The Dutch Muse

Praise for this dual-timeline, amateur sleuth, mystery series:

“With her usual optimistic outlook and lack of caution, Fabiola is a charming lead. Don’t blame me if the Fabiola Bennett Mysteries leave you wanting even more.”
-Bookworlder

“Any book that features an art mystery by Heidi Eljarbo is a must read for me. The characters are well-rounded and realistic. The plot moves along at the perfect pace. So realistic and absolutely riveting in the details!”
-Vickie Watts, reviewer

“A master of dual-timeline mysteries!”
-Miranda KH, reviewer

“Historical fiction at its best!”
-Arthur Rees

The next book in the Fabiola Bennett Mysteries will come your way on 17 June 2025.

Pre-order is available now.

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. Alderton.