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A Novel
by Jo Piazza
From the bestselling author of The Sicilian Inheritance and Everyone Is Lying to You comes a propulsive dual-timeline mystery drenched in art-world intrigue and brimming with family secrets, betrayal, and the intoxicating lure of power.
Emma, a struggling American artist in Paris, thought she had left her dreams behind when she took a job cleaning for the city's wealthy elite. Then she meets Stella Swanson, the widow of one of the most notorious art dealers in the business. The Swansons move in a world where billionaires, oligarchs, and heads of state pay fortunes for masterpieces. Drawn in by their dazzling wealth and the pull of a dangerously charming grandson, Emma becomes both a player and a pawn in a family battle to protect their empire and conceal its crimes.
In the late 1800s, the young widow Jo van Gogh inherits hundreds of paintings from her brother-in-law Vincent that the art world deems worthless. Determined to prove their genius, and to secure a future for herself and her young son, she becomes consumed by Vincent's legacy. As her devotion deepens, a vanished painting and a thwarted love affair leave her unsure who she can trust and how much of herself she's willing to lose in the process.
From glittering auction houses to the idyllic canals of Amsterdam and the grand museums of Paris, the lives of these two women converge as Emma uncovers the Swanson family's darkest secrets and agrees to mastermind a daring heist inside the Musée d'Orsay. The stakes have never been higher, and these women refuse to be written out of history, no matter the cost.
What are you reading this week? And what did you think of last week’s books? (5/21/2026)
I started an ARC of Jo Piazza's The Parisian Heist that is scheduled to be released in July. It is a dual timeline historical fiction/mystery that focuses on Johanna ("Jo") Van Gogh, sister-in-law of Vincent Van Gogh. The contemporary story is set in 1996 with three art students in Paris. (Anothe...
-Diane_Jones
"The modern storyline is fast-paced and cinematic, sacrificing character development for action. It's easiest to root for Claire, whose perspective brings Jo van Gogh and her contributions to life in full color. Billed as a thriller but more satisfying as historical fiction; the rich story behind van Gogh's success earns the spotlight." —Kirkus Reviews
"Potent questions about artistic integrity and family ties ripple through Piazza's dual narratives, and she shrewdly keeps readers guessing about how, exactly, they'll intersect. The result is a satisfying caper with brains and heart." —Publishers Weekly
"Piazza's latest is another deep dive into a beautiful and unique world: Paris of then and now shines as historical characters are brought to life." —Booklist
"Piazza's latest has everything I've ever wanted in a novel: one newly-discovered Van Gogh painting, two tantalizing time lines, three tough-as-nails roommates who are drawn into a daring art heist, not to mention a mysterious older woman with vengeance on her mind and several magical European settings (a bistro that caters to starving artists, posh parties in majestic castles, a picturesque Dutch village.) Need I go on? Buy this today! Utterly dazzling and daring." —Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Stolen Queen
"Jo Piazza is a dazzling storyteller who adds another winner to her canon of expert novels. Suspense! Mystery! Avarice! The Parisian Heist is a feast. Glamorous locations, international intrigue, a priceless collection of Van Gogh paintings, and an unlikely inheritance, plays against art thieves on the prowl in the 1990s. I couldn't put it down. Vive la Piazza!" —Adriana Trigiani, bestselling author of The View from Lake Como
This information about The Parisian Heist was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Photo: Brittney Valdez
Jo Piazza is the international bestselling author of twelve books, including the Good Morning America Book Club pick We Are Not Like Them with Christine Pride. She's also the host of the critically acclaimed Under the Influence podcast. Her work has been featured in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, among other publications. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and three feral children.
Author Interview
Link to Jo Piazza's Website
Name Pronunciation
Jo Piazza: pee-AH-zuh
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