Artifacts

by Natalie Lemle

For readers of The Cloisters and Counterfeit, Natalie Lemle’s debut novel offers an insider’s view into the world of stolen artifacts and the hidden networks that link museums to organized crime, when a woman is forced to remember the summer she spent on an archaeological dig in Italy, as everyone she knew then may now be in danger.

Successful trusts and estates attorney Lena Connolly is asked by a colleague to assist on a case: the Italian government claims an artifact was looted and sold to a museum illegally and is seeking repatriation. The object in question is a cup made of dichroic glass, which would have been rare even in Ancient Rome, let alone thousands of years later.

Lena has done everything she can to put the study abroad summer she spent on an archaeological dig in the Italian Alps behind her. Her dreams of being an archaeologist shattered when her mentor Cyrille disappeared and her enigmatic boyfriend Giamma went dark, but with this new case, the past comes roaring back.

Told in alternating timelines, Artifacts follows young Lena as she falls in love with both archaeology and Giamma on the streets of Torino while her adult self pieces together what truly happened on the dig, now a fully restored Roman villa with World Heritage status. The dichroic cup, Lena discovers, may have been taken from the very site she helped unearth.

Powerful and exuberant, Natalie Lemle’s Artifacts brings readers behind the museum glass and asks questions about cultural heritage and the historical preservation of our shared sense of humanity.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Romance, Thriller, Contemporary, Italy

352 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication May 19, 2026

About the author

Natalie Lemle studied classics and art history at Tufts University and earned an MFA in creative writing from Emerson College. She is the founder of art_works, an art advisory connecting contemporary artists with global companies, and previously worked in corporate relations at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. She serves on the boards of the ICA/Boston and the Associates of the Boston Public Library. Artifacts is her first novel.

Reviews

[Matt Bender · Rating 3 out of 5]

Artifacts is a mystery-thriller about an archeological dig excavating a Roman villa in the Italian Alps. Lena, the protagonist works at the site as an undergrad, and 20 years later she becomes involved in connected case about stolen heritage items as a lawyer. The legal case becomes a reason for her to reconstruct the people and events of her college experience in Italy.

There’s quite a bit to like about the plot and the story is relatively propulsive. At first I thought the novel’s themes would be about memory, nostalgia, history and art, or maybe a literary exploration of who owns art and history. Those themes, to the degree they were present, end up so far in the background of the mystery plot that they felt neglected. I was also a bit overwhelmed by the degree everything was connected in the end while struggling to grasp why I should be worried about danger for anyone or whether I cared about ‘ndragheta and corruption. On top of all of this, Lena, was a struggle for me as a character because she is so passive and so naive. Her decisions as a lawyer also annoyed me because they seemed implausible and her sole affirmative act to investigate her own connection to the case seemed to veer into ethical violations of her duty of confidentiality and loyalty for no good reason.

I think the novel will appeal to people that hate loose ends and want a page turner, but I think it could have been a stronger novel if it had been more character driven and nuanced.

[Angelie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is thick with detail and brings to light the ethical concerns of cultural heritage, theft, ownership rights, and history aspects of discovered artifacts. That aspect was intriguing. Personally, I am big on character development and connecting to a main character in my favorite reads, and this book was less compelling on that front.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Pfeffers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was hooked early. The “who done it” and “how will it end” kept me up late at night rooting for Lena. And Natalie paints such a vivid picture of NYC and Italy I felt I was right there with her.

I’ll have to read this again because the amount and layers of historical detail and references to ancient civilizations are incredible and I’m sure there are many more layers of meaning I’ll get on a second or third read. Would be great for a bookclub to discuss with friends to really see the complexity of the case from different perspectives and to reflect on the role of archeology, museums, and historic objects in reflecting the past.

[Dena Schulze · Rating 3 out of 5]

A unique archaeological adventure with tons of detail, but the plot was pretty hard to track. I appreciated the research, even if the story didn’t fully pull me in.

[Liz Fusco · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I’m being honest I’m still super confused about a lot of the happenings in this book - I’m not sure I’ve ever read a more intricate book - but I am FASCINATED by Natalie Lemle. I can’t believe this is a debut.

[Dee's Library · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has archeology, musuem dealings, art looting, and organize crime at the heart of it! This was a slow moving story filled with mystery and antiquities. Once the story developed more, about halfway through, it hooked me in on the mystery surrounding that summer in Italy, at the archeological dig. I did feel like our main character was a bit obscure, I found myself not being able to relate or understand her well. Overall, I love the mysterious dive into archeology, looking to the past can be dangerous.
Thank you NetGalley and Simon Books for the e-Arc!

[Roo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Artifacts by Natalie Lemle

This was a super interesting read! I love anything to do with archeology so the synopsis drew me in and the story kept me hooked!

4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Nawal Qadir · Rating 4 out of 5]

(w) (wish i was summering in italy on a morally questionable yet undeniably cool archeological dig where i randomly met my morally questionable yet hot italian fling who sends me into a trauma spiral about my morally questionable yet alluring professor a decade later)

[Stacy DeBroff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel blends archaeology, stolen artifacts, black market art sales, organized crime, and shady museum donations to generate charitable deductions, all wrapped in a complex plot involving a dig in the Italian alps.

During a summer at Columbia University, classist student Lena Connolly goes to work on a dig in the Italian alps with her art history professor, Cyrille. There’s tension at the dig between American Cyrille, who’s focused on the pre-Roman historical and religious significance of the site and Italian Pietro who wants to show its provincial importance. There Lena falls in love with Giamma, a handsome local boy who’s both pursuing a Ph.D. in art history in Columbia while currently taking time out of his studies to help out his Dad who’s a leader in the ’Ndragheta, a large Calabrian crime syndicate. Lena knows looting has occurred at the dig site, but she still helps Giamma get a valuable blackmarket artifact into France. Wrapped in much mystery and intrigue, Cyrille vanishes one night from the site never to be seen again.

Fast forward and Lena’s a seasoned estate attorney in New York City, working to defend Fordham University from having to repatriate to Italy a rare dichroic glass chalice. Turns out that this artifact and other donated connect back to the Italian Alps dig, possible looting, and the Italian mafia.

There’s much Roman and Greek history to take in, along with mythology, gods and goddesses, politics and religious and culture tensions between the Romans and those they conquered. But the plot does get overly convoluted as it jumps back and forth in time, with constant new revelations creating murkiness as to what actually transpired. And the character development proves thin, and Lena’s character questionable. For instance you being left wondering at the naiveness and lack of morality of Lena as she both accepts $18,00 for helping get a looted artifact out of Italy and at the same time never realizes how much organized crime wraps into this or questions the foundations of her own morality.

At the very heart of the novel is the much larger question of artifacts themselves: should they be housed in their country of origin or where most people will be able to see and appreciate them; how much responsibility do museums have for tracing back provenance or spotting fraud produced documents of origin; what role does organized crime play in using artifacts to launder money? The ethics ambiguity leaves much to muse over.

Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for an advanced reader’s copy

[Autumn Danner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a little bit of Indiana Jones excursion but with some personal baggage! At the Italian dig site, you get a feel for the land, both past and present, and the culture of the people inhabiting the area through the ages. You are introduced to the past through the relics that were found, as well as learning from Lena's teachers as we follow her academic pursuits. It is a pretty intense study into the provenance of items because dig sites were rife with vandalism and theft. Lena's personal ties to the site both hinder and help her in her quest for answers. However, as she unearths information about the relics and the people working the site, she begins to doubt her recollection of what happened during her time there, and her long-standing friends from that time may not be who she remembers. Thank you to DP at Simon & Schuster for the DRC of this book which I found to be fast-paced, emotionally charged, and exciting as well as informative! I love a little true history with my adventure!

[Sammia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Themes include: art history; mafia; motherhood; and memory. Our protagonist experiences multiple traumas while on her first (and only) archeological dig in the Italian alps while in college. She is compelled to bury these experiences as if they never happened. 18 years later, she is in a position to confront what happened there and then, initially on the surface level of professional obligation, but ultimately faces the deeper and more terrifying truths of what happened that summer.

The characters and their relationships are layered, the ethics around collections of artifacts is intriguing, and the behind the scenes of how valuable pieces land in collections is fascinating. I love the nerdiness of learning about archaeology, art history, and locations, but I most love the process of Lena digging through her own past to be able to uncover what is valuable to her.

This book instigates conversations and leaves you with some questions; I would highly suggest it for book club reading.

[Amanda Schlenker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book as part of a giveaway.

I’d probably round this up to 3.5 if I could.

I enjoyed this book. It flips between the summer when our main character Lena is on a dig in college and her adult life as a lawyer. I preferred the chapters when Lena is older - I know Lena was a young adult in the younger chapters but some of her decisions just baffle me.

I think the mystery was done well, though in certain areas I think it got a bit hard to follow but I was able to catch up in the end. I do think the ending is a satisfying payoff.

I cannot articulate what I feel like is missing right now, I’ll update if I figure it out, but something about her family dynamic which is pretty important for her overall character just feels like it’s lacking something or there is something I failed to pick up on.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Artifacts by Natalie Lemle offers an in-depth story set in the world of archaeology, art theft, and museums. Lena is drawn into a law case at work involving the Italian government, Fordham University, and a possibly looted artifact. It's not too long before she discovers this current case is related to her undergrad days at Columbia and a summer archaeological field school in Italy she participate in as a Classics major.

Lots of details and intrigue keep the story moving along. If you're interested in this world, it's a fascinating read! Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

[Randal White · Rating 3 out of 5]

Archeology, art crimes, mystery, all set in a dual timeline. Should have been a home run. Unfortunately, I found myself rather discouraged by this book. It had a lot of potential, but seemed to lose itself in the characters and the plot. The main character I found to not be very likeable, nor any of the other characters as well. The plot, well, there are just way too many coincidences that take place that really take away from it. But the setting, I loved it. I believe this is the author's first book, I think she has a talent for writing, and hopefully she finds her place in her next book.

[Zoe Lipman · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25/5

As an art history (and art school) girlie, I was so excited to read this.

It is definitely a slower, more literary fiction-type read.

This is a story about some underground art crime and art museums and drama between people when it comes to those things.

This was fun and I had a good time, but I did want more from it. I didn't find it to be super captivating/engaging. But I would definitely recommend it for the art history lovers.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

[Mary McBride · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young attorney is representing a client with a connection to a priceless Italian artifact. Could the job possibly be related to her work on an archeological dig while in college? Full of great classical influence, nefarious characters and building suspense, Artifacts is a multi-layered mystery that dives into the past of ancient civilizations. And who should rightfully claim ownership to those artifacts...

[lily · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I enjoyed this a lot, but I found the plot a bit confusing at times. It also had a bit of a slow start, but once I got to about 40%, it was so hard to put this down. I was worried I wouldn’t enjoy this, since I don’t know a lot about archaeology or the history of Italy, but I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I do think I’ll have to read this again to fully understand and get the full experience.

Thank you Netgalley for a copy of an arc in exchange for an honest review

[Laurel Kristick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the dual timeline and the intersection of archeology, missing people, museums, and the ethics of repatriation of stolen artifacts. The mafia-like criminals were a lurking menace to the protagonist's past memories and current investigations. It started slowly but built to a pretty intense conclusion.

I read this in exchange for an honest review through NetGalley.

[Kasa Cotugno · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this sort of book told through multiple timelines with a mystery involving a mcguffin and personal growth thrown in for good measure. Natalie Lemle is a highly intelligent writer as well as a historian and researcher. A huge bonus is that I learned more about archaeology, provenance, and Roman society. Highly recommend.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve had to give this book a week to decide how to review. I loved learning more of Roman history in northern Italy it sucked me right in. The author has a wonderful writing style I would read another book by her. The characters were interesting and engaging especially the sisters. I think I caught the dynamic she was attempting to convey between Lena and Simone that somehow became Si but I can’t be sure. This is the part that confused me.
Lena’s professor disappeared years ago and no one appears to care or want to talk with her about it. Years later she finds herself dropped back to that time period and everyone from that time period. However having had no contact with Simone all this time she suddenly knows Simone is now they and not her. How? There is no inner dialogue or context from Si or anyone to give her this information. I found it distracting and took my mind from the story. Did this have to do with solving the mystery or help flesh out any of the subplots or any story line? I could not tell and still don’t. Otherwise a great read for Roman history buffs! Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

[Vmndetta ᛑᛗᛛ · Rating 3 out of 5]

The concept of fighting over an artifact here really grabbed me, that's why I read this book. I was expecting something like a book full of conflict centered on the artifact itself, but the further I read, the more confused I got about putting this book on a mystery shelf or not. To me, the genre doesn't feel very clear. It's kind of stuck in between. Not fully lit fic, but also not quite mystery. And, I also had a hard time keeping track of the dual timelines.

[Nicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book has the potential to be interesting and fun to read. But it fell short. Maybe it is just me but the book was bogged down with details. Just not my cup of tea.

[Jeremy Hanes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. It was very interesting and fun at the same time. The jumping back and forth in times worked well for it. I did find it a bit wordy at times but overall I enjoyed the story. Read a NetGalley copy of this book.