Digital audiobook performed by Catherine Ho.

Most people would consider Ava Wong a successful woman. A Chinese-American with a law degree from Stanford, a husband who is a brilliant surgeon, and an adorable toddler son, she is, apparently, living the good life. But Ava hasn’t used her expensive law degree in years, and she’s at her wit’s end trying to deal with her son’s increasingly frequent tantrums. Then she runs into her old college roommate, Winnie Fang. Winnie is from mainland China and hoping to finally get her green card. And that is why she needs Ava’s help. All Ava has to do is go to China (with her genuine USA passport) and buy some designer handbags for Winnie’s business. What could possibly go wrong?

This is an engaging, entertaining, twisty heist involving counterfeit designer goods, a scheme to trick high-end department stores out of money, and an ever-increasing number of lies told to everyone about what is really going on.

Winnie is a master manipulator. Clearly a sociopath with no moral compass other than what is good for Winnie. Ava is torn between her loyalty to her husband and son, the pressure of hiding her illegal activities, and her desire to feel as good as Winnie’s schemes make her feel. As their enterprise gets into trouble Winnie vanishes, leaving Ava to face the authorities on her own. Will she crack? Can she, alone, pull off one more scam? Should she betray Winnie to save her own skin?

Chen goes back and forth in time to tell this story, occasionally interrupting the chronological flow to give the reader a snippet of Ava’s interview with a detective. This device is handled brilliantly by Chen. Keeping the reader off balance and guessing about what will finally happen.

Catherine Ho does a marvelous job of narrating the audiobook. She sets a good pace and I had little difficulty keeping the two women at the core of the story straight. ( )

Perfect beach read! Quick, interesting, light.

The biggest flaw was that I had to keep digging out my phone to Google what the designer bags looked like.

Format is interesting - mostly told as a confession to a detective with some occasional flashbacks. ( )

Counterfeit by Kirstin Chen is a thrilling heist ride with a medium-paced plot. The story is all about how a struggling mother's life changes after she meets her college friend. Ava's life is to be pity upon, as she is desperately trying to fulfill her roles as a mother and a wife. Winnie's entry changed the course of the story. The plot gives you an insight into the world of fake designer pieces, just like currency. I am definitely going to recheck my bags and purses after reading this book. Ava's character develops throughout the story, from a pitiful life to a conman.

This is my first time reading this author. The plot has that thrill to excite you from start to finish. The climax was just out of the world. I was not expecting this from Ava. But I felt that at some places the plot was dragged unnecessarily. Overall, the book is worth a one-time read. ( )

3.5 stars.

Why do books without quotation marks bother me so much? I guess it feels like the people aren't having a conversation with each other or me.

Imagine after 20 years of not seeing your college roomie who you weren't even close with and who left early on in freshman year, and have had no contact with, finds you after 20 years. Ava knows it that this is strange. But things happen and Ava decides to help Winnie – bad move I know. Ava isn't a dummy by any means but she does it out of revenge and happens to be in Hong Kong and decides to “help” her. She tries to get out this scheme and tells Winnie as much, but gets deeper involved. Winnie is such a manipulator that Ava can't get out of it. The book is past and present at the same time where she is explaining to a detective how it was with Winnie.

The epilogue was a disappointment for me.

A fast paced book that I finished in two days. ( )

Full review to come.