The Last Mona Lisa kind of feels like a poor man's Dan Brown or Steve Berry story. It isn't horrible, but it really isn't great either. Santlofer takes details that are based in fact, regarding the theft and speculated authenticity of the Mona Lisa residing in the Louvre, and spins out a story of the thief's great grandson, trying to learn more about his ancestor and the painting. Not surprisingly there's an unscrupulous art collector, a beautiful woman who isn't what she seems, an Interpol agent going rogue, a Russian assassin and lots of dead bodies piling up. It could be compelling, but it never really gets away from feeling formulaic and predictable. The dialogue tends to cheesiness at points as well. If this type of book is your vibe, by all means, read it. The art descriptions and the settings of Florence and Paris are interesting, if slightly overdone. If this is a genre you don't read often, you're probably better sticking with the big name authors, who are better known for a reason.

This should have been a great read for me, since it’s a mystery based on the real-life theft of the Mona Lisa. The story is told by Luke, the real Vincent Peruggia’s fictional grandson, and is set in Paris and Florence. Unfortunately, as fascinating as the real-life events are, the novel didn’t hold my interest and it comes down to the characters. I didn’t connect with Luke at all. John Smith, an Interpol agent who’s following him for no apparent reason whatsoever, and Alex, the femme fatale, are conceited and their motivations and reactions are not believable. There’s a big reliance on coincidence and Deus Ex Machina resolutions that felt contrived. Some of the chapters are narrated by Luke in first person, others are written in third person and that is something that I normally don’t like. The one thing I liked are the descriptions of the architecture and works of art that Luke sees during his investigation. This may not be a good thing for readers who are not also art lovers, because the author does take his time reveling in it. Other than that, this was not the book for me.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/ Sourcebooks Landmark!

An interesting novel based on true events surrounding daVinci's Mona Lisa, which mysteriously disappeared from the Louvre in 1911.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4028989977

An entertaining mash-up of art history and a thriller. Based loosely on the fact that in 1911 the Mona Lisa disappeared from the Louvre Museum for 2 years, the author imagines not only the circumstances of the disappearance, but also its repercussions today. Short chapters with a direct writing style easily propulse the plot and reader forward.

I particularly enjoyed the walking tour of Florence--encountering a variety of neighborhoods, museums, and a research library; happening upon great works of art; and the romance of the ordinary in a great city. The last half of the book is all thriller, but comes to a satisfactory conclusion for the art historical as well.

It's worth a read for the ambiance of art that infuses the sensibility of the whole, and you might just learn a thing or two, too. Fun!

Thank you for SOURCEBOOKS Landmark and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Luke Perrone, grandson of the art thief Perrugia, searches for the journal of this man to find answers to questions that plague him. Alex, employed by a collector, follows him through Florence also on a quest for information and finds herself falling for this art history professor. Smith, an Interpol agent, defying procedure, joins him in the quest that proceeds on a deadly curve. All are tracked by a Russian thug who seems to incur pain wherever he goes. One by one, innocent and not so innocent contacts are murdered. Why? Are they all that invested in discovering the authenticity of DaVinci’s Mona Lisa housed in the Louvre? Or is there more to this century-old journal? Jonathan Santlofer’s familiar territory is the art world and once again he shares his expertise with his readers. In addition, he has perfected a skill in producing a fast-paced thriller that keeps the pages turning rapidly toward a resolution. As always I look forward to his next work!

Loved the premise and set up of this art history mystery. The final third was well paced. The romantic storyline jumped the shark for me. Unnecessary and the characters’ chemistry was not developed. Overall, a satisfying, quick read.

Characters didn’t draw me enough to want to continue with the book regardless the mystery. The synopsis is great but nothing kept me wanting to turn the pages.

loved it! Every page. It was fun to visit places I love in Paris and Florence (even if it was only virtually). This is a very well written historical fiction mystery. If you're a fan of art related stories, this is not to be missed.

Fabulous! I loved this book. It led me through the streets of Paris, viewing the stunning architecture, galleries and restaurants in Florence ( definitely inspired me to plan a return visit to sample again with a refreshed insight!). Who can beat such a well written mystery; history woven with suspense and romance driven by vivid characters?

This book was INCREDIBLY intriguing. The fact that it’s based on a true story had me very interested! I do wish the author included indications on the chapters of who’s POV is being told that chapter, it took me far longer than I would have liked to get into the story. Multiple POV is my favorite style for a book, so indicating who is talking would have helped immensely.

Things I liked:
• The idea of a secret underbelly art trading world
• Multiple POV and timelines
• Interconnectedness of the great-grandson to his great grandfather

Things I didn’t like:
• Some parts when a bit too long, I am not an art history buff so some of the detailed descriptions of other art were definitely wasted on me.
• Middle drug a bit, there’s only so many times someone can fly back and forth somewhere and then nonchalantly walk around like someone ISN’T trying to kill them

Disclaimer: I received the ARC from the publisher through Net Galley. All opinions are my own.

The Last Mona Lisa by Jonathan Santlofer is a superb read with a well defined plot and characters. Well worth the read!

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.

The 1911 theft of the Mona Lisa in Paris by Vincenzo Perrugia and its aftermath are at the centre of this very entertaining and cleverly plotted literary thriller.
Blending facts and fiction with flair and constantly alternating between different places in times, Jonathan Santlofer manages with brio to cast doubts about the painting's authenticity once it was finally returned to the Louvre....A breathless and sinister fictional quest for the truth combined with a dangerous and treacherous game of cat and mouse involving skillful forgers, ruthless art collectors and cold blooded murderers should definitely keep some readers on the edge of their seats as this fiendishly written "art" thriller swiftly moves from Florence to Paris and New York. A delicious read for anyone interested in European Art and Art history to be enjoyed without moderation.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for giving me the opportunity to get this wonderful ARC

I really enjoyed how much this reminded me of Dan Brown's books. Historical art mysteries are so engaging and I had fun learning more about an event I didn't even know happened. This is a unique look at the dark side of art within the exciting atmosphere of Italy.

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 recommended for lovers of art, mysteries and stories well told.

5 of 5 Stars

Pub Date 17 Aug 2021
#TheLastMonaLisa #NetGalley

Thanks to the author, Sourcebooks Landmark, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.

The Last Mona Lisa by Jonathan Santlofer is a fascinating mystery. The author provides a look into the art realm’s dark side. There is a great deal of complex anxiety about genuine and imitation works of art.

This read like a thrilling Dan Brown book, full of high-stake action scenes, with an interesting historical perspective, that also provided depth and heart.

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 writer and artist Jonathan Santlofer weaves a tale, a mixture of fact and the meanderings of his own imagination, that seeks to explore what happened in the two year period the painting was missing.

We meet Luke Perrone the great grandson of the art thief who is hell bent on unearthing the true story of his ancestor’s life. He has a few clues and has received a communication which sends him off on a trip to Florence in search of a journal that might just provide the answers he seeks. As well as tracking Luke’s adventure we also become aware of an a man working for INTERPOL who is taking an active interest in Luke’s movements and an criminal art collector in New York who has a stash of stolen paintings in a hidden room in his house.

In this mix of fact and fiction we learn how Vincent Perrugia stole the painting, meet some of the people he came into contact with and gain an understanding of why he may have committed such an act. Vincent’s story alternates with present day events to form a helter-skelter romp that never lets up. Luke, an art professor, is reminiscent of Dan Brown’s Robert Langdon and though this tale is somewhat less frantic it does have something of the Davinci Code’s relentless motion about.

It’s great fun and though it’s hard to take it all too seriously the background story of the original theft does add a soupçon of credibility to proceedings. It’s a nice mix: an old fashioned mystery and a modern thriller all in one package. A terrific book to fire up your imagination and to unwind to.

Siento decirlo, pero una decepción. En la peor linea de "El Codigo Da Vinci" y bodrios similares de Dan Brown. No he podido pasar de la página 50.

An art history mystery. The Mona Lisa was truly stolen from the Louvre in 1911, so the author based this novel on that premise and the events surrounding that theft.
Luke Perrone's great-grandfather stole the Mona Lisa. Luke is an artist, teacher, and historian. He is struggling in his career and wants to find out if the painting at the Louvre is a fake or not. So he sets out for Europe to see if he can find his great-grandfather's papers and the truth. Someone else wants to know the truth, too, though, and they are willing to kill for it. There is also John Smith, the guy from Interpol who is trying to save his job by trying to find the truth. And Alex Greene, a mysterious blond. All connected somehow. Lots of suspense and intrigue, interesting characters and plot development.