The true story of the world’s most prolific art thief—a riveting portrait of obsession and flawed genius—from the bestselling author of *The Stranger in the Woods*.
For centuries, art has been stolen in various ways across the globe, but no one has been quite as successful as master thief Stéphane Breitwieser. Over nearly a decade, Breitwieser carried out more than 200 heists in museums and cathedrals throughout Europe, with the help of his girlfriend, who served as his lookout. Together, they stole over 300 priceless objects, until everything spectacularly unraveled.
In *The Art Thief*, Michael Finkel takes readers deep into Breitwieser’s strange and mesmerizing world. Unlike most thieves, Breitwieser didn’t steal for profit. Instead, he kept all of his stolen treasures in a single room, where he could admire them endlessly. With extraordinary physical abilities and a natural instinct for circumventing security systems, Breitwieser pulled off an astonishing number of daring thefts. However, his unique talents fueled a growing disregard for danger and a compulsion to steal, even as his girlfriend begged him to stop. In the end, one final act of hubris brought his criminal empire crashing down.
A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: *The Washington Post*, *The New Yorker*, *Lit Hub*
“Enthralling.” —*The Wall Street Journal*
Stéphane Bréitwieser is history’s most prolific art thief.
He executed more than 200 heists, often in crowded museums and in broad daylight.
His girlfriend was his accomplice.
His stolen art collection was valued at an astonishing $2 billion.
Remarkably, he never sold a single piece, instead keeping the stolen treasures in his attic bedroom.
He felt like a king.
Until it all came crashing down in a shocking finale.
In this captivating portrait of obsession and flawed genius, Michael Finkel delivers one of the most extraordinary true-crime stories of our time—a gripping tale of art, theft, love, and an insatiable desire to possess beauty at any cost.
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