The Last Mona Lisa: A Novel

Written by Jonathan Santlofer

Narrated by Edoardo Ballerini

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 author

From 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.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: Aug 17, 2021
• ISBN: 9781713611790

Jonathan Santlofer

Jonathan Santlofer is the author of five novels and a highly respected artist whose work has been written about and reviewed in the New York Times, Art in America, Artforum, and Arts, and which appears in many public, private, and corporate collections. He lives and works in New York City.

Reviews for The Last Mona Lisa

[maydacat_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Luke is obsessed with the history of the Mona Lisa, mostly because it intertwines with his own family history. His great-grandfather was arrested for stealing the painting, and Luke has been compiling facts about the case for years. He gets a communication from someone in Italy who says that his great-grandfather’s journal has surfaced, and was left to a library there with other papers. Luke wastes no time in flying to Italy to read the journal, and maybe, at long last, to discover an important secret about the painting. The story vacillates from past to present many times. At times, the author, in trying to build suspense, plays “the pronoun game,” and readers won’t know who some of the new characters are for many chapters. Still, it quite an exciting book, combining known history with what may have happened. The author does a good job of developing his characters, both past and present ones, and placing them in an intricate plot. This suspenseful novel will keep you turning pages until the very end. Luke does meet a woman, (after all, he is in Italy!), an American who is reading in the same research library as he is, but the author does not turn this into a romance, for which I am grateful, although he leaves his readers with a hint of love in the air.

[drapple_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this novel based on a historical event. A modern-day art professor is obsessed with his grandfather's theft of the Mona Lis, a crime he served prison time for. A recently discovered journal gives him some important information, but a number of shady characters are after the information as well. It has many twists and turns.

[vicki_weisfeld · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Art crimes are an intriguing branch of the international crime tree, and in The Last Mona Lisa Jonathan Santlofer ably fulfills their potential. He begins with a real crime that took place in 1911, when a man named Vincent Peruggia was fired from his job at the Louvre, then hid in the museum overnight and stole the Mona Lisa. The destitute but patriotic Peruggia wanted to return the painting to his native Italy, and doubtless make a little money too. The painting resurfaced two years later in Florence whereupon the Italian police arrested him.Santlofer’s novel features an American named Luke Perrone, fictional great-grandson of Peruggia. Since childhood, Luke has researched his notorious ancestor and the rumors he kept a diary during his months in prison. Luke is a frustrated painter and college history of art professor, and an upcoming school break gives him a chance to follow up a new lead. Apparently, his great-grandfather’s journal was donated to Florence’s Laurentian Library among the papers of a recently deceased art scholar.Other people are just as interested in the diary as Luke is. Another library patron, the luscious Alexandra Greene, is just too friendly, except when she’s not. Interpol analyst John Washington Smith suspects the painting in the Louvre may not be authentic. During the Mona Lisa’s two-year disappearance, several copies were made and sold as originals. Perhaps the one hanging in the Louvre is one of these. Smith knows about Luke’s new lead and the trip to Florence, and if it pans out, it could revive his sagging career. A stop-at-nothing collector is also keenly interested and believes Luke can tell him whether “his” Mona Lisa, hidden in a vault, is the real thing.Maybe I read too many thrillers, but I thought Luke was a bit slow to realize he’s experiencing too many coincidences and too many people dying around him. Chapters about Luke and Smith in the present day are interspersed with Vincenzo’s story, as told in his diary. These atmospheric historical chapters give resonance to Luke’s quest.

[rmarcin-630843 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

One of the most amazing paintings in the world, the Mona Lisa, was stolen in 1911 by Vincenzo Peruggia. I was fortunate to see this painting at The Louvre in 1978, so I was interested in this historical fiction novel. Told in 2 timelines, 1911 vs present day, it follows art professor and great grandson of Peruggia, Luke Perrone as he tries to discover the story of the theft and what happened to the painting. Along the way, people Luke encounters end up dead. He also meets a beautiful woman, Alex, but is she helping out hurting him. The story speculates whether the real Mona Lisa hangs in The Louvre, or is it a forgery? Does a ruthless and unscrupulous art lover own the real painting? This is an interesting story imagining what might have happened with the painting. Thanks to Sourcebooks Early Reads program for the book! All opinions are my own and freely given.

[fredreeca · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Is the Mona Lisa a fake? Vincent Peruggia stole the painting in 1911. Was it ever properly replaced? Luke Perrone is determined to find out exactly what has happened. His research has triggered a warning at Interpol. Luke has managed to integrate himself into the world of art forgery and theft.The history that runs throughout this novel is superb! It is very well researched and put together. The only reason for the 4 stars…and this is only my opinion…I did not feel as connected to the characters as I wanted to be. But, the art history and the way the author portrayed Florence and Paris, just took my breath away!Need a good historical mystery…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

[1randal-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Florence, Paris, Da Vinci, and a good mystery. Some of my favorite things. What more could I ask for?Santlofer has penned a good book here. Relying on historical facts, with a good amount of imagination thrown in, the book is a good read. Action packed, full of twists and turns. To the reviewers who are complaining about this book being a rip-off of Dan Brown, get over yourselves! Brown wrote some good books in this genre, but he wasn't the first, and won't be the last. There's more than enough subject matter out there to continue in this mold, and Santlofer does a great job at it. The one thing that I wish had been different, and stops me from awarding a five star review, was the author's tendency to write many, many really short chapters, and start a new one without identifying who he was talking about. Sometimes the main character, many times one of the many other characters, it took a bit to figure out who was talking. It made it confusing, at least to me. All in all, a really good book. I look forward to reading more from this author.