In 1911, Vincenzo Peruggia pulled off one of the greatest art heists of all time: the theft of the Mona Lisa. The painting was missing for two years before it was recovered, and the crime spawned innumerable conspiracy theories, with some suggesting that forgeries were made during its hiatus, including the painting now hanging in the Louvre. Flip to the present, when we meet Luke Perrone, an artist obsessed with Peruggia for good reason: Peruggia is his great-grandfather. When Perrone gets word that great-grandad’s diary has surfaced, he hightails it to Florence with the hope of learning more about his ancestor and the theft. Except Perrone isn’t alone in his quest, and he is soon being trailed by an INTERPOL agent, an updated femme fatale, and worse. It’s a pleasure to explore Florence and its art through Perrone’s eyes, and the shifts between 1911 and the present make for a compelling read. Santlofer, also a painter, creates a real sense of authenticity. Fans of Iain Pears and Barbara Shapiro are sure to love this novel.
