August 2021

THE LAST MONA LISA is Jonathan Santlofer’s first novel with a historical setting. It explores the 1911 theft of the Mona Lisa from the Louvre, giving readers a backstage look at what happened with the painting and the thief behind it all. With forgeries popping up in its wake, the ensuing years became a mystery for the art world. Where is the real painting? And what if the Mona Lisa that ended up in the Louvre has been a replica all along? Luke Perrone, a descendant of the thief, tries to sort out what happened and ends up deep in the underworld of art forgery.

Readers get to race around Europe with Luke and the other characters in the book, making for some great armchair travel. The pace is brisk, and the multiple points of view ensure that readers will keep guessing about what comes next. And oh, there’s also a love interest for Luke, which ramps up a whole other kind of tension. Jonathan is an artist, as well as a writer, and his talent in both mediums is one of the reasons this book really hums.

This will be a terrific novel for book clubs to enjoy. One last note: Jonathan’s memoir, THE WIDOWER’S NOTEBOOK, also was a Bets On selection.