The Last Masterpiece
- Authors: Laura Morelli
- Series:
- Genres: Historical
- Rank:
- Rating: 4.3 based on 842 reviews
- Release Date: August 1, 2023
- Print length: 416 pages (Paperback)
About the book
Inspired by the remarkable true story of the Monuments Women, the Fifth Army WACs, and the looted art collections of Florence during World War II, Laura Morelli's latest historical novel immerses readers in the midst of war-torn Italy.
In a thrilling escape through Nazi-occupied Italy, two women - a German photographer and an American stenographer - are on the hunt for priceless masterpieces looted from the art collections of Florence.
During the summer of 1943, Eva Brunner captures images of Nazi-plundered art hidden in the salt mines of Austria's hinterland, while Josephine Evans works as a simple typist at Yale University's Art Gallery in Connecticut.
Called to Italy to aid in the war effort, both women never expected to find themselves with the responsibility of safeguarding some of the world's most valuable masterpieces looted from the Uffizi Galleries and other art collections in Florence.
As Italy transitions from an ally to an enemy, and Hitler's sinister intentions to destroy priceless monuments and artwork become evident, each woman's race against time - and against each other - may require sacrifices they never thought they would have to make.
The Last Masterpiece transports readers on a pulse-pounding journey up the Italian peninsula, where nothing is as it appears and the fate of some of humanity's greatest accomplishments and artworks hangs in the balance. Who will betray and who will rescue a work of art - and at what price?