Marked for Revenge: An Art Heist Thriller

Zelda Richardson has finally found a position with an art museum. She is a collections assistant for the Amstel Modern  in Amsterdam, but before she can adjust to a paying job, the museum is robbed of some of the American Modernist sketches and drawings. In Marked for Revenge: An Art Heist Thriller by Jennifer S. Alderson, the Amstel Modern is one of 15 museums robbed over a period of several weeks.  

A large clue is that all the stolen art is easily forged. Zelda stumbles on a Jackson Pollack sketch in her neighbor's apartment, and she is suddenly thrust into the high stakes world of forgeries and international gangs of art thieves. 

When Zelda finds her next door neighbor and artist Gabriella semi-conscious on the floor of her apartment, she knows Gabriella needs insulin and tries to help her. Before she knows it, someone strikes Zelda on the head and leaves her unconscious on the apartment floor. Days later she discovers Gabriella is missing and her apartment has been cleared out.

Zelda wakes up in a hospital, suffering a severe concussion and partial loss of memory. Although she recalls seeing the Pollack and a copy on an easel, the doctors believe these might be false memories caused by the concussion. The police are leery of her statement and even consider she might be part of the theft ring.

The thieves are a bold lot. They break in and escape using ingenious methods including paragliding and they leave behind a note that chastises the museums for their lack of security and they sign the notes Robber Hood. They imply they will return the works of art once the museums beef up their security. Not everyone believes this.

With the police looking suspiciously at Zelda and a known Croatian gangster threatening her, she teams up with art detective Vincent de Graaf on a mad dash through Luxembourg, Italy and Turkey to find the stolen art. 

Another fast paced mystery featuring intrepid Zelda Richardson.

For a review of Zelda's first adventure The Lover's Portrait, click here. 


Disclosure: I received this book from the author. 

An Art Mystery

Ever since I read The Woman in Gold and all of Ritter Ames' art theft books, I have been intrigued by the art authentication process. The Lover's Portrait by Jennifer S. Alderson leads the reader on a merry chase.

Zelda Richardson needs a recommendation to get into the Museum Studies Master's program in the Netherlands. She has spent many fruitless years as a computer programmer in the United States and yearns for something more creative. She lands a job as an intern at the Amsterdam Historical Museum working on an exhibition of art stolen by the Nazis. Before long she is in the middle of two women claiming to own a painting by an insignificant artist.

Why are two women so determined to claim a painting by an unknown artist from the stolen art collection? The first woman tells the story of fleeing Amsterdam as a young child right before the Nazis occupied the city. 

American Rita Brouwer believes Girl With a Vase as it has been called, is one painted by her sister's

boyfriend Lex Wederstein and given to Rita's father. She is adamant that the woman in the painting is her sister Iris and the painting is called Irises for her sister and the flower. Before long another woman claiming to be the granddaughter of Dutch art dealer who was killed during the war claims the painting was his. Both seemed armed with the proper paperwork, but Zelda wants to believe Rita.

The narrative dips back and forth between current day and the past to explain the background of how the painting came to be hidden and why.  It is truly a treacherous and winding path to the truth and one of bravery and loyalty.

Thoroughly enjoyed this mystery. I hope Jennifer S. Alderson writes more books featuring Zoe Richardson. She is a headstrong, but determined character. For more books by Jennifer S. Alderson, click here.