ABOUT THE BOOK
WWII and the mid-seventeenth century are entwined in this fourth dual timeline novel about Nazi art theft, bravery, friendship, and romance.
April 1945. Art historian Soli Hansen and her friend Heddy arrive at an excavation site only to find Soli’s old archeology professor deeply engrossed in an extraordinary find in a marsh. The remains of a man have lain undisturbed for three centuries, but there’s more to this discovery…
As Soli tries to understand who the baroque man was and discovers what he carried in a sealed wooden tube, problems arise. A leak reveals the finds to the notorious Lieutenant Colonel Heinz Walter, and soon, both Nazi elite and the Gestapo are after the treasure.
When Heddy and the professor disappear along with the artwork, Soli and her resistance group must find them before it’s too late.
1641. In Amsterdam, French musketeer Claude Beaulieu has had his portrait done by his close friend and artist Rembrandt van Rijn. When a band of thieves steal the precious painting, Claude and his wife Annarosa Ruber pick up their swords and a few belongings and go after the culprits.
Set in Norway during the tumultuous last days of the second world war, as well as the peak of the glorious baroque art period, these two stories are a must for readers who love historical fiction with adventure, suspense, and true love that conquers all.
Perfect for fans of Kate Morton, Lucinda Riley, Kathleen McGurl, Rhys Bowen, and Katherine Neville.
PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub
MY REVIEW
Greed is a very ugly thing indeed, and will make people do things they never thought possible. I don’t know what it is about art, but people get straight up crazy about it, as is shown in Brushstrokes from the Past.
This novel is a dual timeline, the past being set in 1641, at the height of Rembrandt’s career, and the present being near the end of World War II. Both eras are intriguing to me and I can honestly say I’ve never read them both together before. I did get a little lost with the back and forth and all of the different names, but I blame not reading the rest of the series first. Not to say that you can’t read this as a standalone as I did, but I feel like I would’ve appreciated the conclusion more had I read the rest of the series first.
I loved this story as a whole, but have to say that I appreciated the 1641 timeline more than I did Soli’s time. It’s obvious the author did her research, and it gleams from the pages. I learned quite a bit about Rembrandt that I did not previously know, which I greatly appreciated, and always enjoy when reading historical fictions.
Soli’s timeline has a Nancy Drew flavor that I am so here for but I feel like I twas so squeaky clean, Soli and her friends being a little too perfect, that I did struggle to connect as deeply as I liked, but maybe that is also something that comes when you read the series as a whole. The author does a great job of filling in the gaps of the past novels, which made me want to read more of Soli’s other adventures. This was such an insane time in history, especially in Europe, the entire time blanketed in uncertainty, but then you layer even more mystery, and the tension is taut and palpable.
It’s amazing how the beauty of a painting can transcend through the times, and through the pages into words. I could see that Rembrandt painting in my mind the entire time I was reading, and it was exquisite. If you like clean historical fiction then this is absolutely perfect for you. It has a wonderful flow and a delicious flavor that I truly enjoyed.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Heidi Eljarbo is the bestselling author of historical fiction and mysteries filled with courageous and good characters that are easy to love and others you don't want to go near. Heidi grew up in a home filled with books and artwork and she never truly imagined she would do anything other than write and paint. She studied art, languages, and history, all of which have come in handy when working as an author, magazine journalist, and painter. After living in Canada, six US states, Japan, Switzerland, and Austria, Heidi now calls Norway home. She and her husband have a total of nine children, thirteen grandchildren—so far—in addition to a bouncy Wheaten Terrier. Their favorite retreat is a mountain cabin, where they hike in the summertime and ski the vast, white terrain during winter. Heidi’s favorites are family, God's beautiful nature, and the word whimsical.
Connect with Heidi by visiting heidieljarbo.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.
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