the paris portrait | excerpt + giveaway

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about the book

Fabiola stumbles upon a clue that indicates a royal portrait went missing almost two hundred years ago. Is this true, or is there substance to the rumor?

Paris, France, 1973.

After an enjoyable but dusty road trip, Fabiola and her friends, Pippa and Cary, arrive in a small village on the outskirts of Paris to spend a few days with Fabiola’s brother Eivind and his family.

On their first evening there, Eivind shows Fabiola an ancient recipe book he bought at an auction. The book is filled with old writing, and he asks Fabiola to decipher the pages. After the others have gone to bed, she spends hours reading and is gripped by the last pages that have nothing to do with recipes for baked goods and stews. Certain the author was a famous portrait artist at the time of the French Revolution, Fabiola and her friends set out on a treacherous investigation, dodging murderers and thieves to learn the truth.

Versailles, France, 1789.

Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun— portraitist and close friend of the extravagant queen of France, Marie Antoinette—has already painted thirty portraits of the queen. Her contemporaries compare her to the old Dutch masters, calling her one of the greatest portrait painters of her time.

But outside on the streets, Paris is becoming more perilous with every day that passes. Madame Le Brun would be a fool to think the rumors of a revolution will pass, and aristocratic life will continue as before.

Amid the turmoil, she paints one final portrait of Marie Antoinette, knowing well her association with the queen could cause her to be arrested or executed. As chaos and riots in Paris turn to violence, Madame Le Brun flees with her young daughter, hoping her royal friend and the portrait will be safe.

publisher: independently published

release date: november 12, 2024

goodreads | amazon | bookbub

other books in the series

the london forgery

trouble in assisi

excerpt

“Eivind, this is precious.” Fabiola released a satisfied sigh. “Where did you get it?”

“At an auction house in Paris. I wanted to buy it for Rosette and hoped the bidding wouldn’t go way above my budget.”

Rosette slid her arm around Eivind’s neck. “Every year he searches for a gift for me in antiquarian bookshops, markets, and auctions in Paris. ‘e’s a keeper, this one.”

“The writing was difficult for us to decipher. We usually have fun trying out old recipes for the bakery—but this book will be more of a collector’s item,” Eivind added.

Cary smiled. “You won the bid and the girl’s heart.”

“Oh, he won my ‘eart the first time we met,” Rosette said.

Fabiola slowly turned more pages, being very careful with the fragile paper. As she was halfway through the book, she frowned.

Eivind slid to the edge of his seat. “What’s wrong?”

“Seems like there’s a lot more than recipes written in here. The last part is more like a journal.” Fabiola closed the book. “May I take it to my room and look at it some more? I’ll be careful.”

“Of course. And I know you, sis. Just like our mother, you’d protect and preserve a valuable antique with your life if you had to.”

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 or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

giveaway

(1) winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card + a paperback of one Fabiola Bennett Mystery of your choice!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight November 12, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on November 19, 2024. 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 HERE

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