The Parisian Heist

by Jo Piazza

From the bestselling author of The Sicilian Inheritance and Everyone Is Lying to You comes a propulsive dual-timeline mystery drenched in art-world intrigue and brimming with family secrets, betrayal, and the intoxicating lure of power.

Emma, a struggling American artist in Paris, thought she had left her dreams behind when she took a job cleaning for the city’s wealthy elite. Then she meets Stella Swanson, the widow of one of the most notorious art dealers in the business. The Swansons move in a world where billionaires, oligarchs, and heads of state pay fortunes for masterpieces. Drawn in by their dazzling wealth and the pull of a dangerously charming grandson, Emma becomes both a player and a pawn in a family battle to protect their empire and conceal its crimes.

In the late 1800s, the young widow Jo van Gogh inherits hundreds of paintings from her brother-in-law Vincent that the art world deems worthless. Determined to prove their genius, and to secure a future for herself and her young son, she becomes consumed by Vincent’s legacy. As her devotion deepens, a vanished painting and a thwarted love affair leave her unsure who she can trust and how much of herself she’s willing to lose in the process.

From glittering auction houses to the idyllic canals of Amsterdam and the grand museums of Paris, the lives of these two women converge as Emma uncovers the Swanson family’s darkest secrets and agrees to mastermind a daring heist inside the Musée d’Orsay. The stakes have never been higher, and these women refuse to be written out of history, no matter the cost.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, France, Audiobook

406 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 14, 2026

About the author

I write books about strong women defying the odds. I love an adventure and a book that both sweeps you away and starts a conversation with your friends.

Book club visits are one of my favorite things to do and I zoomed into hundreds of them for my Good Morning America Book Club pick You Were Always Mine. I'm a former travel editor who has gotten to visit 47 countries and I met my husband Nick in the Galapagos islands on a reporting trip. After living in NYC and San Francisco I have settled into Philadelphia (the greatest city on Earth) to raise my three feral children.)

Reviews

[Teres [on hiatus]]

Art? Heist? I'm in.

The Parisian Heist follows Emma Hart, a struggling art student in the 1990s who gets tangled up in a wealthy family’s crimes, and Jo van Gogh, the penniless young widow of Theo van Gogh, who helps build her late brother-in-law Vincent’s posthumous fame.

Their stories converge during a high-stakes caper at the Musée d’Orsay.

Two women, a century apart, living vastly different lives, connected by a thread they cannot see.

Piazza portrays Jo as brilliant, guilt-ridden, and ferociously determined to make her brother-in-law immortal, while Emma's arc moves from pawn to architect of her own destiny.

The author’s rendering of Jo is one of the novel’s triumphs, and sadly, her story is one history has all but forgotten.

Juxtaposed with this is a rollicking good tale of forgery, stolen treasures, a shadow market of wealthy oligarchs, and a ruthless family who definitely puts the fun in dysfunction.

[Dee (on hiatus)]

4 stars - A "Historical Mystery Heist" that worked for me - set in the 1880's and 1980's and full of strong women who give no F's. I enjoyed learning more about Jo Van Gogh-Bonger, who worked so tirelessly to promote and create the lasting legacy & fame of her late brother-in-law, Vincent. Lots of Paris and the art world here too, and while a bit longer, this one never felt boring!

[Kate Quinn]

I devoured this one as a cover quote read--it's as twisty, satisfying, and atmospheric as a morning amble through Montmartre. American art student Emma, battling male-centric art standards and panicking at the loss of her Paris scholarship, finds herself unwillingly drawn into the web of a billionaire dynasty involved in a sinister forgery scheme. A century earlier, desperate widow Jo van Gogh struggles to establish her dead brother-in-law Vincent as the genius she knows him to be, but at what cost? The two women are linked through the decades by a lost painting, a museum heist, and a nonagenarian widow with schemes of her own—nothing is as it seems, and the twists and turns keep coming. Grab your copy if you like devious mysteries resourceful women, and Paris Paris Paris!

[Stephanie]

One of my absolute favorite genres is art historical fiction, especially when it uncovers the unsung women who acted as the primary inspirations, anchors, or champions behind some of the world's most volatile, difficult, abusive, and revered male artists. Jo Piazza's The Parisian Heist delivers exactly that.

The story unfolds across two woven timelines:

Late 1800s: We follow Claire as she befriends Jo van Gogh (Vincent van Gogh’s sister in law). Together, they dedicate their lives to ensuring Vincent’s art finds its audience, brave the cutthroat art market, and fight to secure their own financial independence, ultimately transforming an obscure painter into a global legend.

1996: Emma, an aspiring art student on a scholarship in Paris, befriends Stella, a billionaire who secretly possesses an uncatalogued Van Gogh Sunflowers painting. Emma quickly finds herself caught in a high stakes mission to take down international art thieves and the oligarchs who seek to maintain art for themselves, instead of showcasing it to the world.

While I deeply appreciated the historical focus on the Van Gogh legacy, I actually found Emma’s fast paced, suspenseful escapades even more compelling. The two narrative threads are intricately connected, making for a fun, page turning read.

Though the book has a few minor pacing issues, and some of the plot points stretch plausibility, the overall premise was fun. I only wish Piazza had anchored the timelines with clearer year markers on Jo and Claire's story. I also wish there was more descriptions of the conversations Jo had with buyers in order to truly make Van Gogh's art a financial and worldwide success.
If you love art history and resilient women, this is was a fun read!

[Laura]

3.5 rounded up to a 4

I was really looking forward to The Parisian Heist since I've enjoyed Jo Piazza's books in the past, but this one didn't quite live up to my expectations.

The story starts off pretty slowly, and while it was entertaining enough to keep me reading, it took quite a while to really find its footing. The dual timelines worked well, and I appreciated learning more about Van Gogh and his life, which added an interesting historical element to the story.

That said, I felt parts of the plot were a bit rushed by the end, and I would have loved more depth and detail in certain areas. Overall, it was a good read—just a slower-paced one that never fully grabbed me the way I'd hoped. If you enjoy historical fiction with art history woven throughout, it's still worth picking up.

Thank you to Net Galley and Dutton for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Cheryl Carey]

In my humble opinion Jo Piazza's latest novel, a cross between a mystery and historical fiction most assuredly deserved the 5 solid stars I gave it.

The author dove very deeply into the research for this novel.  Even prior to reading the author's after notes I knew she had to have had many months of deep study in preparation for writing this novel.

Both timelines involved the art of Vincent Van Gogh.

The author succeeded in achieving something that is not always done by historical fiction novelists…making both storylines equally strong and equally interesting.  Often I feel when reading dual timelines that one timeline is much more fascinating and I feel a bit disappointed when having to read the weaker storyline.  In this novel everything flows wonderfully.

The book involved looking deeply into marriage, friendship, promises, motherhood, art, the dealing of art, art forgery, deception, long held family secrets and lies, theft, greed, prostitution…wonder what I forgot to add?  Interested yet?

This in a way is a feminist work.  The women who fight to be seen and heard are smart and stalwart.  This includes the  women in the early 1900s as well as those in the very late 1900s.

If you drink wine, pour yourself a glass.  If like me, you no longer drink wine or never did grab your finest tea cup like the characters might have found when rummaging at Las Puces (The Fleas) in Paris right outside the apartment where 3 of the art students lived and brew yourself tassa de the (cup of tea) while you enjoy this intriguing novel.

[Ten Cats Reading]

Early thoughts: I really like Jo Piazzo's work. This books is also a historical fiction about an art heist, so I was all in!

Feeling: Sassy art lovers steal my heart!

I’m curious about: ...whether or not I'll like the alternating timelines here.

"Mother was never very warm to me, not that I remember, but I still cried and cried when she left. A boy loves his mother even when the feeling is not reciprocated. Caroline took it much better." p203

Final thoughts:
I enjoyed the women in this book, and I think that dual timelines was the way to go for this story. That's not a technique I always favor, but it works here. I absolutely love a queer woman's coming of age story and I got those vibes from this one. And the mystery was fascinating, a high-stakes journey to discover the truth about one of history's greatest artists.

This simultaneously felt like a romp, a coming of age tale, and a feminist story about women's love and friendship. I think this will be appealing to many readers!

What worked:

🏛️ Spectacular art history in this one, dressed up in modern ideas about access. "“Did you know that when Renzo Piano designed it, he insisted that this was so much more than a museum, that it would be not just a building, but a town where you find everything—lunch, great art, a library, great music,” she says with awe. “It revolutionized the idea of a museum...”" p54

What didn’t:

🌶️ I don't like reading a book in which I am expecting no spice and I still somehow fall face-first in some paper people's genitals.

Who this is for: Fans of art, history, and heists seriously should grab this one!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Content Notes:
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
divorce, lying spouse, coercion,

[Sherrie]

Paris, French impressionism, mystery and intrigue - what better book to cozy up with. Jo Piazza knocked it out of the park with this one!

The story follows the story of two women from two decades in the 19th century - Emma in the 1990s and Claire in the late 1800s/early 1900s.

Emma is an aspiring artist living in Paris in the 1990s. Arriving on a scholarship that she then loses, she finds work as a cleaning lady for Stella Swanson, the matriarch of one of the world's richest art dealers, the Swansons.

She soon finds herself a pawn in the family's world of deception, laundering and more.

Decades earlier, Claire, a former prostitute, befriends Jo Van Gogh, the widow of Theo Van Gogh, sister-in-law of the famous impressionist artist, Vincent. As Jo works hard to build a legacy around her deceased brother-in-law, Claire stays by her side-by-side helping her.

The Parisian Heist is maybe one of the best books I have read in a long time - it's page turner that forces you not to rush, but savor every word, every chapter. It has some surprises that you don't see coming! I won't tell you, of course.

On the backdrop of some of the world's beautiful cities, this book has it all to keep you on the edge of your seat while reconnecting us to some of our favorite artists while reminding us that their stories are told within the art themselves.

[Anna R]

The Parisian Heist was my first introduction to Jo Piazza’s writing. Going into it, I was incredibly hyped—especially with it coming right on the heels of the real-life Louvre heist. While it didn't completely wow me, it certainly had its moments and could be the right fit for a different type of reader.

As a huge fan of Impressionism and Van Gogh, I loved the focus on art. It was genuinely interesting to hear the stories behind his work (even if I was wondering how much was actually true). There is also a really great twist later in the book that temporarily saved me from my boredom.

Unfortunately, for a high-stakes heist novel, both the plot and the character development felt very surface-level. I never quite felt fully invested in the characters' fates or the deeper mechanics of the crime.

Who would like this? If you are an art lover looking for a breezy, plot-driven caper and you don't mind sacrificing deep character development for a good twist, you'll likely enjoy this one.

[MicheleReader]

In 1996, after American student Emma lost her scholarship to study art in Paris, she began working for Stella Swanson, whose late husband had managed one of the world's largest art conglomerates. As the two women grow closer, Stella confides in Emma, sharing shocking secrets about the Swanson family business. The story shifts to 1891, when two very different women form a bond. It has been a year since Vincent van Gogh's suicide, and his sister-in-law Jo is now a widow, left alone with a young son. Her husband Theo passed away from illness after tirelessly trying to gain public recognition for Vincent's paintings, but without success. Jo decides that her life's mission is to get Vincent's work noticed. A woman named Claire, who has a hidden connection to Theo, comes into Jo's life and helps in her efforts. When the story returns to the modern timeline, Stella recruits Emma and her two roommates in an elaborate scheme to expose the corrupt dealings of the Swanson empire.

The Parisian Heist by Jo Piazza is an engaging, multi-genre novel. It combines the thrill of a mystery featuring a clever art heist with fascinating historical fiction. While everyone is familiar with Vincent van Gogh, the story of Jo and her impact on art history is far less recognized. Without his dedicated sister-in-law, the world might never have discovered his masterpieces. This fast-paced book led me to explore more about Jo online. If you enjoy stories set in the art world, check this one out.

Many thanks to Dutton for the advance.

4.5 stars.

Review posted on MicheleReader.com.

[Christina C]

The Parisian Heist is a beautifully woven story that brings together two timelines in a way that feels both seamless and satisfying. The dual perspectives add depth, and I loved how everything tied together so well by the end.

One of the standout elements for me was the historical fiction aspect, especially the focus on Vincent van Gogh, his brother Theo, and Theo’s wife’s dedication to preserving and promoting his work after his death. It added such a rich and fascinating layer to the novel.

While both storylines were engaging, I found myself especially drawn to Jo and Claire’s story—it was compelling, emotional, and ultimately my favorite part of the book.

Overall, this was a great read with strong historical elements and a well-executed dual narrative. Definitely worth picking up!

[Dee]

Oh my god! Loved, loved, LOVED! Jo Piazza is one of my favorite authors and this novel only serves to further cement it. I loved the story. Claire and Emma as main characters were so compelling. I loved going along the journey of succeeding in a world built to be against them. Stella's cunning knew no bounds! I think that sharing the history of Jo and Claire really helped to invest my interest in van Gogh's art. I felt like there was an underlying theme of the power of female friendships and what women can achieve when they work together to remove boundaries and those are always some of my favorites. Hats off, Jo! I will be recommending this to EVERYONE!

[Beth Anne]

I'm frustrated by book reviews that complain about a book for being what it is. For example, "This book was too YA." (Well, it's a YA story, so that's not the book's problem.) "I don't like poetry." (Well, this is a book a poetry, so maybe you shouldn't have read it.) I preface my thoughts this way because I often go into a book with very little details about the story, because I have had too many books spoiled by a summary that gives details from halfway through the book! So for The Parisian Heist I was expecting: an Oceans-11 type heist, a glitzy Paris setting, and some historic details about Van Gogh.

Yes, this is a book set in Paris, and yes, stolen art is in the story, but I think my biggest struggle was expecting this to be a HEIST. Ultimately, I found the title to be misleading. There is family political maneuvering, but I think DECEPTION would have been a better word than HEIST. From a brief glance at the summary it seemed like the historical timeline would be from Jo Van Gogh's perspective, and while it followed her, the narrator was not a historical figure. Yes, I know this is often used in historical fiction books, but again, I was surprised. And finally, aside from being told "1996" once on the very first page (and since I was listening, I was unable to flip back and check), it was not at all obvious that this world was set in the 90s. There were a few references to wealthy people with giant flip phones, but because of the nature of the characters and their positions, the "modern day" timeline didn't feel dramatically different from present day.

So all that to say, this wasn't my favorite book, and yet I was engaged enough to keep listening. In part I kept hoping for a big twist that I didn't see coming, but on the whole I found the twists relatively predicable and perhaps a little too coincidental.

[Marissa C]

This was my first Jo Piazza book, and it will definitely not be my last. I was honored enough to get to go to her signing for it.
It is clear that she did extensive research for this book, of which she weaves effortlessly into a fictional story. It felt mostly plausible and kept me engaged about 85% of the time. It is told in dual POV, Emma’s story (set in the 90s) and Claire (set in the time of Van Gogh). There were parts that dragged a bit for me, and I occasionally had to refresh myself on all the familial intertwinings. I love that this highlighted female friendship in a male dominated society, as well as a love of art. I found it very poignant that Jo realized her friendship with Claire was even more deeper for her than her marriage! I wondered if it was going to turn into something more, but would have been happy either way.
The world of art and finances are deeply explored in both the modern telling and the past. Ownership, theft, fraud, and art forgery are all major themes, especially in Emma’s story.
This book captured a lot of emotion including forgiveness, laughter, and love.
Now I’m just hoping Jo Piazza may take a dive into the world of Lempicka!

[Brionne]

I wonder if I would’ve liked this book more had I read it. I just really struggled with the whiny voices of the readers for the audiobook making the ladies sound rather insufferable.

[Lisajoy]

Jo Piazza has written far more than a heist novel. The Parisian Heist is a brilliant blend of historical fiction, art history, mystery, and unforgettable characters that kept me turning pages long past bedtime.
The dual timeline is expertly crafted, weaving together the extraordinary story of Jo van Gogh, the woman who fought to preserve Vincent van Gogh's legacy, with a modern-day art heist full of twists, secrets, and suspense. I learned so much about a fascinating piece of history that I had never known, which made the story all the more rewarding.
The writing is vivid and immersive, and every character feels authentic and fully realized. The emotional stakes are just as compelling as the mystery itself, making this much more than a fast-paced thriller. It's a story about art, legacy, courage, and the determination of women whose contributions have too often been overlooked.
My only disappointment was reaching the last page. I wasn't ready for the story to end and found myself wanting more time with these characters and this world. That's the mark of a truly exceptional novel.
I highly recommend The Parisian Heist to anyone who loves historical fiction, art, and stories that are as thought-provoking as they are impossible to put down.

[Stephanielikesbooks]

4.25 stars.

I enjoyed this novel by Jo Piazza, a blend of historical fiction and mystery, with a focus on art history.

It’s set in Paris and told using dual timelines - the 1800s and the 1990s. The 1800s timeline focuses on Jo Van Gogh, Vincent Van Gogh’s sister-in-law, and her determination to create posthumous interest in Vincent’s paintings. The 1990s storyline focuses on the art industry, art crime, and a female heist of Van Gogh’s paintings. Female friendship, betrayal, and the misogyny of the art world are effectively woven throughout both timelines.

The 1800s timeline was slower paced but the more fascinating of the two for me.

While previously lost to history, Jo was instrumental in creating Vincent’s legacy, years after his death. She was an interesting woman but as a line in the novel says, “You have to understand that in those days women were not taught to see the value in their own stories.”Thankfully, Jo Piazza brought her convincingly to life. I ended up going down the google rabbit hole while reading this book. The author’s notes at the end are definitely worth the read.

While things got off to a slowish start, I became invested about a quarter way in and was fascinated to learn about Jo, and Vincent’s paintings. I thought the author’s use of excerpts from Vincent’s and his brother’s real-life letters were a great choice and added authenticity to the story.

My only quibble was that the ending wrapped up quickly and a bit too neatly. However, that is a small part of this intriguing novel. I highly recommend this one!

[Jen Ryland (jenrylandreviews & yaallday)]

Clearly, other readers are enjoying this and I love that for them. But if you read this and felt "eh," you're not alone: this book was (mostly) not for me.

I read Everyone is Lying to You and liked it well enough. As for this book, I have been feeling recently that suspense books are getting WAY too complicated, with dual timelines and ten POVs and four subplots. I did not ask for this and it's making me tired.

This book read like a mash-up of book club historical fiction with a heist plot set in the 1990s.

Because I recently visited Amsterdam, I knew a medium amount about Vincent Van Gogh, his very sad life, and his weirdly close relationship with his brother, Theo. This book fictionalizes some of that, fearturing Theo, his real wife Johanna, his son Vincent, and Claire, the sex worker Theo was sleeping with. (Since I remembered that Theo died of complications of syphilis, I kept expecting that to come up, what with the two women he was sleeping with, and the lack of antibiotics back then. It did not.)

In the 1990s timeline, there's a girl gang art heist plot, elicit sex (not that explicit, but elicit), art forgery, black market art dealing, and rich family drama.

Like most readers who've reviewed so far, I strongly preferred the 19th century timeline, featuring Jo van Gogh and Claire. A lot of that timeline covered Jo's valiant effort to create a legacy for her brother-in-law (partly because she'd inherited all his remaining works). I thought that timeline was interesting and well-researched, and I could have done without the art heist.

I went to the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam and there are very few of Van Gogh's notable works there. It's more about his life. As his work was out of favor during his lifetime, he bartered many his paintings for rent and such, and most of his work is in museums outside of the Netherlands.

If you enjoyed this (or want to try something similar) check out The Villa by Rachel Hawkins or By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult.

Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!

[Jennifer]

Really enjoyed this dual timeline historical novel. In the late 1800s, it’s told from the perspective of a woman named Claire, who ends up becoming close friends with Jo Van Gogh, who is the late Vincent Van Gogh’s sister-in-law, and has taken up her late husband’s mission to try to promote Vincent’s art work, which at that time is worthless and not famous. And in the 1990s, it’s the perspective of Emma, who is an American art student in Paris. One of her jobs to make ends meet is cleaning the apartment of Stella Swanson, a rich old woman who is part of a famous art dealing family, and eventually enlists Emma to help protect her from certain members of the family. And yes, eventually there is a heist though I’d say this book is not primarily a mystery or thriller though character secrets abound.

There was so much to love about this one! I had never heard of Jo Van Gogh so I really enjoyed learning about her. But unlike some dual timelines, the present day story was just as good. I also loved being immersed in the art world in both stories and the descriptions of Van Gogh’s artwork. And of course the Paris setting (plus several places in the Netherlands) was great.

I’m a big fan of Jo Piazza’s, and one of the things that impress me so much about her books is that unlike some authors who just churn out books that follow the same formula, each of her books is so different! The biggest throughline is they always focus on strong woman, but she hops from genre to genre with ease. This one is most similar to The Sicilian Inheritance but also gives me vibes of books from other authors like The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes, Woman on Fire by Lisa Barr, and By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult. So if you enjoyed any of those you might like this one, and vice versa.

Thanks to Dutton for my e-ARC; all opinions are my own.

[MrsHarvieReads]

The Parisian Heist by Jo Piazza is a dual timeline story of “the art world, family secrets, betrayal, power, and the legacy of art”. In the 1800’s, Jo Van Gogh, the sister-in-law of Vincent Van Gogh, tells the fascinating forgotten story of her work to cement his legacy after his death. And in 1996, Emma is a struggling American art student who takes a job cleaning the house of a billionaire art-dealing family with dark secrets connected to the Van Gogh family.

I really like the concept of this novel. I am a huge fan of historical fiction, especially books that highlight forgotten women in history who attempt to make it in a man’s world. I enjoyed reading about the incredible efforts of Jo Van Gogh in securing Vincent Van Gogh’s legacy. I also enjoy a clever art heist story. However I felt that the novel was too ambitious in trying to weave those two storylines together. I thought the author relied on too many improbable twists of fate to connect the past and present storylines. Overall the novel itself may not have resonated with me, but I really enjoyed reading the author’s note, especially the extensive research she did on Jo Van Gogh, and the fantastic travel in support of her story 2.75/5 ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton Books for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Ellen Shaffer]

This read was really good. It was interesting and kept you on the edge of your seat!

[Brianna Rooney]

This book was fantastic! Enjoyed so much, kept me very engaged and while I always prefer more present-day over the flashback, I looked forward to both!

This is true historic fiction, there are a lot of details, a lot of art talk - I think you’d enjoy even if you don’t understand all of the references but likely would help gauge the gravity of some references.

If you haven’t read “Woman on Fire” by Lisa Barr, that was equally great and needs more attention!

[Emily]

maybe 3.5 - very much van gogh x oceans11. i discovered two things reading this. 1) i don’t love historical fiction that tries to recreate real people and 2) pedestrian is a very underrated insult

[Elisa Schneider]

4.25 ⭐️

The Parisian Heist was one of my most anticipated books of the summer, especially after loving Jo Piazza’s Everyone Is Lying to You and The Sicilian Inheritance, and this one officially sealed the deal for me. I just really enjoy the way she tells a story.

This is a dual-timeline historical fiction/mystery set deep in the art world. The historical timeline centers around Jo Van Gogh, Vincent Van Gogh’s sister-in-law, who was left a young widow after the deaths of both Vincent and her husband, Theo. With hundreds of Vincent’s paintings largely dismissed by the art world, she made it her mission to establish his legacy. We all know Vincent van Gogh, but I knew very little about the woman who played such an important role in making sure the world knew his work. This was easily one of my favorite aspects of the book.

The other timeline follows Emma, a struggling American artist in Paris who finds herself pulled into the world of an incredibly wealthy and powerful art-dealing family. This side brings in the mystery, family secrets, money and intrigue.

I know very little about art or art history, and I still found all of this fascinating. You definitely have to suspend disbelief at times, particularly in the contemporary storyline, but when I’m invested in a story and it’s being told well, I’m happy to roll with it.

I tandem read this using the signed physical copy I picked up when I saw Jo Piazza at Thunder Road Books and the audiobook from Libro.fm. The audio, with two narrators, was excellent, although I surprisingly found myself preferring print for this one.

One little tidbit from Jo’s author talk was learning why the “present-day” storyline is set in 1996. She wanted it to take place before everyone had a smartphone in their pocket because watching a character simply Google the answers to everything wouldn’t make for a particularly interesting mystery. Such a smart choice, and one I appreciated even more after hearing her explain it.

Historical fiction, mystery, art-world intrigue and a fascinating piece of real history I knew very little about. This was a win for me and one I’d definitely recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley for the early digital copy.

[Julie]

The Parisian Heist is an enjoyable, fast-paced mystery weaving together art, forgery, power, and greed across two timelines with strong female leads and a few unexpected twists. I especially enjoyed the historical storyline and would have loved more depth around Jo Van Gogh and her role in shaping Vincent’s legacy.

[Denise Deen]

3.5 stars rounded up..........This is a dual time-line book of intrigue, betrayal, friendship and art, all on the magical streets of Paris. Vincent Van Gogh's Sunflower painting weave together 1891 and 1996 Emma and Claire both battling male-centric art standards of their time. I listened to this on audio and had a dazzling and daring time. Read this if you like art history, family secrets and Parisian ambience with an Ocean's Eleven type caper. It is captivating and entertaining.

[Michelle]

I did not finish this book. I read approximately half before I gave it up. This was just poorly written and not a realistic or fun story. There was nothing to hold my interest. It was trying very hard to be The Frozen River, but with art instead of midwives. While it had a great premise, it was very poorly executed.

[Lindsay Smith]

Interesting premise and setting, but the novel itself was lackluster. The random f-words and explicit spice vignettes were sparse but jarring. Not what I expect in normal historical fiction novels. I finished this book because I wanted to know how it ended, but wouldn’t rave about it.

[Alex Snodgrass]

I really enjoyed this one! Historical fiction is my favorite genre, and I loved learning more about Jo van Gogh and the role she played in making Van Gogh’s art what it is today. I also loved the underlying theme of how often women are quietly behind the scenes, supporting and building up the men whose work goes on to shape art, pop culture, and history.

I did think the book lagged a little in parts and could have moved at a quicker pace, but overall, I thought it was a great read. Really interesting, beautifully rooted in history, and definitely worth picking up!

3.5 stars ⭐️

[Bridget Daly]

4 💫 This book was SO fun! Van Gogh has always been one of my favorite artists (I fuggin love impressionists!) and this book immersed me into his world. I love the back and forth between his time and roughly the current time. And as always…. FUCK RICH WHITE MEN!!! I love her books and how they always have a fun reference to Philly! Cannot wait to go to the Van Gogh museum with this on the brain.