Loot

Sometimes I just need to read a fun little thriller about lost treasure set in exotic locales, and Aaron Elkins' Loot was perfect-- especially since I've read books about the incredible work done by the Monuments Men during World War II. I've often wondered just how many stolen treasures are still hiding deep in mines and other hideaways, but I digress.

This isn't the first book I've read written by Elkins. He seems to have a knack for choosing topics that I'm deeply interested in, but I can't say that I'm a fan of his writing. Loot suffers from an unnecessary love interest and a hero who's more than a little dense when it comes to the safety of himself and others, but the book's fast pace and interesting premise kept me reading happily show more until the end. show less

Interesting locales, WW2 aftermath, with some promising new protagonists make Elkins trip to Europe into a worthwhile read.

I had a difficult time making myself go through the first few chapters. I've been so used to the Gideon Oliver series that the change in pace and perspective threw me off a but. First of all, art aficiaonado I am not. As such, I didn't think I'd be able to identify as much with the character and his love of paintings. Nevertheless, I'm glad I made myself go through the first part of the book which was really setting up the whole plot. It starts getting more fast-paced in the middle and although the art references flew over my head more often than not, it did get interesting and the twists were a surprise.

Timely work covering Holocaust victims' loss of works of art and other treasures to plundering Germans and Russians. Good characters, well written.

Art stolen by Nazis. Pawn shop man killed. Ben Revere, ex-curator, discovers a Velazquez. Goes to Europe, Austria; to learn about the "lost truck" of stolen art. Also a love story.