Excerpt from The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova, plus links to reviews, author biography & more

"What was the painting?"

"What?"

"The painting that your patient — Mr. Oliver — attacked."

John laughed. "You know, I wouldn't have thought of asking that, but it was included in the police report. It's called Leda. A Greek myth, I guess. At least that’s what comes to mind. The report said it was a painting of a naked woman."

"One of Zeus's conquests," I said. "He came to her in the form of a swan. Who painted it?”"

"Oh, come on — you're making this feel like Art History 125. Which I almost failed, by the way. I don't know who painted it and I doubt the arresting officer did either."

"All right. Get back to work. Have a good day, John," I said, trying to uncrick my neck and hold the receiver at the same time.

"And you, my friend."

Excerpted from The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova. Copyright © 2010 by Elizabeth Kostova. Excerpted by permission of Little Brown & Company. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.