Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! If you’re an art or history enthusiast, you should give this novel a try. It was intriguing right from the start for me and had twists I didn’t anticipate.

My main reason for not rating this highly was the writing style. While it was well written, it just wasn’t a style that read easy for me. Took me almost halfway through the book to figure out the changing POV’s. I found myself skimming near the end, too, because there was sooo much information. Which, kudos to Santlofer, for the amount of work that had to have gone into writing this story, though.

This is not usually a book I would gravitate towards, but I liked it overall. Despite moments where it read like a history book, The Lost Van Gogh was a fun mystery.

Fast paced thriller centered round a VanGogh hidden under another painting. Interspersed within the plot are chapters outlining who did the hiding, and how the canvas left it's owners and arrived in a small upstate New York antique store. Note, this is the second novel in a series, it follows The Last Mona Lisa. Not having read that, this novel was fine as a stand alone, although I sense some of the character interactions might have made more sense if I'd started there.

The upcoming historical thriller The Lost Van Gogh by Jonathan Sandlofer is a standard thriller with certain important and timely themes that may make the reader interested in learning more about history and the arts.

The Lost Van Gogh by Jonathan Santlofer is a thriller with historical elements added in the mixture. A search for a lost Van Gogh self-portrait takes the main characters Alex and Luke to Amsterdam, Paris, and the underbelly of art theft. Alex and Luke are quite familiar with art, and when they know that what they have found is a gem, they want to do everything to keep it safe. Expected Publication of this book is January 2nd, 2024

This book is a part of a series, and I have not read the first book, so my review might reflect it. The premise of the book is excellent, and I really enjoyed the book in the later part. The historical background caught my eye as well. The author's notes at the end are quite fascinating.

However, I struggled with this book due to the immense number of characters. Since I have not read the first book of the series, maybe I struggled a bit more, but the way these characters interacted with each other was a bit disjointed. I didn't know quite a few times as to who the narrator of the chapter was. It was a bit difficult then to read the book, which took me more time to complete the book.

Thank you, Sourcebooks Landmark and Netgalley, for this book.

Alexis purchases an abstract painting for twenty five dollars in up-state New York, only to discover, with her boyfriend Luke, that there is a painting underneath. As they delicately remove the painting on top, they reveal what looks like a Van Gogh, but not one that either of these art afficionados are familiar. With some research, the believe that they have discovered the artist's last self portrait, painted just before his death and stolen from his funeral. And thus our adventure begins.

Alexis and Luke's adventure takes them from New York to Amsterdam to a small village outside of Paris. During their travels, Alexis and Luke will be both hunted and hunters, as word of thier find spreads like wild fire through the underbelly of the black market art trade. They are not sure who to trust and everyone they meet seems to have alterior motives.

The novel starts at a quick pace with wonderful introductions to our main characters and quickly gets into the plot. However, the story seems to stall about a quarter of the way into the novel. As the pace picks up in the back half of the novel, the story becomes less believable. Overall, the novel has great protagonists and some adventurous moments but it's hard to overlook the mounting unbelievable coincidences and lulls in the book.

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC

As the title reveals, the story of The Lost Van Gogh by Jonathan Santlofer revolves around an alleged painting by the Dutch master, Van Gogh, that is "discovered" in America hidden under another painting. I really liked the dual timelines following the life of the painting from its inception to the present interwoven with the current day mystery of "where is the painting"? The plot developments that took place in Amsterdam were especially interesting (though I wished I had a pronunciation guide for all of the Dutch names), and I bet the author enjoyed researching all of the international locations. Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy!

Thank you, NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark, for providing me with a complimentary digital copy of this book for review.

The allure of art and celebrated artists never ceases to captivate me, which is why the story revolving around a lost Van Gogh painting immediately piqued my interest.

The narrative unravels at a moderately paced tempo, effectively sustaining my attention as the author deftly introduces the central characters. However, the action that transpires early on truly lures me into the unfolding plot. The narrative is set into two timelines, each equally intriguing - the historical journey of the lost Van Gogh painting and the contemporary mystery surrounding the same artwork.

Each character is imbued with their distinct motivations and veiled secrets. The novel serves as an intriguing exploration of the constant battle between moral integrity and personal ambition. This internal struggle is most apparent in Luke, one of the primary protagonists. As an art professor and striving artist, he is confronted with a moral dilemma - to choose between doing what is right or advancing his career. Alex, on the other hand, harbors her secret, one that resonates deeply with me concerning her strained relationship with her estranged father. Her audacious disregard for personal safety in her relentless pursuit of truth is what distinguishes her character. Smith, an Interpol agent, adds another layer to the story with his enigmatic persona.

At first glance, 'The Lost Van Gogh' revolves around a straightforward case of art theft. However, as the story progresses, it opens a Pandora's box, revealing the sinister trade of artworks pilfered during World War II. It also raises profound questions about the restitution of these stolen masterpieces to their rightful owners and the ethically questionable acquisition practices of major museums and auction houses.

This novel serves as an enlightening window into the less visible aspects of the art world, offering a perspective seldom available to the casual observer. I found myself thoroughly engrossed in this narrative, and I am eager to delve into the author's first book - 'The Last Mona Lisa'.

Thank you to Thoughts from a Page, Sourcebooks Landmark, #partner, for an advanced e-copy of The Lost Van Gogh in exchange for my honest review.

This book wasn’t even on my radar until Cindy from the Thoughts From a Page Podcast selected it for her Early Reads Patreon group to read. This is why I love participating in this early reads program as it exposes me to such great books!

I love reading books about the art world and this one was so fascinating. I ended up learning so much about Van Gogh that I did not know. This book, which I would classify as a historical mystery, focuses on the supported lost self-portrait of Van Gogh that went missing right around his death, but also delves into so much more. Moving back and forth from the present day to the past, it takes us on quite a journey into the art world bringing up issues of stolen art and forgeries.

I will say that there are a lot of characters in this book and it did take me a while to get them all straight. But, once I did, I quite enjoyed the story and loved that it was fast-paced and very engaging. The book takes some twists that I was not expecting and I quite enjoyed that – it certainly kept me on my toes, for sure!

I’m glad I gave this one a chance and I found out that this is a companion novel to Santlofer’s first book, The Last Mona Lisa, where a few of the characters are first introduced. I am definitely going to have to check that one out. I know nothing about that painting and can only imagine what I would learn from that book!

Alexis Verde buys a painting at an antique store, only to discover the canvas has another painting beneath the visible art ... and it's possibly a missing work by Vincent Van Gogh! While attempting to have it authenticated, the painting is stolen, launching Alex and her partner Luke Perrone on an international adventure to recover it and validate its history.

The brief chapters quickly propelling me through this action-packed plot that moves from New York City to various European locales. Most of the story is based in Netherlands, specifically Amsterdam, and the sense of place is strong - I could envision the canals and racks of bicycles. I was relatively unfamiliar with the details of Van Gogh's life so it was very interesting the learn more, especially regarding the circumstances surrounding his death at age 37. How else might this talented person have impacted the art world if his life had been longer?

However, I sometimes got lost in the large cast of characters; I haven't read the author's first novel, The Last Mona Lisa, and Alex and Luke originated there so that likely contributed to my confusion. While I appreciated the information shared about Anne Frank, I struggled to understand its link to the plot beyond their shared connection to Amsterdam.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark, the Thoughts From a Page podcast, and NetGalley for the review copy of this novel.

The Lost Van Gogh by Johnathan Santlofer

3/5 Stars

The Lost Van Gogh is exactly what the title represents. When the lost Van Gogh painting falls into the hands of the two main characters, Alex Verde and Luke Perrone, it is stolen once again just a day later. This book then follows their journey to regain the lost masterpiece.

My expectation for this book was high, looking forward to the subject matter as a fan of Dan Brown and the classic Nicholas Cage heist of National Treasure. The rich description of the settings and art lived up to these expectations, however the plot itself fell flat for me.

The storyline follows approximately four different point of views with no warning of when a change would come. This surprise switching left the narrative somewhat disconnected, where the focus of mystery was on who’s viewpoint was up next rather than the mystery of the lost painting. The disconnect in the narrative also dampened the build-up towards the delivery of the climax. I feel as if the plot would have been much more enjoyable with more characters taking on a supporting role.

When the mystery of the plot did come through, I found the book faster paced and attention grabbing. The Interpol element of the book added the necessary crime element for which I was searching. My absolute favorite part of this book was the mixed use of factually information and building the fictional story up around the facts. As a whole the story was exciting and intriguing, just a little overcrowded.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to give this book a read! I can’t wait to see it in stores upon its release on January 2nd!

When Alexis Verde buys a painting at an antiques market in upstate New York, she had no idea that a long lost and much rumored Van Gogh self-portrait would be hiding beneath the surface. Only days later, the painting is stolen, and Alex and her boyfriend Luke are drawn into a dangerous hunt for the painting.

The Lost Van Gogh is an interesting blend of historical fiction, thriller, and espionage. The author extensively and exhaustively researched the life of Vincent Van Gogh and the despicable looting of artwork during World War II, and those are the parts of the book I most enjoyed. The spy thriller in the present worked less well for me. There are so many characters and it’s hard to keep them straight, as we only get to know them on a cursory level. It turns out that Alex, Luke, and Analyst Smith are all characters in the author’s book The Last Mona Lisa, even though nothing in the blurb ever explicitly links the two books. That said, I don’t think reading it would have helped me get to know Alex, Luke, or Smith any better, since none of the other characters are fully developed either. It also bugged me that although this should be Alex’s story, it is told from Luke’s perspective, so we don’t get to know her as well as I would like either.

Although this book wasn’t for me, fans of spy/espionage thrillers or WWII historical fiction may enjoy this one. Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing me an advance copy of this book.

This review will be posted on January 2, 2024 to: https://instagram.com/amandas.bookshelf

This missed a few marks for me. I didn't feel any urgency or tension around the plot. There was a lot of talking and explaining, which I did appreciate from an art history perspective. But, ultimately, I just wasn't into the plot or the characters. #TheLostVanGogh Rating: 😫 / really didn't like it
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This book is scheduled for publication on January 23, 2024. Thank you @bookmarked for providing me this digital ARC via @NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

In Paris in 1944, an artist paints a portrait of his wife over a Van Gogh painting, hiding the original work from the Nazis. Over 75 years later, the picture resurfaces in upstate New York, where a woman buys it in an antique store. When they discover the hidden painting, she and her boyfriend (an art history professor) can't figure out how it got there. Meanwhile, in Amsterdam, INTERPOL and and the police are trying to catch a major dealer in stolen art looted by the Nazis.
I didn't enjoy this novel that much because I'm not that into espionage stories (I can never figure out what's going on), and though this is supposedly about art theft, it's more espionage. Everyone has a code name, everyone is spying on everyone else and double-crossing them. The reader gets quite the tour of Amsterdam, including a visit to the Anne Frank House, as well as a lecture on looted Nazi artwork. Some of the characters appeared in one of Santlofer's earlier books, The Last Mona Lisa. Overall, just meh.

Did Alex really buy the last self portrait painted by Van Gogh for $25? It certainly seems possible given that someone stole it from her and how many people want it. But where has it been all these years? Alex and her boyfriend Luke, who narrates, tell the twisted tale of looted artwork and the effort to return it to the rightful owners. Better though are the details about Van Gogh. The mystery part of this and the chase (as well as the involvement of Interpol and the odd situation with Alex's father) are, to be honest, a bit over the top. That said, those interested in the art world will find new tidbits of information and it's always worthwhile to spend time reading about Van Gogh. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. An adventure story with art.

I enjoyed reading The Lost Van Gogh by Jonathan Santlofer, a mystery that kept my attention, especially once I figured out who all of the characters were. At the start, Alexis Verde purchases a painting, and underneath it, she and her boyfriend, Luke Perrone, discover what they believe to be a lost Van Gogh self-portrait. However, before the two can have the painting’s authenticity verified, the painting is stolen, leading to twists and turns as Luke and Alexis try to recover the lost Van Gogh. At the same time, other possibly more sinister characters pursue the same mission.

I enjoyed the art history, especially the well-researched parts about Van Gogh and the WW2-related art history that Santlofer brought into his story. The book was somewhat confusing as there were many characters, and I struggled to know which character a chapter was about until a good way into the book. I’ve not read any books by Santlofer before this one, and I think if I had read The Last Mona Lisa, I would have understood who each character was in the book much sooner. Overall, I thought the story was intriguing and very much enjoyed the second half.
Thanks to the publisher and the Thoughts From a Page Podcast early reads program for the advanced copy of this book!

I would like to preface this review by saying thank you to Sourcebooks landmark for sending me an ARC of The Lost Van Gogh in exchange for my honest review.

Tucked away in an antique shop in upstate New York, there is an old painting for sale. Alex purchases this painting only to uncover what is beneath it is something far more valuable than she realized.

I didn't know what to expect when I started this book, but I was pleasantly surprised. This book was full of action and twists and turns that could give you whiplash. This book was full of history about art and I learned a lot about Van Gogh than I thought I knew. Did you know they speculate his death? I didn't. The history in this book kept me hooked. I learned so much about the art world that I never knew. If you're into art history, you'll love this one.

My only big issue with this book was all the point of views. There were so many characters telling their POVs, I found it very easy to get confused at times. Trying to keep track of all the side stories is what makes this read a little difficult. But, aside from that, this was a solid 4 stars for me. I think I may just have to check out The Lost Mona Lisa next!

Thanks again to Sourcebooks landmark!

A bit hard to rate as I love the premise of this story of Alex buying a painting that she gives to Luke, an artist, and he discovers there is another painting under the one they see. Could this be a missing original Van Gogh? Smuggled out of Europe during WWII? The painting quickly disappears and Alex reaches out to an old friend, Smith, who works for Interpol and agrees to help them find it one day and the next said to just forget about it! Mysterious and intriguing!

The story felt choppy to me and hard to follow at times but I do think it is an interesting story and with the clarifications of what is actual history from the author at the end, it left me thinking about this story after I had finished.

My thanks to Net Galley, Sourcebooks Landmark and Thoughts From a Page for an advanced copy of this e-book.

From the author of the much-praised The Last Mona Lisa comes another thrilling story of masterpieces, masterminds, and mystery.

I did not read The last Mona Lisa and I wish that I had. I intend to read it.

Luke’s story continues in this look at Van Gogh and the mystery surrounding his last painting.

There have been rumors about a lost painting from the artist for a long time. I think art dealers probably played on that quite a bit. Mystery and art is an unbeatable story.

So, did he paint a final self-portrait? Was it displayed at his funeral? Most have given up the search and conceded it is lost forever.

But Luke and Alexis have found what they believe is the long lost painting. And it will send them into a dangerous search.

Can a painting be evil? What does this have to do with WWII? Would someone kill for this?

A thriller of a story!

Netgalley/ Sourcebooks January 02,2024

The Lost Van Gogh by Jonathan Santlofer. Pub Date: January 2, 2024. Rating: 4 stars. Based on the legend of Vincent Van Gogh, this is a novel full of intrigue, political warfare, stolen art during wartime and mystery. I would consider this a historical fiction thriller that sends the reader on an international chase for a stolen self portrait of Vincent Van Gogh. I found this novel to be informative as well as continuously on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next. It's sad to know art was stolen during WWII and many families were not given their art back following the war. I think this novel gives the reader an insight into this world that many may not know about. I highly recommend for historical fiction readers. Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review. #netgalley #thelostvangogh

What it’s about: This book is a mix of action & mystery with historical fiction revolving around a self portrait of Vincent Van Gogh, the result of Nazi art looting in WWII and the struggle to return them to their rightful owner.

What I liked:
🎨Great historical detail. I loved learning more about Van Gogh’s life & the history of Nazi looted art.
🎨Strong sense of place across several countries.
🎨The author is an artist himself which gave the topics a strong sense of authenticity.
🎨The authors sketches in the back of the book.

Final thoughts: I really enjoyed this book and the focus on art history and art crimes. I studied art history in college so mixing that with action and mystery made this right up my alley.

ARC was provided by the publisher and Thoughts From A Page in exchange for an honest review.I’m