The Last Mona Lisa, Jonathan Santlofer
The Last Mona Lisa, Jonathan Santlofer
59 Rating(s)
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The Last Mona Lisa

Author: Jonathan Santlofer

Narrator: Edoardo Ballerini

Unabridged: 9 hr 14 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 08/17/2021

Synopsis

ONE OF PEOPLE MAGAZINE'S BEST BOOKS OF SUMMER!"Unstoppable what-happens-next momentum."—Michael Connelly, #1 New York Times bestselling author
"A deliciously tense read."—Ruth Ware, #1 New York Times bestselling authorFrom award-winning crime writer and celebrated artist Jonathan Santlofer comes an enthralling tale about the 1911 theft of the Mona Lisa from the Louvre, the forgeries that appeared in its wake, and the present-day underbelly of the art world.August, 1911: The Mona Lisa is stolen by Vincent Peruggia. Exactly what happens in the two years before its recovery is a mystery. Many replicas of the Mona Lisa exist, and more than one historian has wondered if the painting now returned to the Louvre is a fake, switched in 1911.Present day: Art professor Luke Perrone digs for the truth behind his most famous ancestor: Peruggia. His search attracts an Interpol detective with something to prove and an unfamiliar but curiously helpful woman. Soon, Luke tumbles deep into the world of art and forgery, a land of obsession and danger.The Last Mona Lisa is a suspenseful and seductive tale, perfect for fans of the Netflix documentaries This Is A Robbery and Made You Look and readers obsessed with the world of art heists and forgeries.

About Jonathan Santlofer

Jonathan Santlofer is the author of 5 novels, The Death Artist, Color Blind, The Killing Art, The Murder Notebook, and Anatomy of Fear, which won the Nero Wolfe Award for best crime novel of 2009. His first novel, The Death Artist, was an international bestseller and translated into 22 languages. Santlofer is the recipient of two National Endowment for the Arts grants, has been a Visiting Artist at the American Academy In Rome, the Vermont Studio Center and serves on the board of Yaddo, the oldest arts community in the U.S. He also serves on the boards of the Mystery Writers of America and the International Crime Writers of North America. A well-known artist, Santlofer's work is in such collections as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Art Institute of Chicago, and Tokyo's Institute of Contemporary Art. He lives in New York City where he writes and paints.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Andrew on February 13, 2025

Did you know that the Mona Lisa was once stolen? I didn’t. It happened in 1911, and though the painting later found its way back to the Louvre Museum, there are some that believe the picture now in place to be something other than the Leonardo da Vinci original. A tall story? Perhaps, but here write......more

Goodreads review by Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader on September 16, 2021

Did you know the Mona Lisa was stolen in 1911? It was missing for two years, and what happens to it during the time it was missing is a mystery. The thief is Vincent Peruggia. The story is told in both the past and the present, with an art professor relative of Peruggia as one of the narrators. I love......more

Goodreads review by Dana on August 17, 2021

I absolutely LOVED this book!! The fact that it's based on a true events had me completely hooked. I hadn't heard of this book until it landed on my doorstep. I am SO glad it did! If you have a love of historical fiction or mystery, chances are you're going to love this book. It's such a page turner......more

Goodreads review by Emilie on September 12, 2021

I received an ARC of this book. I am in the minority, but I did not like this book at all. I tried. I slogged through it. But it just seemed like a straight-to-home-video movie, instead of a summer-blockbuster mystery/action/thriller. The quest that the main character, Luke, goes on to try to discover......more

Goodreads review by Literary on March 27, 2021

Only a writer who is an artist — Jonathan Santlofer is both — could pen with such veracity this story of Mona Lisa’s theft from the Louvre in 1911. The thrilling tale elegantly spun explores the underbelly of art and forgery, compelling you to savor the pages even as you race to the end. Highly reco......more

Quotes

“Ballerini's smooth voice and lyrical use of linguistics transport the listener to Italy and France as he portrays the suspenseful search to uncover the secrets behind the world-famous smile.… Listeners will find themselves drawn into the intrigue in an attempt to solve this startling whodunit thriller.” —Booklist“Edoardo Ballerini's fast-paced narration amplifies the suspense in this fictionalized mystery about the very real controversy surrounding the authenticity of Leonardo da Vinci's MONA LISA.… Ballerini provides authentic voices and accents for the various Italians who aid Luke's research and switches to tough-guy New Yorker for Luke and the Interpol agent who is following him. Ballerini clearly distinguishes a cast of characters that include a dangerous hit man working for a collector of stolen art and a mysterious American woman who seduces Luke.” –AudioFile Magazine"Fabulous—instantly immersive, intriguing and suspenseful, and expert and authentic too ... only a writer who is also an artist—or an artist who is also a writer—could have pulled it off. This feels like the thriller Santlofer was born to write." - Lee Child, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Jack Reacher series

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