By Naomi
Are you still thinking about the recent art heist at the Louvre Museum, where four men stole eight French crown jewels in under eight minutes? So are we! We’ve rounded up some fiction and non-fiction titles so you can relive that thrill again and again.
Non-fiction
The Art Thief by Michael Finkel
Rumor has it that the heist at the Louvre was commissioned by a collector. So was Stéphane Breitwieser, one of the most prolific art thieves of the 20th century. He stole over 200 pieces over a span of eight years, just so he could admire them in his home. Michael Finkel spent hours upon hours interviewing Breitwieser, and even visited some museums with him. It resulted in this spellbinding portrait that reads like a fictional tale.
The Woman Who Stole Vermeer by Anthony M. Amore
It’s not just men who steal art, women can do it too! Rose Dugdale became the only woman to pull off a major art heist in 1974, stealing millions worth of prized paintings with her gang. The Woman Who Stole Vermeer is the portrait (ha) of Dugdale’s life, as the privileged daughter of a wealthy British family who became a freedom fighter in the IRA.
The Great Chinese Art Heist by Ralph Pezzullo
In this fast-paced, accessible book, Ralph Pezzullo sets out to uncover the story behind a string of heists in European museums, all targeting Chinese art and artifacts. The author places these thefts against the larger historical backdrop of the Second Opium War and imperialism. It’s a fascinating blend of true crime and historical non-fiction, and a deep dive into the complicated world of art crime.
Art Heist: 50 Artworks You Will Never See by Susie Hodge
What if they never find those stolen pieces of the French crown jewels again? Then they might end up being featured in a book like this. Susie Hodge has compiled 50 pieces of art that were stolen and never recovered. She looks at the significance of each piece, and presents some theories as to why (and how) it was stolen. Featuring pictures of all the art that’s discussed, this book is a great overview of the most significant art thefts post-World War II.
Fiction
Dani is a forger, and the daughter and former accomplice of the most famous art thief in the world. She’s also the one that gave her mother up to the FBI ten years ago. Now, in order to reconcile with her mother, she has just one week to steal a piece of art from the Fortress of Art with her mother’s old crew and Dani’s ex-boyfriend. It seems impossible, but they all have magical talents to help them.
This is a fun combination of art heists and magical realism, with a dash of romance.
The first thing my sister said when she heard about the heist at the Louvre was: “should I re-read Heist Society?” This YA series is fast-paced, fun and full of intrigue. It follows Kat Bishop, who grew up in a family full of thieves. She walked away from that life, but is pulled back when her dad is suspected of stealing a mobster’s priceless art collection. To protect her father from Interpol and the mob, Kat does the only logical thing: she’s going to steal the art back. It’s like Ocean’s Eleven, with teenagers!
