The Lover's Portrait: An Art Mystery
- 4.3 out of 5
- 1,657 ratings
- 294 pages
Overall Content Rating: Parental Guidance PG
This dual-timeline historical mystery set in Amsterdam follows a modern researcher uncovering secrets about art, family, and the Nazi era. Reviewers describe it as suitable for young adult readers and largely free of gratuitous sexual content and graphic violence, though it does deal with serious historical wrongdoing and some tense criminal incidents in the present-day plot. Parents may want to know that a historical character is described as gay in connection with estate claims and translated letters, without that identity being the central focus of the book. Emotional tone includes sadness and regret at the conclusion, consistent with Holocaust-era hardship and loss, but without reviewers flagging explicit or prolonged violent set pieces.
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Reviews first uploaded October 7, 2026 3:54 pm. Page updated October 7, 2026 3:54 pm.
These summaries are AI-generated from relevant Amazon reviews of this book.
LGBTQ+ Mild
A deceased historical figure in the World War II storyline is identified as gay as part of an inheritance and family-legitimacy plot. Identity is referenced in dialogue and backstory rather than explored as a main theme, and it does not drive explicit romantic scenes.
Violence Mild
The story includes wartime oppression, a cruel Nazi antagonist, and present-day crimes such as break-ins and ransacked homes. Customer reviews describe the mystery as gentle, without excessive or graphic violence; harm and menace are mostly implied or tied to historical memory rather than detailed on-page brutality.
About this book
Museum intern Zelda Richardson is swept into the mystery surrounding artwork hidden from the Nazis during World War II. But Zelda’s not the only one searching for the missing paintings — and her rival would kill to find them first… When a Dutch art dealer hides the stock from his gallery – rather than turn it over to his Nazi blackmailer – he pays with his life, leaving a treasure trove of modern masterpieces buried somewhere in Amsterdam, presumably lost forever. That is, until American art history student Zelda Richardson sticks her nose in. After studying for a year in the Netherlands, Zelda scores an internship at the prestigious Amsterdam Museum, where she works on an exhibition of paintings and sculptures once stolen by the Nazis, lying unclaimed in Dutch museum depots almost seventy years later. When two women claim the same portrait of a young girl entitled Irises , Zelda is tasked with investigating the painting’s history and soon finds evidence that one of the two women must be lying about her past. Before she can figure out which one and why, Zelda learns about the Dutch art dealer’s concealed collection. And that Irises is the key to finding it. Her discoveries make her a target of someone willing to steal – and even kill – to find the missing paintings. As the list of suspects grows, Zelda realizes she has to track down the lost collection and unmask a killer if she wants to survive. Praise for The Lover's Portrait : "Well worth reading for what the main character discovers--not just about the portrait mentioned in the title, but also the sobering dangers of Amsterdam during World War II." - IndieReader "As the narrative unfolds and the truth is revealed, the suspense is intensely magnetic and the characters equally captivating." - BookLife Prize for Fiction 2016 "Well written and well researched. I thoroughly enjoyed this book... Highly recommended." - 5 stars, Chill with a Book Readers' Award verdict "Jennifer S. Alderson delivers a mystery novel not quite like most. It's not about stolen paintings, but about lives that were stolen... The Lover's Portrait is a well-written mystery with engaging characters and a lot of heart. The perfect novel for those who love art and mysteries!" - Readers' Favorite, 5 star medal Awarded a B.R.A.G. Medallion by indieBRAG's readers in March 2019 Chosen as Chill with a Book’s January 2018 Book of the Month and winner of a Chill with a Book Readers’ Award One of TripFiction's 10 Favorite Books set in Amsterdam Silver Cup winner in Rosie's Book Review Team 2017 Awards, Mystery category Readers’ Favorite 5 star medal One of The Displaced Nation magazine’s Top 36 Expat Fiction Picks of 2016 One of Women Writers, Women’s Books magazine's Recommended Reads for April 2017. Set in present day and wartime Amsterdam, this captivating thriller is not just about stolen paintings, but also the lives that were stolen. This art history mystery also describes the plight of homosexuals and Jewish artists in Europe during World War II, as well as the complexities inherent to the restitution of artwork stolen by the Nazis in the 1930s and 1940s. The Lover's Portrait is Book One in the Zelda Richardson Mystery Series. The amateur sleuth mysteries in this series can be read in any order. Read more