Portrait of a Thief: A Novel

Portrait of a Spy by Grace D. Li is a tour de force heist story.

For most of human history museums have displayed art and artifacts that were "collected" during colonialist invasions and wars. The cultures from whom these pieces belong have long tried to reclaim them via diplomatic channels. This rarely works.

Will Chen, a college senior, was working in the museum on the Harvard campus when it was robbed. The crew took only Chinese art. When he got home, he had a business card in his pocket from a Chinese corporation - the head of which wants to hire him and some friends to repatriate five zodiac heads that were taken from the Summer Palace in Beijing in 1860.

Gathering his sister and three friends, the group travels to Beijing to meet with the head of the corporation. 

Irene Chen, Will's sister, seems to float through life, getting what she wants by asking.

Daniel Liang, a childhood friend of Will and Irene, is a sometimes thief whose father is the foremost expert on Chinese Art in the FBI.

Lily Wu, Irene's college roommate, can drive anything with an engine better than most anyone else.

Alex Huang, a software engineer, is in the moment she hacks the museum Will was in when it was robbed, erasing a few seconds of footage.

Already being made into a series by Netflix, this is a fast-paced thrill-ride through some of the most famous museums in the western world - with a dose of reality on accusation policies of those museums.  You will be up late because you will not be able to stop reading until the end! 

Li, Grace D. (2022). Portrait of a Thief. New York: Tiny Reparations Books.

The Heist (Gabriel Allon #14)

The Heist by Daniel Silva is the fourteen book in his series featuring Gabriel Allon - an Israeli spy and art restorer.

After being in the field much longer than he wished to be and giving up on being able to retire from service to his country and spend time restoring paintings, Gabriel Allon has agreed to take over the Office. In the free time he has left, he has taken a job in Venice restoring an alter in a church. But like all of his free time, it is interrupted.

General Ferarri of the Carabinieri's Art Squad informs Gabriel that he has arrested a friend. Art dealer Julian Isherwood was on a trip to Lake Como to evaluate a painting for sale. When he arrived, the man he was to meet had been murdered. Isherwood is in custody until Gabriel vouches for him and agrees to take the job finding a stolen painting.

Gabriel will travel through out Europe and back to Israel to try to find a stole Caravaggio - that has been missing since 1969. Along the way, he will discover other missing paintings, and come up with a plan to find the person using stolen art to build a nest egg.

Allon is an amazing character who you will want on your side and in charge of your safety. He is one of the best spies ever written. Start the series at the beginning!

Silva, Daniel (2014). The Heist. New York: HarperCollins.

The Chase (Fox and O'Hare #2)

The Chase by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg is the second book in their Fox and O"Hare series about a an FBI agent working with a world class thief to recover stolen art.

After chasing him for years, Kate O'Hare is now forced to work with Nick Fox, but to everyone other than her boss and the head of the FBI it still looks like she is chasing him.

Their latest assignment is to break into the Smithsonian and replace a fake Chinese rooster with the real one - after they steal the real one from the ex-White House chief of staff, now the owner of one of the world's most ruthless private security forces. Of course, once he knows it is stolen, the entire BlackRhino army will be after Fox and O'Hare.

Evanovich and Goldberg have created two wonderful characters who fans will follow through any future capers. This is a fun heist series.

Evanovich, Janet and Lee Goldberg. (2014). The Chase. New York: Bantam Books.

Going Rogue (AKA #2)

Going Rogue by Robin Benway is the second book in her Also Know As series about a young safe-cracker.

Maggie has been in New York for almost a year - trying to live a normal teen life while taking a break from the high stakes espionage her family participates in to keep the world safe. She is spending time with her boyfriend Jesse and her best friend Roux.

But when the Collective, the group her parents have worked for all of Maggie's life, accuses her parents of stealing evidence, Maggie has to do what she can to clear their names. It seems there is a power play for the lead of the Collective, and the front-runner is not a good guy. He has been forcing out those who will not follow him.

Maggie has to find ten gold coins to prove him wrong - ten golden eagle coins. Only the most valuable coins ever printed. Oh, and study for her SATs.

Benway's series is a fun, action packed read. Great read-alike for Ally Carter's Heist Society. Fans and residents of NYC will appreciate her accurate descriptions of much loved local hang outs.

Benway, Robin. (2013). Going Rogue. New York: Walker Books.

Also Known As (AKA #1)

Also Known As by Robin Benway is a novel of espionage, safe cracking and high school.

Maggie Silver is a sixteen year old spy. Her parents are spies and she picked her first lock at age three. The work for the Collective and travel around the world stopping bad things from happening or collecting evidence to catch the bad guys. It is finally time for Maggie's first solo mission.

She is in New York to infiltrate a private high school and befriend Jesse Oliver to get to his father's computer. He may be writing a story that will expose the Collective and Maggie's family. What Maggie doesn't count on is how hard it is to fit into high school.

Luckily, she makes one friend - Roux. Maggie has never had a friend her age before and though it goes against remaining anonymous, she likes Roux. And Roux knows Jesse Oliver so it could all work out.

Benway has written a fun novel combining espionage, friendship, humor and intrigue. Fans of Ally Carter's Heist Society will love this book as will other readers of spy novels.

Benway, Robin. Also Know As. New York: Walker Books.

The Double Eagle (Tom Kirk #1)

The Double Eagle by James Twining is the first book in his series featuring master thief Tom Kirk.

After a long career as a thief Tom is ready to retire. He plans on moving his father's shop to London and living a life within the law. His last job was to be two parts but he has no desire to complete it.

FBI Agent Jennifer Browne has been doing very little on the job since a shooting she was cleared of two years ago. Now is her chance to prove she is a good agent... A 1933 Double Eagle coin was found in Europe. The Double Eagle was last issued in 1933 and then recalled by FDR. It was thought that there were only three left in existence. Now one is tied to the murder of a priest.

Twining's plot, characters and amazing historical facts will have readers' attention until the last page. This is a great read for fans of history, espionage, heist stories, and thrillers. Read it!

Twining, James. (2005). The Double Eagle. New York: Harper Torch.

Uncommon Criminals (Heist Society 2)

Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter is the sequel to her book Heist Society.

Katrina Bishop is a thief from a long line of thieves. But she no longer steals - she returns. He is using her skills to return art and other valuables to the people they were stolen from in the first place.

When a woman comes to her using a code name that is sure get results, Kat and her crew attempt to steal the Cleopatra Emerald. The woman claims that the grandfather of the man who now has it stole it from her parents who discovered it on an archaeological dig in Egypt.

But the Cleopatra Emerald has a history of being very difficult to steal - and it is cursed.

Carter has created a team of great characters with the skills of master thieves. Fans of the TV show White Collar will love this series - the best heist books I have read in a while. (And heist books are my second favorite after pirate books!)

Carter, Ally. (2011). Uncommon Criminals. New York: Hyperion Books.

Heist Society (Heist Socetey #1)

Heist Society by Ally Carter is a great art heist book.

Katarina Bishop comes from a long line of art and jewel thieves. Kat's greatest con to date is getting accepted to a great boarding school. She is determined to leave the family business behind and get an education. But when someone steals the Headmaster's car and put it in the fountain with water shooting out of its headlights, Kat finds herself being framed for it.

When her oldest friend, W.W. Hale picks her up at school, she is not overly surprised. Hale is there to tell her that her father just stole five priceless paintings from a very dangerous man.

Her father has a solid alibi - he was pulling off a job in another country when they were stolen - but the man will give Kat two weeks to return his paintings. The only thing she can do is to find out who really took them, re-steal them, and return them.

Carter has written a fast-paced, fun, heist story with talented and endearing characters. Fans of all types of books will enjoy this race around Europe and the planning behind the ultimate heist.

Carter, Ally. (2010). Heist Society. New York: Hyperion.