Carson Morton bases his STEALING MONA LISA on real events from the beginning of last century. He's fictionalized many of the players in the great art theft at the Louvre.

It's a fun mystery set in the early 1900s. Morton's conmen bump into an attractive pickpocket who later aids them in scams and eventually the art heist. They bounce all over Europe, North America, and South America selling "stolen" works of art.

There are mysteries swirling around the characters and their crimes, as well as the art heists. This is one that you don't want to put down.

The Mona Lisa has been popping up a lot lately this week. This week's "Decoded" on the History channel was about Leonardo da Vinci and the symbolism of the Mona Lisa. I'm fascinated with the painting, its history, and the theories/mysteries that crop up from time to time.

So check out "Decoded" and Morton's mystery for a fun way to spend a winter's evening.