Hi friends,

When you read this, I will be on my way to California for a visit with a good friend on her birthday (HBD Allison!) and then on to LA for Steamy Lit Con, a romance book convention. I’ll be meeting some of my fave authors, taking a bachata/salsa class with Mia Sosa, Nana Malone and more, and enjoying the bookish vibes.

And, now, what to read if …

You’re Obsessed with the Louvre Robbery

The Art Thief by Michael Finkel

I love heists, so it is unsurprising that I have fallen down the rabbit hole and am devouring everything I can about last week’s Louvre robbery. I particularly loved this New York Times article interviewing notorious jewel thieves about their takes on the heist, and was bummed to learn the dapper man first reported to be the detective in charge was just a jauntily dressed gawker. I’ve also spent the past week pushing Michael Finkel’s The Art Thief on people, so I thought I’d re-up my recommendation of it here.

When authorities finally arrested Stéphane Breitwieser, he had stolen roughly $2 billion in art from museums and auctions across Europe. The thief never sold his more than 200 pieces of contraband, instead keeping them on display in his attic bedroom at his mother’s house. He was driven not by money but by an obsession with the art. Journalist Michael Finkel documents Breitweiser’s crimes and the years-long investigation that ended in his arrest in The Art Thief.

Finkel chronicles how Breitwieser pulled off his feats — a combination of athleticism, a deep understanding of museum security (or lack thereof), the (sometimes reluctant) assistance of his girlfriend, luck and hubris. It’s that last one that finally caught up to him, as his confidence that he could never be caught caused him to take bigger and bigger risks.

In between depictions of the thefts, Finkel draws on art theory and the thief’s psychological records to understand the roots of Breitwieser’s obsession.

It’s a short book —fewer than 250 pages — and Finkel uses each word and sentence judiciously. Art lovers and true crime fans won’t want to miss this one.

You’re Enjoying Chai Season

Detective Aunty by Uzma Jalaluddin

I am a year-round tea drinker — just alternate between iced and hot depending on the temperature — but I know that many of my coffee-drinking friends enjoy chai