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The Shell Game: An Art Heist Thriller of Deception, Identity, and a Dangerous Game between Paris and Munich
Anna – an ageing actress, former circus acrobat and active art thief – lives and travels in her own Art Deco train.
The thrill of standing on stage before an audience has long ceased to quench her thirst for adrenaline.
When she is offered what appears to be a harmless yet extravagantly paid inside job – to steal a painting – she accepts, despite her initial mistrust.
But the exotic Shéhérazade is also after the very same picture, and soon the whole affair spirals into an impenetrable shell game between Paris and Munich, where it is rarely clear who actually holds the looted painting from the Nazi era, and where its copy might be hiding.
Anna’s enigmatic employer, with his striking green eyes, always seems one step ahead – making fools of everyone around him.
Until Anna turns the tables … and hands herself over to the police.
The thrill of standing on stage before an audience has long ceased to quench her thirst for adrenaline.
When she is offered what appears to be a harmless yet extravagantly paid inside job – to steal a painting – she accepts, despite her initial mistrust.
But the exotic Shéhérazade is also after the very same picture, and soon the whole affair spirals into an impenetrable shell game between Paris and Munich, where it is rarely clear who actually holds the looted painting from the Nazi era, and where its copy might be hiding.
Anna’s enigmatic employer, with his striking green eyes, always seems one step ahead – making fools of everyone around him.
Until Anna turns the tables … and hands herself over to the police.
134 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 14, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review
June 29, 2026
A stylish and intelligent art-heist thriller
The Shell Game is a clever and enjoyable thriller that combines art history, deception, and a story stretching from Paris to Berlin, from the Second World War to the present day. It creates a world of paintings, forgeries, hidden motives, and carefully staged misdirection.
This is more than a simple heist story. It has atmosphere, wit, and a strong sense of style. The characters are memorable, and the plot moves confidently, revealing layer after layer as the story unfolds.
The art-history elements are woven naturally into the novel, giving it depth without slowing it down. The result is a smart, suspenseful, and very enjoyable read.
Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys art mysteries, European settings, elegant crime stories, and thrillers built on intelligence rather than brute force.
The Shell Game is a clever and enjoyable thriller that combines art history, deception, and a story stretching from Paris to Berlin, from the Second World War to the present day. It creates a world of paintings, forgeries, hidden motives, and carefully staged misdirection.
This is more than a simple heist story. It has atmosphere, wit, and a strong sense of style. The characters are memorable, and the plot moves confidently, revealing layer after layer as the story unfolds.
The art-history elements are woven naturally into the novel, giving it depth without slowing it down. The result is a smart, suspenseful, and very enjoyable read.
Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys art mysteries, European settings, elegant crime stories, and thrillers built on intelligence rather than brute force.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review