Very much a page-turner. Wittman’s got a lot of great stories to tell about why we should appreciate art, how some government agencies have a warped sense of priorities and of course the fascinating ways in which some of the most infamous property crimes in history have played out and his role in them.

There are suave characters, misfit gangsters and plot twists that can make you laugh or cry (depending on how much of an appreciation of art you may have – and if you don’t have much of one, you will by the time you finish this book). Some of the “gangster talk” is right out of Hollywood; you wouldn’t believe it if dialogue wasn’t culled from bugged meet-ups and hidden video. But it’s all real! And its told in a style that at times borders on gumshoe noir, which keeps the action lively.

Highly recommended for a fun summer read; I think anyone would enjoy this international thriller and might even learn something along the way.