8 books to read if you’re fascinated by the louvre heist

So, there's been a slight incident at the Louvre—just your average, headline-grabbing art heist that has everyone wondering how on earth anyone walks out of the world's most famous museum with priceless pieces of crown jewels and escapes on a scooter in broad daylight.

If, like me, you've found yourself scrolling through the news and thinking "that sounds like it'd be the plot of a really good heist novel", you're in luck. Here's a curated reading list for anyone obsessed with museum mysteries, stolen paintings, and glamorous moral ambiguity. From vintage Parisian phantoms to modern-day student thieves, from philosophical rogues to magical misfits—these stories prove one thing: art theft never goes out of fashion.

Belphégor
Arthur Bernède
World Wide Publishing Co., Inc., 1929
Before the "Louvre heist" was a trending topic, Bernède wrote the original Louvre mystery.  A mysterious figure—possibly a ghost—stalks the museum's marble halls in search of a hidden royal treasure, while baffled detectives and journalists chase shadows among the antiquities. Bernède's novel, first published in 1927, turns the Louvre itself into a labyrinth of secrets and superstitions. If you're looking for something that feels like Phantom of the Opera crossed with National Treasure, this is your perfect vintage pick.

The Oldest Confession
Richard Condon
Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1958
This sharp, stylish mid-century caper follows James Bourne, an American rogue plotting to steal a priceless painting from a Spanish museum. Between art forgeries, high-society deception, and a streak of dark humour, Condon delivers both a page-turner and a meditation on beauty and greed. If you imagine the Louvre thieves sipping martinis and quoting philosophy mid-getaway, they'd fit right in here.

The Goldfinch
Donna Tartt
Little, Brown and Company, 2013
Theo Decker survives a bombing in a New York museum and, in the chaos, walks out clutching a tiny 17th century painting. That impulsive act defines his life, dragging him through grief, guilt, and the glittering art underworld. Tartt's Pulitzer-winning novel isn't about a slick heist crew— it's about the haunting consequences of one stolen artwork and the transformative power of art. If the Louvre robbery left you wondering why people risk everything for art, this one digs deep.

Six of Crows
Leigh Bardugo
Henry Holt and Co., 2015
Kaz Brekker and his crew of lovable criminals are offered an impossible job: break into the world's most secure fortress. The plan's audacious, the friendships are fierce, and the betrayals cut deep. Bardugo's story combines the thrill of a high-stakes heist with the warmth of found-family dynamics. If you cheered a little too loudly for the Louvre robbers, you'll find this band of thieves irresistible.

Portrait of a Thief
Grace D. Li
Tiny Reparations Books, 2022
When a mysterious Chinese benefactor offers a group of Chinese-American college students 50 million dollars to steal back looted artefacts from Western museums, they leap into a high-stakes global adventure. Portrait of a Thief blends sleek heist energy with questions of cultural restitution, identity, and rebellion, ultimately asking, "who does art really belong to?"

The Art Forger
Barbara A. Shapiro
Algonquin Books, 2012
Struggling painter Claire Roth gets the chance of a lifetime: forge a missing Degas masterpiece. But the deeper she paints, the blurrier the line between authenticity and deception becomes. Inspired by the infamous Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum theft, Shapiro's novel peels back the glossy veneer of the art world. It's a perfect companion read if you're curious about what happens after the masterpiece disappears from its frame.

The Collector
Daniel Silva
Harper, 2023 
In Silva's most recent instalment, a missing masterpiece tied to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum theft resurfaces, sparking another globe-spanning investigation. It's sleek, sophisticated, and packed with art-crime intrigue. The Louvre might not feature by name, but the parallels are clear: once again, a priceless art piece vanishes, and the chase begins.

The Lies of Locke Lamora
Scott Lynch
Bantam Spectra, 2006 
Set in the decadent city of Camorr—part Venice, part fantasy fever dream—this novel follows the Gentleman Bastards, a gang of con artists who rob the rich with theatrical flair. Between disguises, deception, and brother-in-arms loyalty, it delivers all the pleasures of a perfect heist story. Swap the museum galleries for canals and masks, and you've still got the spirit of an epic museum break-in, just with better banter. 

Sara Kabir is a dreamer, a literature major, and a writer. She is often found juggling academics and her countless hobbies. Help her figure out what to write about next @scarletfangirl on Instagram.