Listen to a sample
The Man Who Stole the Gods
- Author
- Matthew Campbell
- Narrator
- Nicholas Boulton
- Publisher
- Penguin Books Ltd
- Publish Date
- 4 June 2026
- Run Time
- 10 hours 35 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
Not available in your country
We don't have the rights to sell this audiobook where you are. If it's already in your library you can still listen to it in My Books.
What to expect
An unbelievable table of greed, looted treasures and stolen history in the world's biggest art heist.
In the shattered aftermath of Cambodia’s civil war, temples that had stood for centuries were found ransacked - sacred sculptures hacked from pedestals, towering statues of Hindu gods and priceless relics of the Khmer Empire vanished. At the centre of this vast plunder, British expatriate Douglas Latchford, whose decades-long obsession fuelled one of the most audacious cultural thefts of modern times.
From the Killing Fields of the Khmer Rouge to the marble galleries of New York and London and the private collections of the rich and famous, The Man Who Stole the Gods unravels a breathtaking story of power, greed and corruption, and asks what you take from a nation when you steal its past.
Drawing on years of investigation and exclusive access to the stories’ key players – from temple looters and traffickers to the investigators and archaeologists fighting to bring masterpieces home – award-winning writer Matthew Campbell reveals how the treasures of one of the world’s greatest civilizations were stolen, sold and finally found.
'An adventure to rival David Grann’s Lost City of Z, and a riveting exposé of the plunder that still fills the world’s top art museums' Zeke Faux, author or Number Go Up
'Immaculately researched and beautifully written, a gripping real-life exposé of the ugly deals that underpin the trade in beautiful objects' Oliver Bullough, author of Moneyland
From the author of Dead in the Water, called 'a masterpiece' by the New York Times
© Matthew Campbell 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026
Critics Review
-
An adventure to rival David Grann’s Lost City of Z, and a riveting exposé of the plunder that still fills the world’s top art museums
author of Number Go Up
-
Immaculately researched and beautifully written, The Man Who Stole the Gods is a gripping real-life exposé of the ugly deals that underpin the trade in beautiful objects
author of Moneyland
-
An epic tale of art, war, and crime, The Man Who Stole the Gods unspools a sprawling conspiracy of tomb raiders, art dealers, and museum curators, with one elusive expatriate at the heart of it all. Campbell brings the story to life with brisk pacing, an instinct for drama, and a firm grasp of the moral and historical stakes
Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of The Lumumba Plot
-
The Man Who Stole the Gods transcends reportage, marrying investigative rigour to the emotional force of great fiction. Propulsive and devastating, it traces a story of greed and violence that opens, finally, onto redemption, rendered with exceptional clarity and insight
Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Inevitable
See more reviews See fewer reviews
-
Masterfully reported and beautifully told, The Man Who Stole the Gods is a piercing indictment of our unequal world. It reads like a thriller, starring elite curators, business moguls, despots and freedom fighters and one of the most fascinating anti-heroes in modern memory
staff writer at The New Yorker and author of Black Edge
-
After reading the book, you may never again look at ancient artworks in quite the same way. Thought-provoking true crime on a grand scale.
Kirkus
-
Paced like a thriller, this sweeping, cinematic account weaves together true crime and Asian history to shine a light on a little-explored art world scandal. It’s a breathtaking ride.
Publishers Weekly
-
It’s greatly reassuring that the arc of this fascinating and scrupulously researched story bends finally towards justice
Financial Times
-
Fascinating... reads like a thriller...the story romps along with dogged lawyers and a ludicrous, devious antagonist
The Economist
-
Matthew Campbell's enjoyable non-fiction thriller tells a fascinating tale
Our Five Favourite Books of the Week
User Reviews
No reviews yet.
Details
- Author
- Matthew Campbell
- Narrator
- Nicholas Boulton
- Duration
- 10 hours 35 minutes
- Release Date
- 4 June 2026
- ISBN
- 9781405989183
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Penguin Books Ltd
- Genre
- Forgery, falsification and theft of artworks, True crime, Reportage, journalism or collected columns, Art: financial aspects, History of art
Synopsis
An unbelievable table of greed, looted treasures and stolen history in the world's biggest art heist.In the shattered aftermath of Cambodia’s civil war, temples that had stood for centuries were found ransacked - sacred sculptures hacked from pedestals, towering statues of Hindu gods and priceless relics of the Khmer Empire vanished. At the centre of this vast plunder, British expatriate Douglas Latchford, whose decades-long obsession fuelled one of the most audacious cultural thefts of modern times. From the Killing Fields of the Khmer Rouge to the marble galleries of New York and London and the private collections of the rich and famous, The Man Who Stole the Gods unravels a breathtaking story of power, greed and corruption, and asks what you take from a nation when you steal its past. Drawing on years of investigation and exclusive access to the stories’ key players – from temple looters and traffickers to the investigators and archaeologists fighting to bring masterpieces home – award-winning writer Matthew Campbell reveals how the treasures of one of the world’s greatest civilizations were stolen, sold and finally found.'An adventure to rival David Grann’s Lost City of Z, and a riveting exposé of the plunder that still fills the world’s top art museums' Zeke Faux, author or Number Go Up'Immaculately researched and beautifully written, a gripping real-life exposé of the ugly deals that underpin the trade in beautiful objects' Oliver Bullough, author of MoneylandFrom the author of Dead in the Water, called 'a masterpiece' by the New York Times© Matthew Campbell 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026
About xigxag
xigxag is an independent, UK-based audiobook platform and the UK's only B Corp certified audiobook company. We offer nearly 150,000 audiobooks, all with professional human narration. No AI-generated voices. xigxag is rated an Ethical Consumer Best Buy for audiobooks and a top-rated ethical bookshop.
There is no subscription. You buy the audiobooks you want, you own them permanently, and prices start at $13.95. The more you listen over the year, the less you pay per book, and there is always a selection in Listen for Less from $7.95. You can also send audiobooks as gifts using our audiobook gift cards or in-app gifting.
Every audiobook on xigxag has honest reviews covering both the book and the narration, and our community features make it easy to share what you are listening to, discover what others recommend, and find your next listen.
Download or stream on iOS, Android, or in your browser. Browse the full catalogue at xigxag.co.uk.