The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession

Michael Finkel is the author of The Art Thief—his third nonfiction book. His previous works, True Story (2005) and The Stranger in the Woods (2017) are also true crime narratives, charting the lives of unusual criminals. Finkel came across the subject of True Story when he learned that murderer Christian Longo was a fan of his journalism and had adopted his identity while on the run (“Christian Longo.” Wikipedia, 30 Sept. 2023). Longo was sentenced to life for killing his wife and three children. The book was nominated for an Edgar Award and adapted into a 2015 movie. The Stranger in the Woods focused on the hermit Christopher Thomas Knight, who lived in the woodlands of Maine for 27 years, stealing provisions from nearby camps and cabins (“Christopher Thomas Knight.” Wikipedia, 2 Aug. 2023).

Finkel’s interest in subjects who break society’s moral codes is likely fueled by his experience as a journalist. Before becoming an author, he was a respected reporter, regularly writing articles for The New York Times. However, in 2002, Finkel’s professional reputation was severely damaged. The Times discovered that he had used a composite character in an article on West African child slavery. While Finkel presented the material as an interview with a single child, it was based on interviews with several children.