Hugh McLeave (1923–2008)

As with most Art theft books this book starts out chronologically with the theft of the Mona Lisa and proceeds to the present. Luckily for us the present when the book was written was 1981. So the theft at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum that looms so large in other books hasn't even happened. Instead you get some since forgotten thefts just as large or larger.

This book also works as a helpful reminder of just how much the art market has changed. They talk about fifty plus impressionist paintings stolen in St Tropez being insured for $1.5 million. A tenth of what some of an individual painting from some of the artists would go for today.

The stories are great summaries of individual thefts. None too long and not too short either. It is obvious from the beginning though that the author didn't bother to speak to the criminals themselves but it hampers the book very little. It moves along quickly enough I barely noticed.… (mer)