Overview

In 1973, Frances Vieta, an Italian American journalist living in Rome, is incensed to learn that New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art has purchased a priceless Greek vase, the Euphronios Krater, for $1 million. Ms. Vieta suspects the antiquity was illegally looted from Italy and smuggled out of the country. She sets out to investigate the acquisition, teaming up with Rodolfo Siviero, an Italian minister and art recovery expert, and the Carabinieri Art Squad, a special unit of the Italian army dedicated to protecting cultural heritage. Ms. Vieta's investigation uncovers a vast network of tomb robbers, smugglers, and unscrupulous dealers who have been plundering Italy's archaeological sites for decades, fueled by the demand from wealthy collectors and prestigious museums. Her pursuit of justice takes her on a journey through the dark underworld of the international art market. As an undercover agent, she encounters shady characters, corrupt officials, and powerful collectors. Along the way, she learns about the history of art theft in Italy--primarily the devastating impact of World War II, the techniques used by looters and forgers, and the challenges faced by law enforcement in recovering stolen artifacts from a thriving black market. Ms. Vieta's determination to expose the truth and return the Euphronios Krater to its rightful home becomes a lifelong mission, spanning over thirty-five years and involving countless investigations and legal battles.

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9798228753914

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Reviews

""Lisa Flanagan helps create an atmosphere worthy of a mystery novel with a narration that carries the story along nicely for listeners, adding to the drama by varying her tone and conveying surprise, outrage, or suspense...A work of nonfiction that sounds more like a good detective story. Winner of the Earphones Award."" -- ""Kirkus Audiobook Reviews""

Author Information

Frances Vieta, born and raised in New York City, later lived in Rome, Italy, for twenty-seven years as a journalist/writer for both the American and Italian media, including Time magazine and Reader's Digest. Her expert articles included terrorism, art, and food. For much of that time, she worked with the specialized offices of the Italian government as a would-be buyer to recover Italian stolen art. She has been a consultant with the United Nations with frequent travel in Africa and on several occasions, Ethiopia. Lisa Flanagan is an award-winning singer, voice actor, and audiobook narrator whose performances have won her over a dozen AudioFile Earphones awards over her more than three hundred works. Her voice-overs have been used in animation, via Netflix and Crunchyroll, audiobook narration, and videogames.

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