E.J. Knapp

Stealing the Marbles by E.J. Knapp introduces us to professional art thief Danny Samsel. Samsel is planning what may be the biggest heist of his career: he wants to steal the Elgin Marbles from the British Museum and return them to Greece. It is a fact that the Elgin Marbles were taken from the Parthenon in Greece in the 19th century by Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin, and shipped to England. The Elgin Marbles are currently in the British Museum in London. For centuries the Greeks have wanted their national treasures returned.

Stealing the Marbles follows the formula of a classic crime novel. We know right from the start what Danny is planning to do and follow along as he sets his plan into motion. As Danny travels across Europe and even, briefly to the USA, Knapp does a good job establishing the setting and giving all the details that will set Danny's plan into motion. I felt the book started out slow, but that was basically because the details of the plan were being worked out. There is tension mounting as Danny realizes there is something else afoot that may affect him and his plans. Danny is a likeable character and I have hopes that Knapp will bring him and his cohorts back for another job soon.

If you are interested in joining the campaign to Send The Marbles Home, please check out Knapp's website. http://www.ejknapp.com/

I did have a few minor quibbles that won't deter from the story for most people, but did for me. First, using all the current techniques and technology available, forgeries in art can be found today. I can suspend disbelief, but just saying... My main problem was that I noticed when Knapp referred several times to blooming flowers, they were inevitably roses, irises, and lilies. (I flagged two pages after reading previous mentions, pg 99 and 122.) As a long-time gardener, generally, if you are talking about the roses, irises and lilies I know and am familiar with, you aren't going to have the irises blooming at the same time as the lilies and the roses. I know it's minor, but it was distracting to me.

Highly Recommended; http://shetreadssoftly.blogspot.com/

Disclosure: I received this novel from the author through a Goodreads giveaway.… (plus d'informations)

The cover on this is eye catching and true to the storyline, what the cover can't express is how detailed the book is, no detail is left to chance and it's very thorough. Stealing the Marbles is witty from the outset, as Danny goes about creating allies to aid him in his task to steal and return the Parthenon Marbles to Greece.

Danny is a thief of epic proportions, possibly wanted by various agencies including Interpol. He steals for the thrill of the chase, and as a reader you soon discover that he's not as heroic or brave as he might at first seem. I was surprised by some of his dislikes, these made the story even more interesting.

This book kept me on my toes...it's got car chases, gun fights and a really good plot, menacing in places with twists and turns. I did guess what the outcome was going to be to some extent, but the book was well paced none the less, with touching scenes of vulnerability and grief, that you possibly wouldn't expect from a thriller.

This was a can't-put-it-down read, which was totally absorbing and enjoyable from start to finish. I was surprised at the end to read that although Danny's story is not real, the Parthenon Marbles and their story, is in fact true.… (plus d'informations)