . . My fun read of early summer!”  — Kathy Wang, Entertainment Weekly

“This one's as flashy as a designer store window, and just as enticing.” — Good Housekeeping

"In this crime drama, a risk-averse former lawyer joins an elaborate fakebag scheme to finally get some thrills." — Cosmopolitan

"Engrossing . . . . There is something particularly joyful and delicious right now about reading a novel centered around a feminist caper. This novel is a lot of fun, but it also asks a lot of questions about what we covet and why." — Roxane Gay

"In this clever caper (with TV rights already optioned), two Asian American women start a lucrative business selling counterfeit luxury handbags. As the tale is told from each character’s point of view, you’ll wonder which version is authentic and which is a fake." — AARP, Fun Summer Books

“Chen’s third novel is sly and subversive, an examination of motherhood and an incisive look at culture and class . . . A readalike for Amelia Morris’s Wildcat, with a touch of crime.” — Booklist (starred review)

"Ava Wong is a successful lawyer with a picture-perfect family, but behind the scenes, her marriage—and life—are falling apart. Enter Winnie Fang, Ava’s college roommate, with a proposition for Ava: help Winnie manage her wildly successful counterfeit luxury purse business. But when consequences loom, Winnie disappears, leaving Ava holding the bag." — Harper's Bazaar, The Best Beach Reads of 2022

“This entertaining novel about two former roommates who run a counterfeit luxury handbag scam has it all!” — Buzzfeed

"In this delicious romp about a counterfeit bag scheme, you’ll get Hustlers meets The Bling Ring meets Molly’s Game. . . . This one is so fast-paced and bingeable that it’s already been scooped up to be turned into a TV show." — theSkimm, Buzzy Beach Reads of 2022

"Chen has written a fast-paced, character-forward story of two very different Asian American women seemingly inadvertently falling into a collaboration to build a global counterfeit handbag empire . . . Ingeniously constructed, this cinematic novel of friendship, ambition, and wanting more out of life will leave you guessing until the end.” — Oprah Daily, 10 Must-Read Books for AAPI Heritage Month 2022

"Two Asian-American women turn a fake handbag scheme into a global enterprise. Need we say more?" — Parade, Our Favorite Books of Spring

"How good is Counterfeit by Kirstin Chen? The story of two Asian American women's wildly successful counterfeit handbag scheme has already been optioned for television." — Popsugar, The Best New Book Releases So Far

Counterfeit is decadent and delicious. The sparkling storyline seduces with its compelling twists and turns even as Kirstin Chen deftly interrogates issues of race, identity, wealth and consumerism. A true delight for mind and heart from beginning to end.” — Jean Kwok, New York Times bestselling author of Searching for Sylvie Lee

"Sly and thoroughly compelling, Kirstin Chen's Counterfeit illuminates the world of fake designer handbags, as ruthless adventuress Winnie and her upstanding former college roommate Ava build an illicit business out of bravado and lies. Nothing is as it seems, and Chen's ingenious plot will keep you breathless to the last page." — Claire Messud, New York Times bestselling author of The Burning Girl

Counterfeit is a riveting and energetic novel about a world that so many of us encounter but rarely understand beyond the surface. Chen deftly guides readers through the exploits of old friends Ava and Winnie while also exploring the intricacies of friendship, class, culture, and survival.”
Balli Kaur Jaswal, acclaimed author of Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows

"Kirstin Chen keeps readers on the edge of their seats as she weaves an addictive tale about the high/low world of counterfeit luxury handbags, spanning San Francisco to Guangzhou. A glittering, provocative read." — Janice Y. K. Lee, New York Times bestselling author of The Expatriates

Counterfeit is as stylish and smart as its mastermind heroines. Kirstin Chen writes, with humor and verve, prose that's as addictive as a luxury handbag habit, and psychologically rich characters, too. Come for the con, stay for the insights into identity and self discovery, and the ever-elusive American dream.” — Rachel Khong, award-winning author of Goodbye, Vitamin

"Trust us — Counterfeit is riveting, and a perfect beach read." — Ask.com, The Most Talked-About and Best Books of 2022

"Two Asian American women come together to turn a counterfeit handbag scheme into a global enterprise in this razor-sharp and witty take on mixing fashion and female friendships from the author of Bury What We Cannot Take. The story becomes a caper when one of them disappears and the other is left to deal with the consequences when their empire begins to crumble. Did we mention there was a fierce bidding war between eight studios for the TV rights to Counterfeit, with Sony Pictures Television's ultimately landing the real deal?" — E! News, 16 Books to Add to Your Beach Bag This June

"Riveting." — Town & Country, Best Summer Beach Reads of 2022

“Think Hustlers with a little bit of Good Girls throw in for good measure.” — Literary Hub

"Longstanding friendship, fake luxury, and elaborate theft . . . and from a writer whose previous novels have been utterly captivating—yes, please.” — Electric Literature, 62 Books By Women of Color to Read in 2022

“[Chen] comes up with a winner in this clever, sharp, and slyly funny novel about a long con. . . . A delightfully different caper novel with a Gone Girl–style plot twist.” — Kirkus

“It’s a breezy read with unexpected twists, carried along by Ava’s seemingly heartfelt confession to a police detective.”  — Bookpage

“Chen spins a clever tale offering two sides of a story involving a complicated friendship and knockoff handbags . . . The story is further deepened by the author’s sharp, convincing details of the fashion industry and its shadow market, which lends this tale of fakes the tang of authenticity. Readers will be left guessing at the truth until the last page.” — Publishers Weekly

“All the “Best Beach Read of 2022? lists are giving shout outs to this snazzy page-turner about two Asian-American women who build an international criminal operation selling knockoff handbags.” — Philadelphia Inquirer

Celeste Ng

Bury What We Cannot Take explores what it takes to survive in a world gone mad—and what is lost when we do. Kirstin Chen has written both an engrossing historical drama and a nuanced exploration of how far the bonds of familial love can stretch.

Claire Messud

"Sly and thoroughly compelling, Kirstin Chen's Counterfeit illuminates the world of fake designer handbags, as ruthless adventuress Winnie and her upstanding former college roommate Ava build an illicit business out of bravado and lies. Nothing is as it seems, and Chen's ingenious plot will keep you breathless to the last page."

Janice Y. K. Lee

"Kirstin Chen keeps readers on the edge of their seats as she weaves an addictive tale about the high/low world of counterfeit luxury handbags, spanning San Francisco to Guangzhou. A glittering, provocative read."

Electric Literature

"Longstanding friendship, fake luxury, and elaborate theft . . . and from a writer whose previous novels have been utterly captivating—yes, please.

Kevin Kwan

"Kirstin Chen’s debut is a delicious page-turning treat. Chen captures the zeitgeist of Singapore’s new generation in an engrossing, intimately layered tale of love, family, and the discovery of one’s true calling. It will also turn every reader into an artisanal soy sauce aficionado willing to settle for nothing but the best.” 

Jean Kwok

Counterfeit is decadent and delicious. The sparkling storyline seduces with its compelling twists and turns even as Kirstin Chen deftly interrogates issues of race, identity, wealth and consumerism. A true delight for mind and heart from beginning to end.

Rachel Khong

Counterfeit is as stylish and smart as its mastermind heroines. Kirstin Chen writes, with humor and verve, prose that's as addictive as a luxury handbag habit, and psychologically rich characters, too. Come for the con, stay for the insights into identity and self discovery, and the ever-elusive American dream.

Booklist on Bury What We Cannot Take

Chen draws a lovable protagonist . . . and her deft use of suspense makes the novel a quick and satisfying read.” 

Balli Kaur Jaswal

Counterfeit is a riveting and energetic novel about a world that so many of us encounter but rarely understand beyond the surface. Chen deftly guides readers through the exploits of old friends Ava and Winnie while also exploring the intricacies of friendship, class, culture, and survival.”

The Best Books of 2022 Vogue

Propulsive and captivating . . . A provocative story of fashion, friendship, and fakes (in more ways than one), with characters that both subvert and capitalize on the model-minority myth. No surprise that the sly feminist caper was the subject of a fierce eight-way bidding war for TV rights.

Our Favorite Books of Spring Parade

"Two Asian-American women turn a fake handbag scheme into a global enterprise. Need we say more?"

Glamour on Soy Sauce for Beginners

The perfect blend of family drama, complicated romance, and behind-the-scenes artisanal brewing of the world's most unsung condiment." 

Amber Dermont

At the center of this novel is a struggling family business, but its bright heart is the difficult business of family. Written with warmth, umami and humor, Soy Sauce for Beginners considers the intricacies of inheritance and the challenges of safeguarding tradition. Kirstin Chen has written a spirited novel of self-discovery.” 

Jill McCorkle

An engaging story about a young woman's journey through love and friendship, business and family as she seeks her own place in the world. A satisfying and insightful novel.

Margot Livesey

Kirstin Chen evokes with wonderful brio the conflicts of a family business, and of a family. Reading these vivid pages made me want to catch the next plane to Singapore. Or failing that read another absorbing chapter. A sparkling debut.” 

JUNE 2022 - AudioFile

Narrator Catherine Ho delivers a stellar performance of this fast-paced caper audiobook. She perfectly inhabits Ava Wong, a frazzled wife and mother who is on hiatus from her law career, as well as Winnie Fang, Ava’s former shy classmate from 20 years ago, who’s now rich and full of confidence. Winnie’s been running a global fake handbag scheme, in which Ava becomes entangled. The first half is told from Ava’s first-person point of view, which listeners quickly learn is being delivered to a detective. Ho’s sharp narration expertly builds tension and conveys the story’s sardonic tone. The second half provides a third-person perspective from Winnie. Throughout, Ho channels both characters’ manipulative and subversive qualities and keeps listeners guessing at what’s real in this entertaining listen. V.T.M. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine

Kirkus Reviews

2022-03-16
What a tangled web we weave when first we practice selling fake designer handbags.

Chen rejiggers some of the ingredients of her debut, Soy Sauce for Beginners (2014), and comes up with a winner in this clever, sharp, and slyly funny novel about a long con. Ava Wong, a Chinese American Stanford grad, has left her corporate position to be a full-time mom, but little Henri is such a terror she ends up delegating him to a nanny. Meanwhile, her surgeon husband, a Frenchman named Olivier, is working so hard to support the family that he takes an apartment near the hospital in Palo Alto. These disappointments leave her particularly vulnerable to the influence of the evil Winnie Fang. From mainland China, Winnie was Ava’s roommate freshman year of college until she had to withdraw from school under the cloud of an SAT cheating scandal. All these years later, she's back, and boy, has she changed. She’s had eyelid surgery, lost the accent, attained American citizenship, and is carrying the ultimate status symbol—a Birkin bag. A couple pages in, we learn that this narrative of renewed friendship is being delivered to a detective. It seems Ava was manipulated into working with Winnie in her global handbag scam. Her job was to buy a high-end purse at a luxury shop, then return it a few days later for credit. Meanwhile, the return is actually a meticulously counterfeited duplicate manufactured in China, and the real one is sold on eBay at a discount. As the story glides among San Francisco, Hong Kong, and China, Chen turns the stereotype of the docile Asian woman on its head. She also has great fun with status details, from collegiate Winnie’s “pink T-shirt with the words cuty pie plastered across the front in mulitcolored rhinestones” to the “rare crocodile Birkin 25, the color of merlot, of rubies, of blood...worth at least forty thousand dollars” that Ava receives during a classic over-the-top, all-night business deal.

A delightfully different caper novel with a Gone Girl–style plot twist.

Product Details

BN ID: 2940176092851
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication date: 06/07/2022
Edition description: Unabridged
Sales rank: 661,872
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