Fake: forgery, lies and eBay Kenneth Walton Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 304pp, £9.99
Everyone likes visceral stories of art fraud. They seem, effortlessly, to grab the public imagination, complete as they are with tormented yet cunning anti-heroes facing off against the dogged detectives and journalists on their trail. Most accounts of art forgery take a wry delight in the anti-hero's cunning and resourcefulness. But Kenneth Walton, who was involved in an FBI manhunt after conning eBay users for years with forged art or "shill" bids, takes little pleasure in recounting his actions, merely regretful disbelief at his stupidity. The moral apologia is certainly credible, but the moralising often gets in the way of a good story.
Although Walton is far from a natural storyteller, this account - of how his appalling-sounding former army acquaintance Fetterman dragged him into an ever-increasing mire of lies, deceit and forged bidding - is surprisingly gripping. Walton reveals in minute detail the costs involved, both financial and personal. If at times the ease with which he made thousands of dollars borders on the seductive, his dismayed commentary on human greed acts as a salutary reminder of the pitfalls of easy money. Given its exposure of unbelievable apathy in the face of widespread criminal activity, the book is appalling public relations for eBay.
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