Chasing Mona Lisa

Back Cover

August 1944.  Paris is on the cusp of liberation.  As the soldiers of the Third Reich flee the Allied advance, they ravage the country and steal countless pieces of irreplaceable art.  In fact, Reichsmarschall Hermann Goring will stop at nothing to claim the  most valuable one of all—the Mona Lisa—as a postwar bargaining chip.

But the woman with the mysterious smile has some very determined protectors.  Can Swiss OSS agents Gabi Mueller and Eric Hofstadler rescue Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece before it falls into German hands?

With nonstop action and intrigue, Chasing Mona Lisa is sure to get your adrenaline pumping as you join the chase to save the most famous painting in the world. From war-ravaged Paris to a posh Swiss chateau, the race is on—and the runners are playing for keeps.

Review

This novel had a very intriguing plot.  It was a very interesting setting to read how World War II affected France, and as this particular story took place towards the end of World War II, one reads about the country’s citizens struggle to regain their country back from the grasp of the Nazis.

With the Third Reich losing power, Reichsmarschall Hermann Goring sees the Mona Lisa as his ticket out of France and away from the ever-multiplying French resistance groups and the coming Western Allies.  The Mona Lisa is one of the most revered paintings in the world and for it to be stolen would severely shake the fragile confidences of the French peoples.  Consequently, Gabi Mueller and Eric Hofstadler will stop at nothing to ensure that Goring’s plans are thwarted.

The plot was at times a bit slow, perhaps due to the constantly shifting viewpoints in the story (there were at least seven different viewpoints).  The focus of the novel was completely and wholly on the plot itself, and there was little to no character development or insight.  However, Chasing Mona Lisa was rich in historic detail, something I greatly appreciated.  And I never knew that the Mona Lisa was stolen at one time on August 21, 1911!

For those who enjoy an interesting, historical read, Chasing Mona Lisa would be a good pick.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.  Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.