STEALING MONA LISA - A MYSTERY

STEALING MONA LISA has been chosen for...
 
Kirkus Reviews Best of Fiction 2011 list!
Kirkus Reviews
    and
The Library Journal's Best Mysteries of 2011 list!
Library Journal
"Carson Morton is, quite frankly, a masterful storyteller.”
 --New York Journal of Books
"An intriguing and captivating story about a great scam with a twist in the world of con artists, art forgery and mystery."
--Frank W. Abagnale, New York Times bestselling author of Catch Me If You Can
"Morton excels at mixing fact, fiction, and conjecture in this entertaining art caper."
--Mystery Scene Magazine
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ABOUT THE BOOK

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What could be more lucrative than stealing Da Vinci’s masterpiece Mona Lisa from the Louvre Museum and selling it to an American Robber Baron? How about stealing it and selling six exact copies to six American Robber Barons?  READ MORE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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Carson Morton was born in England and has worked as a professional musician, songwriter, playwright,  and screenwriter. STEALING MONA LISA is his first novel.  READ MORE
Buy Stealing Mona Lisa
“The visual writing is one of the novel’s greatest strengths.  Well-crafted, beautifully written, and engaging mystery. The pacing is superb...Carson Morton is, quite frankly, a masterful storyteller.” READ FULL REVIEW
--New York Journal of Books
"With all the careful brushstrokes required of a classic, Morton gives us a historical tale of deception and theft surrounding the actual 1911 theft of Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa... great characters, a captivating tale, and vivid descriptions of old Paris make this debut a pleasurable read... bring out the popcorn and settle in for excitement, thrills, and tension." READ FULL REVIEW
--Library Journal
Carson Morton's Stealing Mona Lisa is one of  the most enjoyable, delightful mysteries I've read in a long time.... a true masterpiece of historical mystery... READ FULL REVIEW
--Gumshoereview.com
"In Morton's capable hands, (the story) has been crafted into an engaging and atmospheric novel. With richly drawn characters and careful pacing, Stealing Mona Lisa is a work of art in its own right.  An enthralling historical mystery in the flooded streets of Belle Époque Paris." READ FULL REVIEW
--Shelf-Awareness
"Historical fans will welcome professional musician Morton's first novel, set in the early 20th century... Morton smoothly blends fact and fiction while evocatively exploring the era's seamy underbelly." READ FULL REVIEW
--Publisher's Weekly

Kirkus Star Review

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"Like La Joconde (The Mona Lisa), Carson’s debut novel is set in an elegant frame—a newspaper reporter wrests the amazing story from a dying Valfierno—that still isn’t as finely crafted as what lies inside." READ FULL REVIEW
--Kirkus Reviews
"An evocative and engaging reworking of the famous Valfierno myth and the theft of the world's most famous painting.  Morton writes beautifully and transports us to an Art Deco world of intriguing criminals."
--Noah Charney, author of The Art Thief  and Stealing the Mystic Lamb
"Based on the actual theft of the Mona Lisa in 1911, Morton's first novel is a canny heist story with fine characterizations and skillful plotting, and it isn't hurt one bit by all the shimmering Parisian ambience.  This entertaining caper may leave readers wondering about the authenticity of the art on the museum walls."
--Booklist
"Morton’s powers of description, in both the time frame and setting, really bring you to the center of Paris and make you believe in the events. His skill with dialogue is impeccable, reflecting the gentlemanly (and con man-ly reserve of Valfierno), and contrasting it with the impetuosity of the thief Julia. Overall, this is a first-rate historical novel and a fascinating crime story. If the theft of Mona Lisa didn’t actually happen this way, one kind of wishes that it had. "READ FULL REVIEW 
--Mark Rose - Bookgasm"
"Stealing Mona Lisa by Carson Morton provides all the elements of a good caper. Thanks to Morton for the wink he gives us at the end of this caper.  We want to clap our hands and laugh. If you are looking for a fun read to round out your summer at the beach, coming all too soon to an end, I can recommend Morton’s fictional reconstruction of actual and reported characters and events surrounding the theft and disappearance of the Mona Lisa from 1911-13." READ FULL REVIEW
--Washington Independent Review of Books
"This is a superb historical crime drama based on the real theft of the Mona Lisa a century ago. The story line is fast-paced with a strong cast starting with the brilliant Valfierno who understands the avaricious egomania of his clients. Even knowing the outcome, fans will relish this taut thriller as Carson Morton paints a dark degenerate look at the Gilded Age in which the affluent bought masterpieces to hang in their personal museums for their pleasure only." READ FULL REVIEW
--The Mystery Gazzette
"Morton has seemingly written his own review and hidden it within his first novel like the secret signature of a painter: when talking with an artist friend, Valfierno observes, 'Inspiration is just another word for heart, and you always find a way to put your heart into all your work.' Here’s hoping Carson Morton will continue to put his own heart into the art of fiction." READ FULL REVIEW
--Chapter16.org (Nashville Scene)
"Stealing Mona Lisa by Carson Morton is a delightful caper mystery set in 1911 and spans the globe from Buenos Aires to New York to Paris."
--mysterylovers.com
"A work of art---quite literally."  READ FULL REVIEW
--Richmond Times-Dispatch
"…intriguing back story, interesting characters and a fast paced plot! You will
be rooting for the thieves!"
--Suspense Magazine
Minotaur Books/St. Martin's Press