I seem to be drawn to historical fiction. I loved the sound of The Seeker of Lost Paintings and was delighted to receive a copy to review. Unfortunately the book is not published until March 2026 but read on for my review, I promise it will be worth waiting for!

The Seeker of Lost Paintings by Sarah Freethy

The Seeker of Lost Paintings is an unforgettable story of love and betrayal across the decades from the author of The Porcelain Maker by Sarah Freethy.

Interweaving war-torn Rome with modern-day London, this sophisticated and thrilling historical page-turner about love, betrayal and a quest for the truth is perfect for fans of Christy Lefteri and Victoria Hislop.

Rome 1939
Arriving in Rome to work for the wealthy Montefalco family, Maddalena is homesick and alone. She finds solace – and love – in the beauty of the city, but as the war in Nazi-occupied Italy rages, she must make a devastating choice.

London, 1997
After her mother Maddalena’s death, Beatrice Fremont discovers a fragment of a painting and a letter that sends her on a hunt to Rome. Helping her is art dealer Jude Adler, who’s convinced they are looking for a lost Caravaggio. For Jude, this could be the find of a lifetime; but for Beatrice their search uncovers a shocking secret and the answer to a mystery kept hidden for years.

 

I really enjoyed this book! The story starts in 1990s London, an era before everyone had mobile phones and the internet at the touch of their fingers. I really liked the fact there was a historical puzzle and enjoyed watching the story unfold, learning more about Italy during the Second World War which was a bonus for me. Everything came together at the end, although I would have liked this to have been a little slower as so much happened in the last few pages. It was a fun story to follow along with and I would love to see some Caravaggio paintings, visit Rome and read the previous book by the author too!

Thank you NetGalley for a review copy. The Seeker of Lost Paintings will be published by Simon & Schuster UK on the 10th March 2026.