Hidden Masterpiece

(Soli Hansen Mysteries, Book 3)

By Heidi Eljarbo

In this riveting third book in the Soli Hansen Mysteries series, a woman’s courage to follow her conviction during a horrible war leads her to the portrait of a young Jewish heiress painted three centuries earlier.

Norway 1944.

Art historian Soli Hansen has gone undercover to rescue masterpieces and keep them from falling into the hands of Nazi thieves. Working with a small resistance group led by her best friend Heddy, Soli will stop at nothing to thwart the efforts of the invaders of their scenic country. Trust and loyalty mean everything when working against a merciless enemy.

Riddles and clues lead the way to a mysterious work of art. It’s a race against time, but Soli and her network refuse to give up. However, when news arrives that her sweetheart Nikolai is missing in action, she strives to concentrate on the demanding quest.

From the streets of Oslo to the snow-covered mountains and medieval churches of Nume Valley, Soli takes risks larger than her courage, trying to preserve and hide precious art. But she must decide if it’s all worth losing the man she loves.

Antwerp 1639. Fabiola Ruber’s daughter, Annarosa, wants to honor her mother’s last wish and have her portrait done by a master artist who specializes in the art of chiaroscuro. Her uncle writes to an accomplished painter in Amsterdam and commissions him to paint his beloved niece.

Struggling with religious and social persecution, the Jewish Ruber family uproots once again and travels northward. On the way, they will sojourn in Amsterdam for Annarosa’s sitting in the master painter’s studio. But will they make it there? None of them can foresee the danger of such a journey.

When I was asked if I would like to receive an ARC of the third book in the Soli Hansen series by Heidi Eljarbo I responded with three words:

"Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!"

And no, I wasn't about to break out into an Abba song, that was just me being super excited at the idea of getting my hands on this book! Having had the pleasure of reading Book 2 I could not wait to follow Soli's adventures as she once again goes head to head with the Nazis treasure hunters.

In the last book, Soli was trying to hide a painting by Rubens. This time the artist in question is Rembrandt van Rijn, and no it wasn't one of his many self-portraits, but a fictional painting of a young woman, Annarosa Ruber that is the object of pursuit. Now, the Rubers', a Jewish family, had long since been escorted onto a boat, where they went to and what happened to them nobody knows. But they left behind a ledger, which would lead whoever understand the old Italian words straight to the painting. It was of no wonder why both the Nazis and Soli and the resistance were looking for it. And thus starts our story, a story that will take the readers across the snowy mountains to the Nume Valley.

I was thoroughly entertained by this novel from beginning to end. I thought the author did a marvellous job of depicting the dangers of living in occupied Norway and the risks that the resistance was prepared to take to not only cause chaos and confusion but to make sure that not everything went the Nazis' way!

There are two protagonists that we follow in this story, in two very different times (World War II and the 17th Century). The first protagonist we meet is Soli, an art historian with a deep desire to stop these valuable paintings from falling into the wrong hands. The second is Annarosa, a young woman who is determined to forge her own destiny and at the same time sit for her portrait. Both characters are exceedingly likeable, and although Soli is the principal character in this story, it was interesting to read about what life was like for Annarosa. Through Annarosa, the author has depicted the relentlessness and needless cruelty of antisemitism through the centuries, but also the unbreakable spirit of the Jewish community.

Soli was a character who at times had the patience of a saint, especially with Ingrid who is one of the worst judge of characters ever! But Soli is also one that is quick to action, that is determined to get the job done. I liked Soli, she is such a strong woman and yet there is a vulnerability about her as well, which I found endearing.

I could go on about how good this book was all day, but I simply don't have enough time. It is, however, enough to say that I thought this book was amazing, and I am now absolutely dedicated to this series. I cannot wait for the next book.

I received my copy of this book from The Coffee Pot Book Club but you can grab yours over on Amazon, and get this, it is free to read with #KindleUnlimited subscription.

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.

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