Get your passport ready to travel with Santlofer for an exciting art mystery with multiple twists and turns. It was interesting to learn so much about the shady art world, Amsterdam and the questionable circumstances about Van Gogh's death. A page turner that will keep the reader guessing till the end and wondering what they would if they ever discovered a hidden valuable work of art.

Thanks to Cindy Burnett from Thoughts from a Page and the publisher Sourcebooks Landmark.

Reading is an extension of my education and this book hit the mark. A thrilling story woven around the theft of fine art. A great look into the underbelly of the art world; particularly the scope of the Nazi art looting. Layers of characters ratchet up the tension and (you might want to make some notes as the plot thickens). The author, a trained artist, approaches this story in a unique and insightful way that makes this a truly enjoyable read. I plan to work on his backlist! Santlofer is a fascinating person and I encourage you to seek out more details of his life.

Ebook received for free through NetGalley

A book that caught me right away and was decent enough to understand although I hadn’t read the earlier one. Glad I came across it.

A historical art caper, this novel is fast-paced and propulsive. Set in the current day with flashbacks to WWII-era Paris, I enjoyed the historical sections about the Resistance the most. I am not a huge art aficionado, but I enjoyed learning about the art world and was interested in the different museums mentioned. Having been to Amsterdam and the museums, I could picture the scenes in my head. I am so glad the author included a visit to the Anne Frank House, which is a must-see there.

I got a little confused at times with so many different characters, but the ending was satisfying. I didn’t read the first book in this series (The Last Mona Lisa), so some of the character development I missed could likely be in it. This novel would be perfect for an art history fan or anyone who has been to Amsterdam.

Thanks to the publisher and the Thoughts from a Page podcast Patreon program for the ARC.

The Lost Van Gogh was a fast paced novel, with quick chapters. Museums are an interest of mine, and with the added WWII backdrop - it made it a novel that I was looking forward to reading in the Thoughts From A Page bookclub.
Throughout this novel, ethics and morality are always at the back of my mind. Who should obtain the stolen art? It makes me sad knowing all the underground/black market art in the hands of undeserving thieves. I recently read “The Art Thief” by Michael Finkel, and it enhanced this novel for me. I think both would be a good nonfiction and fiction pairing.
I give this Novel a 3.5.

Thank you to Cindy Burnett at Thoughts from a Page and Sourcebooks Landmark, the author, and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for a review.

Intriguing from page 1! Lots of secrets to unravel. Surprising Twists and turns in every chapter. Definitely a book to savor not rush through. The ending was somewhat of a surprise. I found the authors notes at the end eye opening. This is a must read if you are interested in Van Gogh or the history of WWII art thefts.

Luke is an artist who has just landed a show in a major gallery. This could be the beginning of a successful career. Alexis is an art history student. While searching through an antique store, they happen upon an unassuming and very unfamous painting. But, lurking under the surface is a lost Van Gogh. It was one of two self-portraits that appeared at his funeral, and promptly disappeared. Did it fall into the hands of the Germans? And, if so, how did it end up in the antique store?

But Luke and Alexis aren't the only ones looking for the lost painting. After it is stolen, they link up with an Interpol analyst and set out to find the painting.

Jonathan Santiofer tells a powerful story. Characters are well-developed. The plots sizzles along. I highly recommend this book for mystery lovers and people interested in the murky world of stolen works of art.

A lost self portrait by Van Gogh is at the heart of this mystery. You do not need to be an art lover to feel the pull of this multi layered story full of secrets, competing agendas, history, and corruption. The story is very detailed and moves in two time lines. We learn what happened to the painting to start with and it's connection to Nazi stolen art work. In the present, remarkable coincidences are at play as the painting reapers only to be stolen again. The adventure continues through several countries and both the narration and depiction are captivating and thorough.

I have no read Santlofer's The Lost Mona Lisa, but I will soon as I completely enjoyed the author's style of writing .

The great masters have always been favorite subjects of art instructors. Who has not had the fantasy of going to a garage sale and finding one of their paintings among the items being sold?

A garage sale “find” turns into a multi-million-dollar treasure! Taking the painting to an artist friend turns into a nightmare for Alex.

The author has a commanding understanding of the city of Amsterdam and herein lies the problem. Alex is immersed in this shadowy underworld and her painting disappears!

The action is fast and the danger palpable in this tome. Dreams of wealth are shattered as Alex wonders if she will escape with her life. I enjoyed this tale immensely and highly suggest it to those interested in art and art history. 4.5 stars – CE Williams

Amid of fact and fiction surrounding Vincent Van Goghs life and death through A missing self portrait. Tying in Nazi looting and current day dealing, A search takes the reader to Amsterdam and France. The characters from Santlofer's Mona Lisa mystery are back but this can easily be a stand alone. Are the good guys good or are the bad guys good will leave you guessing. However, it is a bit overcrowded and convoluted when it all comes together. I especially liked the author's own sketches at the end.

Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley

Thank you NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for a complimentary copy of this novel.
Before Van Gogh's death, there had been talk about one final self-portrait that had gone missing from his funeral. Who had taken it and why? Fast forward to present day, Alexis Verde buys a portrait of a woman from an antique store. Alexis's boyfriend, Luke Perrone, sees a chip in the paint and as he uncovers it, sees it to be a possible Van Gogh. Could this be the missing self-portrait? Or is it a fake? Less than 24 hours later, this same uncovered painting goes missing.

The entire novel focuses on this missing painting and has interwoven throughout, historical facts from World War 2, the Nazi looting of art, and how the painting ended up in New York. This novel is action-packed, with numerous colorful characters, shady art dealers, art thieves and even Interpol. Will Alexis and Luke be able to find the painting? Who is its rightful owner?

Look for this action-packed, fast-paced novel where available on January 2, 2024!

And the chase is on. Who will end up with the van Gogh painting?

And is it worth the chase? Is it worth the danger? Is it real or a fake?

We meet Alex Verde, who bought a painting and found there was another painting underneath.

Then we go back to 1944 and get to see the steps the artist took to cover up his painting to hide it from the Nazis.

As you read, the indication is that it is a self portrait of Van Gogh.

Excellent research and interesting information about Van Gogh.

Even though I am a fan of art history and historical fiction, this book was confusing, difficult to follow, and lost me, and I didn't enjoy the book that much. 3/5

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the book. All opinions are my own.

I must confess that I almost stopped reading this book part way through. There were too many characters and I was so confused to start with. It felt like I was like being dropped in the middle of a movie without having seen the previous plot line. But I persisted and it turned out good in the end. Imagine how exciting it would be to find an old masters painting like Alexis and Luke did. It gets stolen from them and they go to a lot of trouble to try to get it back. Interpol gets involved and there’s a big plot to bring down 'Trader' a dark web seller of valuables that were stolen by the Nazi’s. Both Alexis and Luke have dodgy family histories when it comes to art thefts so that also adds another element to the story.

In a follow up to (TLML), New York art history professor Luke Perrone is one again thrust into a mystery concerning a famous painting. In this case, it’s a self-portrait by Vincent Van Gogh, which was reportedly displayed at the artists funeral and then never seen again. Perrone’s girlfriend, Alex, purchased a portrait of a woman at an antique store for $25, but Luke subsequently accidentally knocked the picture causing a small piece of the painting to chip off. What was revealed beneath stunned the pair of them, it was potentially the very last self-portrait painted by the Dutch Post-Impressionist painter.

What follows is, another mix of fact and fiction as we are taken back to a time in which the Nazi Regime stole an estimated twenty percent of all European art of value. In an effort to save important pieces, some were hidden by their owners or keepers. Quite how this painting made its way to the New York antique shop is a story in itself and is told through a series of flashback sequences dropped in at intervals throughout the book. But Luke and Alex don’t have time to celebrate or even to confirm whether the painting is what they hope it to be, because on the very day they discover it they lose it.

In addition to Luke and Alex, INTERPOL Analyst John Washington Smith also makes a re-appearance, ostensibly to help the pair become reacquainted with their lost picture. But it soon becomes clear that nothing is straightforward here, and as more people from the art world are introduced into the tale we are to realise that few are wholly what they present themselves to be. It’s a story that takes us back to the artists homeland in a search for truth and for the painting itself, in the course of which a good deal of interesting information is disclosed concerning the life, and tragic death, of the painter.

It’s an adventure story that to my eyes is played out by the author with his tongue firmly in his cheek. In particular, the INTERPOL officers are painted as Keystone Cops style figures - well-meaning but often dangerously inept – whereas the art afficionados are either larger than life show offs or loose-handed lotharios. And as a result the whole chase becomes one that’s harder and harder to take seriously. In truth, I enjoyed the serious discussions that took place regarding paintings and art history more than the rather wacky story these elements were submerged in. It’s also a story that’s told in a choppy series of chapters and from the perspective of various characters (sometimes unidentified) featured in the book. I found this both confusing and irritating.

So it’s a real mix, but a rather uncomfortable one in my eyes: 4 stars for the bit I enjoyed but 2 stars for the bits I didn’t. Therefore, 3 stars it is.

I adored this book! I wrote my senior thesis on Van Gogh and it was a true privilege to read more about him!

This book was a great representation of the art world and I loved the WW2 time jumps.

I didn't see the ending coming, but I rarely do in books like this.

I highly recommend it!

What I enjoyed - the last third of the book (when the action really picked up), the bits that discussed Van Gogh and his works, and the glimpse into the art theft world.

What I didn’t enjoy - the numerous characters that I had to keep up with and sift through (each chapter is told from a different character’s perspective) and the end matter where the author details his research and gives the reader insight into his process.

The Lost Van Gogh is a wild ride through the art scene of New York and Amsterdam. With flashbacks to the time of WW2, when artwork was being looted throughout Europe, this follows the quest to redeem one of Van Gogh's final works.

I loved the short chapters, it made it easy to pick up and put down. The story is told from multiple points of view, which while lending to different experiences, also gets a bit confusing at times. Eventually, I just "went with it", but I wish each chapter had been labelled with the point of view.

I am grateful to receive this ARC from NetGalley via Thoughts from A Page and Sourcebook Landmark.@thoughtsfromapage @bookmarked

Diving deep into a world of perceived priceless treasures... The Lost Van Gogh is a fun read to dip your toe into some of history's most notorious criminals, artists, and the people who would die to possess their works!!

What I enjoyed most about The Lost Van Gogh is that at any point - you realize how much of history you really don't know. I found myself looking things up and getting more into the history behind Santlofer's work than almost any work I've previously read!

The idea of accidentally finding a priceless work is so fun to consider. Not only does The Lost Van Gogh remind us that there are still wonders waiting to be found, but it also renews our interest in works of the past. SO much of our society today is focused on buying new etc.. and I truly feel that, slowly but surely, we're also starting to get back to recycling and renewing. Some of my favorite pieces of art I've found through FB Marketplace, and I wouldn't trade those experiences!

If you too, love the hunt for vintage finds or unique pieces - you'll love The Lost Van Gogh!

NOTES:
- adventurous & romantic in some storylines
- alternating POVs

**Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark & NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR 🖤

This one was just ok to me it lacked some of the plot that other books I’ve read have . I found halfway through it lost my interest.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book

Curators lose their minds with curiousity of the rumored self portraits of Van Gough. After his Death chaos begins, theft and lies build quickly. If you love the Louve scene this art thriller is for you!