The Lost Van Gogh: A Novel

4 4 out of 5 stars | 224 ratings

Price: 22.04

Last update: 08-14-2024


About this item

"Ingeniously plotted, irresistibly readable, brimming with inside information about the high-stakes art world of theft, forgery, and murder...Also included are brilliantly rendered drawings by the author, who is as accomplished an artist as he is a writer of suspense thrillers."―Joyce Carol Oates

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

For years, there have been whispers that, before his death, Van Gogh completed a final self-portrait. Curators and art historians have savored this rumor, hoping it could illuminate some of the troubled artist's many secrets, but even they have to concede that the missing painting is likely lost forever.

But when Luke Perrone, artist and great-grandson of the man who stole the Mona Lisa, and Alexis Verde, daughter of a notorious art thief, discover what may be the missing portrait, they are drawn into a most epic art puzzles. When only days later the painting disappears again, they are reunited with INTERPOL agent John Washington Smith in a dangerous and deadly search that will not only expose secrets of the artist's last days but draws them into one of history's darkest eras.

Beneath the paint and canvas, beneath the beauty and the legend, the artwork has become linked with something evil, something that continues to flourish on the dark web and on the shadiest corridors of the underground art world.

Alternating between Luke Perrone's perilous hunt for the painting, and a history of stolen art and stolen lives, The Lost Van Gogh is an intricately layered historical thriller perfect for fans of The Last Mona Lisa and The Night Portrait.


Top reviews from the United States

Shari T
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant book!
Reviewed in the United States on April 14, 2024
This is my second Jonathan Santlofer book, and it’s certainly quite soundly referred me on to a third! Books based on historical facts, indeed combining the facts within, are amongst my favorite genres to read. So much intrigue, and excitement - this book was extra amazing with the inclusion of some original author-created art sketches of people and places involved in Santlofer’s research of the book. I recommend The Lost Van Gogh very much! And I also recommend the author’s previous book, The Last Mona Lisa, too! Both are GREAT READS!
James A. Glynn
4.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant sequel to "The Last Mona Lisa"
Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2024
I suppose that Jonathan Santlofer’s “The Lost Van Gogh” could be considered a stand-alone mystery, but I strongly recommend reading his earlier novel, “The Last Mona Lisa” first. Although “The Lost Van Gogh” (2024, 311 pages in softcover) is not advertised as a sequel, it most definitely is. And that’s probably why I enjoyed it so much. I knew the characters, understood what they’d been through before their “current” situation, and was aware of the varied relationships among the players.

The book is a combination of treats: a travelog, a brief course in art history, a reminder of Nazi practices during World War II, and a mystery that surrounds the search for a missing self-portrait of Vincent Van Gogh. The plot begins when Alexis buys a small painting in upstate New York. When she shows it to her lover Luke Perrone in Manhattan, a tiny chip of paint falls off. Alex and Luke immediately suspect that a previous work has been painted over and proceed the tedious chore of removing the top layer of paint without damaging whatever lies beneath.

Luke is an artist, a professor of art history at a New York university, and the great-grandson of Vincenzo Perrugia, the man who stole the Mona Lisa from the Louvre in 1911 (the plot of Santlofer’s previous book). He’s well aware of the rumors that there was a final self-portrait of Van Gogh that was never found among the recovered Nazi loot. As they compare Alex’s find with photographs of other Van Gogh paintings, they suspect that they have the original.

Without giving away too much information, Luke begins checking with friends who are art dealers, while Alex searches for the provenance of the original. Their quest leads them to Amsterdam, where Luke has a showing and some potential dealers to visit. But they arrive in Europe without the painting; the Van Gogh has simply disappeared from their hands.

In Holland, they are reunited with John Washington Smith, the INTERPOL agent assigned to the missing-art division, who is an old nemesis/friend from the previous novel. And, as was the case in “The Last Mona Lisa,” Santlofer alternates narrators among Luke, Alex, John Smith, and the story teller. Each of the major characters in the novel harbors secrets, and Santlofer is careful not to reveal too much to spoil the intrigue.

The story has some good twists, and the art crimes — both the historical ones during World War II and the current ones by art dealers and collectors — will appeal to art lovers as well as who-done-it fans. And this volume has a special feature: At the end of the book, there are several sketches by the author. One is a small collage of Van Gogh’s self-portrait at different stages of his life. Another is the church in Auvers-sur-Oise, where Van Gogh spent the last days of his life. And one can bring a tear to almost anyone’s eye: A sketch of the eight people who hid with Anne Frank in a house in Amsterdam.

Jim Glynn
Cyndee King
3.0 out of 5 stars It’s Okay
Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2024
This novel was chosen by an artist member of our book club. I truly wanted to read a page turning mystery but this book fell a bit short. It was initially difficult to get into the book because there seemed to be some confusion about the characters. Also there were several chapters where the story went between first, second and third person narration so that it was difficult to understand the point of view. I did like the inclusion of the back story about how the painting was “lost” and the focus on the stolen art during WW2. But I believe there could have been so much more done to make this a truly good mystery novel.
Jane
5.0 out of 5 stars a exciting read
Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2024
If you love a great mystery and the art world this is the perfect blend of the two.
Pick up and enjoy
Larry
4.0 out of 5 stars Exciting thriller in the world of art theft
Reviewed in the United States on January 23, 2024
Luke Perrone, artist and art history professor and his girlfriend, Alexis Verde, purchase a painting of a clown. When they get home, they notice an edge looks off. As they peel back the paint, before them is a self portrait of Vincent Van Gogh. Alexis contacts a friend who owns an art gallery. While taking it to show her, Alexis is robbed of the painting and it disappears into the hands of nefarious art dealers. Luke and Alexis contact John Washington Smith, the Interpol agent to discover where the painting has disappeared to. As they get closer to the painting, people begin to die.
This is another fast-paced thriller written by Jonathan Santlofer concerning a painting from a famous artist. The story is entertaining but often reality must be stretched as unlikely coincidences abound. The book is full of interesting facts about the world of art history and the existence of this unknown self portrait does appear to be plausible. This is a perfect book for the plane, pool or beach. Recommended.
Judy Aikin
5.0 out of 5 stars great read
Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2024
My husband enjoyed the book a lot, he loves the author.
23 Dreams
2.0 out of 5 stars meh
Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2024
Pretty let down. Had a great premise but became boring and lazy in the middle. Dragged on and on. Not recommended.
Jim White
4.0 out of 5 stars Really enjoyed, but……
Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2024
This book was riveting for the first chapters, but then very hard to follow. Maybe if read all in one sitting it would be OK but if a few days apart not so. There are so many characters (with no character list to reming you), it was very hard to remember who was who, who the first person dialogue was by, and where they were,that I felt it greatly took away from my enjoyment and could have easily been rectified by the author. I think I’ll go back and read the author’s book about the Mona Lisa, but I will have to remember to take notes on whom was whom, etc. I shouldn’t have to do that.

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