The Rescue Artist: A True Story of Art, Thieves, and the Hunt for a Missing Masterpiece

In February 1994, two thieves stole Edvard Munch's Scream from the National Gallery in Oslo during the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics in Lillehammer. The Norwegian police enlisted Charley Hill, a half English, half American undercover cop and art detective, to help recover the painting. This account follows Hill's investigation into the art underworld, introducing readers to aristocrats, investigators, and criminals involved in the case. The narrative centers on Hill himself—a figure combining brilliance, foolhardiness, and charm—whose search for the stolen masterpiece would either define his career or become a defining failure. Winner of the Edgar Award for Best Fact Crime, the book examines the theft and recovery effort through the perspectives of those involved in both the crime and its investigation.