Anthony Amore

Massachusetts-based author Anthony Amore joins us to discuss his latest book, The Rembrandt Heist, a true crime tale of unbelievable friendship, loyalty, criminal genius, and a staggeringly audacious plot to steal one of the world’s most valuable paintings—and return it. It's the perfect book for fans of The Art Thief by Michael Finkel.

In addition to being an author, Anthony is Director of Security and Chief Investigator at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, charged with the ongoing efforts to recover thirteen works of art stolen from the museum in 1990. Following his discussion, he will answer audience questions and sign copies!

Please note: This event will be held in our third floor studio space. Tickets for this event are bundled with a copy of The Rembrandt Heist. Tickets are required to attend. We hope to see you there!

We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals to engage fully. To request an accommodation or for inquiries about accessibility, please reach out to [email protected].

Ticket holders who purchased a book-included ticket and are unable to attend the event will be able to pick up their book at An Unlikely Story up to 30 days following the event.

ABOUT THE BOOK:On April 14, 1975, Myles Connor, already a known art thief, entered the Boston Museum of Fine Arts in disguise along with a cohort. The pair went directly the Dutch Gallery and proceeded to remove Portrait of Elsbeth van Rijn from its place on the wall. After a brief scuffle with the guards—with Myles deterring his partner from shooting a bystander—the pair was gone, leaving behind no traceable evidence amidst the mayhem.Who was Myles Connor and what were his motivations? Most thieves are in it for the money, but Myles was far from most thieves. His motive was freedom. The summer before the heist, he was arrested by the FBI when he attempted to sell three highly valuable paintings by Andrew and N.C. Wyeth to an undercover agent. Incredibly, Myles did this while out on bail for possession of yet more stolen art. When he was arrested and placed in the back seat of a state police vehicle, the FBI agent said to him, “We’ve got you now. Let’s see you get out of this one.” Without batting an eye, Connor calmly replied, “Just you watch me.”Again released on bail, Connor met with an old friend of his father’s, Massachusetts State Police Major John Regan. Regan worked for the District Attorney at the time, future Congressman William Delahunt. Connor asked Regan if there was any way out of the fix he was in, and the straightlaced cop told him bluntly, “It’s going to take a Rembrandt to get you out of this one.” With that, a master plan was hatched.But there was a flip side to this story. One involving Connor’s best friend—Al Dotoli—who lived a life in the music industry, far from the world of art heists. Dotoli’s own masterpiece of a plan hinged on the Rembrandt’s return.Filled with unforgettable personalities and non-stop action and intrigue, The Rembrandt Heist will lay out the anatomy of this notorious art theft while describing not just the criminal genius that is Myles Connor, but also the complexity of personal relationships between lifelong friends. All along, the reader will learn about a breathtaking painting by the world’s most famous artist and the incredible true story about how Portrait of Elsbeth van Rijn ended up on the wall at the MFA in the first place.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:Anthony Amore is Director of Security and Chief Investigator at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, where he is charged with the ongoing efforts to recover thirteen works of art stolen from the museum on March 18, 1990. Additionally, he is the co-author of Stealing Rembrandts (a Wall Street Journal bestseller),The Art of the Con (a New York Times bestseller), and The Woman Who Stole Vermeer (also available from Pegasus Books) and provides analysis on issues related to security and terrorism for the BBC, NBC News, NPR, CNN, FOX, and others. He lives in Boston, MA. Learn more at www.anthonyamore.com.

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