The Woman Who Stole Vermeer, Anthony M. Amore
The Woman Who Stole Vermeer, Anthony M. Amore
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The Woman Who Stole Vermeer
The True Story of Rose Dugdale and the Russborough House Art Heist

Author: Anthony M. Amore

Narrator: Karen Cass

Unabridged: 8 hr 3 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 03/23/2021


Synopsis

The extraordinary life and crimes of heiress-turned-revolutionary Rose Dugdale, who in 1974 became the only woman to pull off a major art heist.In the world of crime, there exists an unusual commonality between those who steal art and those who repeatedly kill: they are almost exclusively male. But, as with all things, there is always an outlier—someone who bucks the trend, defying the reliable profiles and leaving investigators and researchers scratching their heads. In the history of major art heists, that outlier is Rose Dugdale.Dugdale’s life is singularly notorious. Born into extreme wealth, she abandoned her life as an Oxford-trained PhD and heiress to join the cause of Irish Republicanism. While on the surface she appears to be the British version of Patricia Hearst, she is anything but.Dugdale ran head-first towards the action, spearheading the first aerial terrorist attack in British history and pulling off the biggest art theft of her time. In 1974, she led a gang into the opulent Russborough House in Ireland and made off with millions in prized paintings, including works by Goya, Gainsborough, and Rubens, as well as Lady Writing a Letter with her Maid by the mysterious master Johannes Vermeer. Dugdale thus became—to this day—the only woman to pull off a major art heist. And as Anthony Amore explores in The Woman Who Stole Vermeer, it’s likely that this was not her only such heist.The Woman Who Stole Vermeer is Rose Dugdale’s story, from her idyllic upbringing in Devonshire and her presentation to Elizabeth II as a debutante to her university years and her eventual radical lifestyle. Her life of crime and activism is at turns unbelievable and awe-inspiring, and sure to engross readers.

About Anthony M. Amore

Anthony Amore is Director of Security and Chief Investigator at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, where he is charged with the ongoing efforts to recover thirteen works of art stolen from the museum on March 18, 1990. Additionally, he is the co-author of Stealing Rembrandts (a Wall Street Journal bestseller) and author of The Art of the Con (a New York Times bestseller) and provides analysis on issues related to security and terrorism for the BBC, NBC News, NPR, CNN, FOX, and others. He lives in Boston, MA. Learn more at www.anthonyamore.com.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Robert

If you pick this one up thinking it's about Vermeer and stolen art, you're going to be disappointed. Vermeer and the art heists hinted at in the title aren't even mentioned until more than halfway through the book, and then they're finished with in 30-40 pages. This is really a portrait of Rose Dugd......more

Goodreads review by Dan

Excellent research into the back story of the Russborough House Art Heist by one of the most complex thieves I've ever read about. Put aside most everything you've ever thought you knew about art thieves for this richly woven story. Unsure if history has any other art thief/terrorist/activist combo,......more

Goodreads review by Rachel

A revolution, true crime, art history, and a touch of feminism.... what more could you want?! Well researched and great telling of a fascinating piece of history......more


Quotes

“British narrator Karen Cass vividly narrates this captivating audiobook. She realistically delivers the upper-class English accents and Irish brogues of those featured in this true account of a 1970s aristocrat turned revolutionary. In an engaging style and intelligent tone, Cass recounts how wealthy Rose Dugdale, a conservative debutante who attends Oxford and gains a PhD in economics, transforms into a radical supporter of the IRA.” AudioFile Magazine“Amore charts in this engrossing account the transformation of Rose Dugdale from a privileged English debutante into a committed radical and fighter for the liberation of Northern Ireland from British rule. Thorough research is matched by prose that keeps the reader turning the pages. True crime and history buffs will revel in the saga of this truly fascinating woman.” —Publishers Weekly"A rollicking biography of a female art thief. In his lively third book about art and crime, Amore, the director of security at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, tells the story of a “fiery, bold, and brash” Englishwoman who stole for nationalistic reasons...A captivating, detail-rich biography of a 'criminal legend.” —Kirkus Review