FAKE cover art

FAKE

A Startling True Story of Love in A World of Liars, Cheats, Narcissists, Fantasists and Phonies

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FAKE

By: Stephanie Wood
Narrated by: Claudia Karvan
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About this listen

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.

2020, Mark & Evette Moran Nib Literary Award, Longlisted

©2019 Stephanie Wood (P)2019 Penguin Random House Australia Compulsive Disorders Gender Studies Mental Health Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Social Sciences Health
All stars
Most relevant  
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!

Personal, factual & poetically visual

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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.

This book calls out the bullshi**ers FINALLY!

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I listened to this audiobook because I had just watched the Asher Keddie series on Paramount. This book takes you far deeper and you just can’t put it down. Claudia Karvan is a fantastic and empathetic narrator.

Brilliant Insights

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Loved the story line
Claudia Karvan's narration was superb
Congratulations on a brilliant novel 👏

Great novel

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I have lived much of what Stephanie Wood writes of, and almost 30 years on from my first terrible disaster, she has helped me make sense of it all.

A precious insight into my own life

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I liked this book and wanted to get to the end of the story, however found it a little drawn out. Lots of background info and psychological sidelines obviously meant to give a greater understanding but just too much for me personally.

Interesting but drawn out

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Loved this book. Initially thought it was a devastating cautionary tale, but by the end realised Stephanie Wood has taken the romantic lies she was spun, and built a much bigger beautiful brave story for us all. Great writer.

Great book

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I loved this book for its rare honesty and truthfulness. It is wonderful to hear/ read about the internal dialogues of other women and dissect the issues that arise from external societal pressures.

real and heartwarming

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Entertaining the whole way through, a banger of a true story told by an awesome woman

Banger

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A big long complain about men. A lot quite valid. But it’s so overburdened by one sided bashing and blind self righteousness that it’s relentless to get through. And I admire Claudia as an actress, but her skill as a narrator was poor in this - which was likely poor direction as we hear a lot of her breathing and dry mouth noises.

Wa Wa Wa

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