Book Notices | The Rescue Artist by Edward Dolnick

Edward Dolnick, The Rescue Artist: A True Story of Art, Thieves, and the Hunt for a Missing Masterpiece

Amazon   In this very readable narrative, Edward Dolnick writes about the 1994 theft of Edvard Munch's Scream (or one version of the piece, as there are several) from Norway's National Gallery and the ensuing undercover operation, which resulted in its recovery a few months later. The star of that show, and of Dolnick's book, is English/American detective Charley Hill, a larger-than-life member at the time of Scotland Yard's so-called Art Squad. The book also introduces readers to the world of art crime (security in the art world is surprisingly lax, and priceless masterpieces aren't necessarily insured) and the criminals who commit it. We also learn a bit about Edvard Munch and his work along the way. This is very well-done nonfiction.