Book Review of 'The Dutch Muse' by Heidi Eljarbo

Hello Bookworms!!

I am SO excited today! Why? Because I am featuring a novel from one of my favorite authors and favorite series! This series has awakened a love for art history that I didn’t even know existed, while also feeding my love of mystery and dual timelines.

I hope you enjoy my thoughts on this Historical Mystery and don’t forget to scroll to the bottom of this post and enter the amazing giveaway from JustRead Tours!

Welcome to the Blog Tour for The Dutch Muse by Heidi Eljarbo, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: The Dutch Muse
Series: A Fabiola Bennett Mystery #4
Author: Heidi Eljarbo
Publisher: Independently Published
Release Date: June 17, 2025
Genre: Clean Historical Dual-Timeline Mystery with a touch of romance

A ruthless thief leaves a private Dutch gallery with a coveted seventeenth-century painting. The owner lies unconscious on the floor. Art historian Fabiola Bennett is on vacation in Holland and takes on the case.

Amsterdam, 1973. It’s late summer, and Fabiola and Pippa join their friend, Cary, for a few days of sightseeing, museums, and riding bikes around the beautiful city.

For the first time in her life, Fabiola feels a pang of jealousy, and rude comments from a gallerist make her doubt her own abilities.

Then, unexpectedly, Cary’s Dutch client, Lennard van de Hoek, is brutally struck down and a baroque portrait by Ferdinand Bol is stolen. Fabiola pushes aside her problems and jumps into danger without hesitation. The list of suspects is long, and with a cold-blooded criminal at large, they must constantly be on the alert.

Amsterdam, 1641

Ferdinand Bol has completed his five-year training with Master Rembrandt van Rijn and is ready to set up his own studio. The future looks bright, and Ferdinand sets a goal to become a widely sought-after and, hopefully, prosperous master portraitist.

Just when Ferdinand’s career starts to flourish—and patrons and customers discover his exceptional talent—one of his models confesses she’s in deep trouble, and he drops everything to help her.

This is a fast-paced and captivating who-done-it set in the Netherlands—the fourth installment and a spin-off from the Soli Hansen Mysteries. Perfect for fans of Kathleen McGurl, Louise Penny, Deborah Swift, Anna Lee Huber, Lucinda Riley, Sherry Thomas, Ellery Adams, and Jennifer S. Alderson.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

My Review

Fabiola and her caper-loving crew are back for another art history mystery in The Dutch Muse. I get such a sense of joy when I am with the “three musketeers,” and it seems like with each installment of the Fabiola Bennett Mystery series, my enjoyment increases along with my newfound passion for history of the arts. I never knew how much I’d enjoy art history until I started reading this series.

Up to this point, we’ve seen Fabiola as a confident and highly knowledgeable art historian with a keen sense and a sharp eye. However, in this novel, we witness her in a more vulnerable light, adding another layer to this multifaceted woman. This portrayal shows that even the most skilled individuals can harbor doubts and uncertainties and makes me love Fabiola all the more.

We are introduced to another artist that was previously unknown to me. An apprentice of Rembrandt, Ferdinand Bol became a much sought after artist in his own right and I enjoyed getting to know his history as we follow Fabiola and team as they try to track down one of his stolen pieces. While I was reading I looked up some of his paintings and he truly was a great talent.

The climax of this novel was one of my favorites in the series so far. The tension was taut, and I was locked in and didn’t want that feeling to end. I was hoping for a moment with more fireworks, but as soon as it had begun, it ended and left me wanting so much more. There is one scene in particular that gave me a taste of something I’ve been craving for a while, and I hope to see this storyline continue in future volumes.

Heidi Eljarbo is such a masterful writer and paints such a beautiful portrait with her words, and when I say this series continues to get better and better, I mean it! The history, the mystery, and the love and chemistry shared between Fabiola, Cary, and Pippa have me positively spellbound, and I cannot wait to see where the next mystery takes us next!

My Rating: ★★★★★

About the Author

HEIDI ELJARBO grew up in a home full of books, artwork, and happy creativity. She is the author of historical novels filled with courage, hope, mystery, adventure, and sweet romance during challenging times. She’s been named a master of dual timelines and often writes about strong-willed women of past centuries.

After living in Canada, six US states, Japan, Switzerland, and Austria, Heidi now calls Norway home. She lives with her husband on a charming island and enjoys walking in any kind of weather, hugging her grandchildren, and has a passion for art and history.

Her family’s chosen retreat is a mountain cabin, where they hike in the summer and ski the vast white terrain during winter.

Heidi’s favorites are her family, God's beautiful nature, and the word whimsical.

Connect with Heidi by visiting heidieljarbo.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email newsletter updates.

Tour Giveaway

(2) winners will each receive their choice of any one paperback from the Fabiola Bennett series plus a $20 Amazon gift card!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight June 17, 2025 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on June 24, 2025. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. No shipping restrictions. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!